《These Reincarnators Are Sus! Sleuthing in Another World》


 Chapter 1: The Detective’s New Mission

    The abbey was nearly silent. The knights were stunned at the open display of scorn from their beloved Saintess-apparent.


    ¡°You¡¯re only making yourself look worse,¡± Ailn said, trying to calm her down. ¡°Renea¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you never to say my name!¡± Renea shouted. Bolting upright, she stormed down towards the pews, glaring at the knights who''d brought her under inquisition. ¡°Of all the asinine, witless things, you accuse ME of being disgraceful?¡±


    The acting bailiff, Sir Kylian, winced at the sight, wondering if it had truly all been a facade.


    To the long-suffering people of the duchy, Renea eum-Creid had always been the promise of a brighter future. She was its greatest hope, heir apparent to the noble family that protected the empire, and she was poised to surpass even her mother, the late Saintess Celine eum-Creid.


    A star of unbound potential, her mastery at sixteen matched her mother¡¯s at twenty: none had ever seen a Saintess so effortlessly heal the sick, eradicate the shadows, or maintain the holy barrier that surrounded the entire city of Varant. And the people dared to hope that she would be the one to finally dispel the darkness.


    Today, however, the eum-Creid¡¯s shining jewel was not standing at the pulpit preaching mercy. Instead, she was stomping about the abbey''s chancel, screaming into the void.


    ¡°All of you faithless, treacherous knights act like you know everything! To hell with all of you!¡± Renea snarled. ¡°Not a single one of you knows what loyalty is!¡±


    On this day, Renea eum-Creid stood trial for the attempted murder of her brother.


    <hr>


    This story¡¯s true beginning lies in the void between our worlds, where a soul that once walked among us was drawn away from its journey beyond, and instead coaxed to the gate of the world next door. A seemingly teenaged boy stood waiting to receive the wayward soul, and once it arrived before him, the soul slowly transfigured into something resembling a human body.


    It belonged to a detective who¡¯d met a rather bitter end.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m alive.¡± The detective, currently an errant soul, looked around. ¡°Or not? Hm.¡±


    Taking in his surroundings, it seemed like he was in the afterlife. But the detective was skeptical.


    The last thing he remembered doing was dying, and there was a good chance this was just a flight of fancy before true and utter death¡ªa hallucination caused by the chemicals flooding his brain before all activity ceased.


    If this really was his final dream, though, it was a little¡­


    ¡°Random.¡± The detective paced around the teenage boy in front of him. He was a whole head taller than the boy. ¡°You definitely look real. You¡¯re fully detailed and everything. If I were hallucinating, I¡¯d expect everything to look a little more¡­ Impressionist.¡±


    Then again, the detective thought, if he were hallucinating he wouldn¡¯t be able to assess his own lucidity. It was a real conundrum.


    The boy clasped his hands together and smiled nervously. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Detective. You must be¡­ quite confused right now!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say ¡®confused¡¯ is the right word. On the fence, maybe,¡± the detective said, glancing past the boy. A gigantic doorway loomed behind him, slowly seeping fog, its frame somehow etched into the air itself.


    And through the fog, the detective could barely make out a castle covered in snow¡­


    ¡°Well,¡± the boy said, ¡°I¡¯m real! I¡¯m a real god.¡±


    ¡°A god? I assumed you were some kind of cherubim. You know, those fat little things in togas?¡±


    ¡°¡­But I¡¯m dressed in regular clothing?¡± The boy¡¯s smile started to strain ¡°This is neither Heaven, nor Hell. You''re in the afterlife, yes. But I¡¯ve brought you to the gate of another world, Mr. Detective. My world.¡±


    ¡°Are you really gonna keep calling me Mr. Detective?¡±


    The boy scratched his cheek and glanced away. ¡°I don¡¯t really have anything else to call you. You see, I took away your name and most of your memories.¡±


    The detective stopped in his tracks and attempted to recall his actual name. Try as he might to reach back through the doors of memory, they were locked tight. But past those doors¡ª


    ¡°It¡¯s for your benefit, Mr. Detective.¡° The young god¡¯s nervous scratch had progressed to his ear. ¡°Some endings are too bitter. At least, too bitter to take in all at once. And I can¡¯t have you walking out of the theater glum and useless¡ªI need you for something.¡±


    The detective sighed, finally taking the kid at his word: he really must be some kind of deity. The detective looked the young god straight in the eye. ¡°So you took my memories away from me and expect me to do you a favor?¡±


    ¡°Taking your memories away was my favor.¡±


    ¡­It was the truth. The detective could tell.


    Even now, cut off from his life and memory, standing here in the void¡ªhe could feel a morass of resentment threatening to pull him in and drown him. Yet there was also a palpable sense of detachment.


    It was like he was two people at once. There was his true self, left behind in its anger. And there was the phantom he was right now, whose emotions seemed to clip if they rose too high or fell too low.


    Everything smoothed, like he was on spiritual painkillers. The detective sighed.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, apparently still able to experience subtle melancholy. ¡°You got me. I¡¯d rather be half of me than suffer. What exactly do you need me for?¡±


    ¡°So¡­uh, I¡¯ve got a problem. Big problem,¡± the young god said.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    ¡°And this problem¡­ could utterly ruin my world.¡±


    ¡°As in?¡±


    ¡°Um, it could be completely destroyed.¡±


    "I hope you were smart enough to get the warranty.¡±


    "Hah. Ahaha. No. No, that''s not funny. I''m really in big trouble."


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how my particular skill set applies,¡± the detective said. ¡°Unless you need me to solve a divine murder¡­ or find some sort of artifact that keeps the world running.¡±


    The young god snapped his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re close. I need you to find somebody. A number of some-bodies, actually. I need you to find reincarnators, for me.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Reincarnators.¡± The young god pointed at the detective. ¡°People who¡¯ve died in your world and been reincarnated into my world, like you¡¯re about to be.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°And why do you need someone else to find them?¡± the detective asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, then. How many of them are there?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that, either.¡±


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re really stretching the word ¡®god¡¯ thin here.¡±


    ¡°I know that more than anyone in the world, Mr. Detective. Both our worlds. But that¡¯s why this is such a dire situation. You could say I used up all my divinity to bring you here.¡±


    The young god clasped his hands together, and made a full bow: ¡°...Because if you can¡¯t figure out who these reincarnators are, then my world and everyone who lives within it will perish. So, please. I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    At this point, even the detective was starting to feel embarrassed. Few things unnerve the flippant and uncaring more than straightforward sincerity.


    Masks can be seen through, and lies unraveled. Cards kept close to the vest can be figured out. But a plea from the heart can only be accepted or rejected.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot more responsibility than I¡¯ve ever had,¡± the detective said. ¡°A whole world? That could be billions of people. I¡¯m the best you could come up with?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the best I could come up with, because you¡¯re the best,¡± the young god replied.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll have to respectfully disagree.¡±


    ¡°You, more than anyone in any universe, are suited to solve this case. No one else can do it. You¡¯re the genius detective we need.¡±


    ¡°Genius, huh?¡± A bitter pang rose in the detective¡¯s chest, and the smallest flash of his life cut short slipped past the locks which held his memories. ¡°I guess it takes a lot of talent to be a has-been before thirty.¡±


    The detective closed his eyes, and a deep wincing frown set across his face.


    His left hand tried to fiddle with a watch that wasn¡¯t actually there anymore, and he found himself missing it.


    The truth was, he didn¡¯t want to do it.


    His soul had been moments away from moving on, its worldly attachments already crumbling away. The pain and misery of his final moments still lingered as a dull, numb ache in his chest, despite any divine palliative, and he wanted to sleep it off in eternity just like any other tired soul.


    A new mission, especially one this important, seemed out of the question. He couldn¡¯t remember it, but he could feel it: he¡¯d just given up on his last one.


    Yet¡­


    Looking at the young god bowing before him, he felt his heart stir. There was something in his adolescent and ruddy face, something that reminded him of someone important that he couldn¡¯t even bring to mind, anymore.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do it. You remind me of someone I like... I think.¡± The detective sighed.


    It wasn¡¯t much of a reason. Just enough to give a good person an excuse to do good.


    The young god sighed himself, but with relief. All the tension in his body left while he was still mid-bow, and he looked like he might keel over. Where the detective¡¯s heart had been stilled, an engine that needed a spark to start again, the god¡¯s heart had been a stuttering, anxious mess.


    And when he finally pulled out of his exaggerated slump to face the detective again, he gave the detective his first genuine, relaxed smile¡ªand like a pebble thrown into a cave, it sent the soft echo of memory through the detective¡¯s soul once more.


    ¡°Just help me understand what I¡¯m doing, exactly.¡± The detective spoke pointedly. Even a bit accusingly. ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling you know who these reincarnators are already. So, you must need more than a list.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re actually looking for are¡­ jewels.¡± The young god opened his palm and manifested a perfect, glimmering emerald. ¡°This emerald holds a part of the world soul. It¡¯s the only one I have. Those reincarnators also hold part of the world soul. I need you to gather them for me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think worlds could have souls,¡± the detective muttered.


    The detective wasn¡¯t particularly enamored with jewelry or gemstones, but the emerald glittering in the young god¡¯s palm was enchanting. He was currently a soul errant, a spirit looking for its place like a knight in want of a master.


    The emerald resonated with him.


    ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± the young god said. He had a very cautious tone. ¡°I¡¯m going to share as much of the emerald with you as you can handle.¡±


    The jewel disappeared from the young god¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Look into my eyes,¡± the young god said. ¡°And¡­ try not to panic.¡±


    Then, the young god¡¯s eyes started to glow softly, manifesting themselves into emeralds. The detective had seen green eyes before, but nothing like this. They looked like genuine precious stones, carved lovingly and meticulously to fit into the irises of his eye.


    ¡°Panic¡­?¡± the detective said. The young god¡¯s emerald eyes were more than just drawing him in.


    It felt like whatever jeweler had sculpted those eyes were starting to carve into his. The detective clutched at them.


    He didn¡¯t feel pain. But something was being etched into his soul, and his eyes were the medium. His vision disappeared, and then all of his senses.


    His soul was soaring through the verdant labyrinth that was the emerald itself. It wasn¡¯t that he was receiving the emerald¡ªit was that he was uniting with it, a soul grander than his.


    The detective woke back in the void with a start. The young god staring at him still had eyes of emerald, but they were marginally less brilliant than before.


    Blinking, the detective realized that right now he had emerald eyes too.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± the detective rubbed one of his eyes, and intuitively realized he could manifest¡ªand unmanifest¡ªthem at will.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be something like my avatar in the world,¡± the young god continued, without missing a beat. ¡°The reincarnators will all have jeweled eyes like you. And your emerald eyes will let you retrieve theirs.¡±


    ¡°Do I just need to look in their eyes for a split second like you just did?¡± the detective asked. He felt a bit irritated at just how little prior warning he got for such a profound experience.


    Were the other reincarnators going to go through that when he took their jeweled eyes?


    ¡°The amount of eye contact you¡¯ll need depends on a few factors,¡± the young god said, notably averting his own eyes.


    ¡°You''re not making this ¡­ whatever. I think I get the gist of it. Is there anything else I need to know?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the young god said, as he started shoving the detective in the direction of the gate. There was a hint of evasiveness evident in his tone. ¡°I think that just about covers it.¡±


    By now the two of them were standing right in front of the gate.


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re hiding something from me.¡± The detective stopped before he actually entered.


    ¡°Am I? Oh, you might have to work out a few kinks and snags once I send you down. But that¡¯s why you¡¯re the best person for the job, right?¡± The young god placed fist in palm, and smiled like a lawyer that just screwed their client over. ¡°Well, no time like the present. Let¡¯s get you on your way.¡±


    ¡°Wait, hold on¡ª¡°


    ¡°By the way, if you manifest your eyes on someone who isn''t reincarnated, you''ll pollute your jewel. Be careful not to shatter it!¡±


    ¡°What? What happens if¡ª¡±


    The detective felt a light push from behind, into the gate, and stumbled through. He heard a loud creak, then the sound of the gate slamming shut, before he was enveloped by the dark.


    And suddenly, he felt his consciousness fading once again. It was almost like falling asleep, right in his own bed.


    But the more his consciousness waned, the more his body seemed to be tipping precariously forward. And when he finally dozed off, he fell right through, starting his free-fall into the abyss.


    <hr>


    Outside the castle courtyard, there was a floating and flashing white light. It was a simple use of holy aura often employed by the knights to keep people out of a crime scene. Routine, but grim, the flashing white on dirty snow gave a sordid impression.


    Inside the courtyard was a corpse that belonged to someone of only nominal importance.


    He was the useless second son of the eum-Creid dukedom, the young master Ailn, and his death had caused more gossip than alarm. Today, the snow fell heavily, as if the weather itself wished to hide the murder.


    At exactly midnight, the snow came to a halt in mid-air, the rapid flicker of snowflakes slowing down until their movement had ceased entirely.


    The world stopped. The corpse¡¯s rot halted. The castle so often buried by ice was now caught in time. And in that frozen moment, something divine whispered into the corpse¡¯s ear.


    The snow¡¯s fast drift started up once again, and dead eyes shot open.


    "....Aaarghh! That hurts!" The former victim cradled his head violently and moaned. "Huh? What the hell?"


    Blood on his hand, from pressing it against the open wound at the back of his head. Even gentle pressure caused a sharp pain that shot through the area, and he cursed violently.


    There was more: little cuts all over him which stung against the wind, and the skin on his neck itched and peeled to the touch.


    ¡°Dammit!¡±


    When he tried to stand up, he was struck by the bizarre sensation of his skin being waterlogged; concentrated between his shoulder blades, down to the small of his back.


    He looked under his arm and tried to glance at his own back. There was a purple tint. It looked like the very beginnings of livor mortis. Panicking, he put a finger to his wrist¡ªthere was a pulse, thankfully.


    Then he finally saw it: the chalk outline that had been drawn around his body.


    The detective, now housed in the body of a certain Ailn eum-Creid, groaned. "Seriously? He threw me into a murder victim?¡±

 Chapter 2: Ailn eum-Creid

    The honorable Ailn eum-Creid was a lout, womanizer, and coward. Born with almost no holy aura, he was the family defect who let his shame get the better of him. While his nobler kin risked their lives fighting the shadows, he squandered his away in debauchery.


    That was the popular opinion, at least. But Sir Kylian of Varant had his doubts.


    He couldn¡¯t speak to the disgraced second son¡¯s bravery or his worldly indulgences, but the few times Kylian had seen Ailn, he was working the fields. That honest work, the knight guessed, was the true source of the young, misunderstood noble¡¯s poor reputation.


    Ailn had lived a quiet life that naturally drew attention.


    He was hard to miss¡ªhis silver hair and blue eyes marked him as a eum-Creid, yet he wore the dirty tunic of a peasant. He¡¯d toil away, tilling the fields without so much as an oxen, the color of his hair screaming his noble lineage all the while.


    It left an impression like tarnishing silver. The truth was, he would¡¯ve been less of a stain on his family name if he¡¯d just kept out of sight.


    The young noble wasn''t even thirteen when his family had all but disowned him. He was ¡®gifted¡¯ a cottage deep in the family¡¯s private woods, and the message was clear: ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass us any further.¡±


    But Ailn didn¡¯t listen. Either dense or thick-skinned, he openly joined the commoners in their agricultural lifestyle, never afraid to show his face around the city of Varant.


    His good intentions to do what he could, even if it meant dirtying his hands, earned him more ridicule than admiration. Yet he held his head high, living a modest life in his cottage without actually hiding in it.


    Now that he was dead, even this small act of dignity would be forgotten.


    Ailn eum-Creid¡¯s corpse lay still in the middle of the castle courtyard, his sword laid next to him and shattered around the hilt. It was a death ironic as they come: in an unprecedented attack on the eum-Creid estate at the heart of Varant, he¡¯d been killed by the shadow beasts he never faced in proper battle.


    Or so the rest of the knights seemed to believe. Again, Kylian had his doubts.


    It was dark and terribly cold out in the courtyard. The knight stood by restlessly while Cairn, the court physician, finished his preliminary examination. Perhaps because the young noble was about his own age, Kylian found that Ailn''s corpse unnerved him more than most he¡¯d ever seen.


    Or it could¡¯ve been that the examination by lantern-light simply made the wounds on the corpse seem more ghastly. At the very least, they were bizarre.


    His body was covered in lacerations. That could be expected from a shadow beast attack, but none were deep enough to kill; he also lacked bite wounds. The shadow beasts the guards reported had apparently resembled wolves. But they hadn''t bit?


    Next, he¡¯d suffered a clear blow to the back of his head, which Kylian suspected was the true cause of death. Just how would a wolf-like beast possibly produce that? It might make sense if he was forcibly thrown into one of the stone walls, and yet he was found in the middle of the courtyard.


    Strangest of all were what looked like burn marks on his jaw and neck, with singed hairs on the back of his head¡ªsurrounding the area where he¡¯d been struck.


    "What''s your assessment, Cairn? Have you ever seen wounds like this?" Kylian asked.


    "Lacerations, blunt force trauma, and burns? No. Can''t say I have. Not together like this," Cairn said, prodding the back of the victim¡¯s neck. The skull gave way to even a soft touch. "But shadow beasts can take on a lot of forms. It''s not beyond the pale."


    Cairn grimaced, taking one last glance at the clouding eyes of Ailn eum-Creid, before he gently shut both of the young man''s lids.


    "... I don''t believe he was killed by shadow beasts," Kylian muttered.


    Kylian had been a peacekeeper in Varant long enough to know what it looked like when a criminal tried to hide their secrets. This death was staged, and he was certain it was murder.


    Cairn only shook his head in reply. Whether or not he thought Ailn¡¯s death hinted at foul play, he clearly had little desire to pursue it¡ªat least not at this time of night.


    "Isn''t it about time you got some rest, Sir Kylian?" Cairn asked, standing up. "We¡¯d be better off coming back in the morning."


    "Are we not going to move the body?" Kylian glanced towards Cairn.


    "I''d prefer to have more hands. Unfortunately.¡± Cairn¡¯s reply was curt, with a tone of disapproval.


    Partly due to necessity, and partly due to apathy, Kylian and Cairn were the only two left investigating.


    After the attack, Renea eum-Creid, expected successor to the Saintess, had taken most of the Azure Knights who were at the castle with her. Shadow beasts breaching the city''s holy barrier was unheard of.


    The barrier needed to be investigated immediately, despite the late hour.


    The knights who remained at the castle didn¡¯t care enough to properly investigate Ailn¡¯s death. After quick and gestural efforts, they¡¯d tried to take Ailn straight to the morgue without so much as checking the body. If Kylian hadn¡¯t resisted, Cairn wouldn¡¯t have even had a chance to perform a proper examination.


    The only silver lining was that they didn¡¯t obstruct Kylian from investigating himself. That suited them just fine, as long as he was the only one who had to put in any extra effort. Figuring he''d pace himself cold and tired soon enough, the rest of the knights left him to it.


    As lazy and contemptible as they were, though, their cynicism wasn¡¯t entirely misplaced. Kylian was losing hope fast, and the dropping temperature wasn¡¯t helping. Convinced as he was that this was murder, he still had no idea who was behind it, or why. He was just as clueless as when he¡¯d arrived.


    "I''ll certainly follow you soon," Kylian replied. "Thank you for your work."


    Cairn closed his eyes and sighed. To his mind, staying alone in a courtyard to keep a corpse company sounded like a particularly unpleasant act of futility. Even if Kylian found something, who¡¯s to say the Order of the Azure Knights would give it any credence?


    "Suit yourself. Be careful, Kylian," Cairn gave a wave of goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t wake me up before dawn.¡±


    With that, Cairn left, and Kylian was left alone, wondering what he hoped to achieve. He¡¯d always been moved by a sense of justice disproportionate to what could actually be done in a city like Varant, an almost painful sense of pity for victims whose families didn¡¯t even have the consolation of truth.


    He stepped outside the courtyard to collect himself, just for a moment.


    As the night reached its darkest point, even the pulsing light of his own holy aura began to unnerve him. Nothing made sense. Yet no one cared. Unsure what to even search for, Kylian was close to giving up.


    "Aaarghh! That hurts!"


    Kylian froze. Not only did he hear a pained scream, but the knight swore it came from¡­


    He wasn¡¯t an easy man to sneak up on, and he was even harder to scare. And yet for that first terrifying moment, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to actually enter the courtyard.


    With a trembling hand, he reached for his sword hilt¡­


    Then he stayed stock still, until he thought he heard the voice again. Quieter this time¡ªit was at speaking levels, if he wasn¡¯t just hallucinating it. Taking a deep breath, he gathered his courage and stepped in.


    ¡°¡­ just murdered?¡±


    Then, Sir Kylian walked into the courtyard and made eye contact with the allegedly dead Ailn eum-Creid.


    <hr>


    The detective¡ªnow in his new body¡ªhad slipped up.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    He woke up in this medieval-looking courtyard, in a body that had just been murdered. And while he was thoughtlessly complaining about the young god who sent him here, he failed to notice the knight coming into earshot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡±


    Said knight was now staring at him in disbelief, and had presumably just seen him as a corpse. It was likely the knight had heard him say some rather suspect things.


    Of course, anything was ¡®suspect¡¯ when it came out of the mouth of a recent corpse.


    It was an uncharacteristically inattentive showing by the detective, who usually would¡¯ve noticed the knight coming. But waking from being murdered made him pretty groggy. And now the knight looked like he might pull his sword.


    The detective thought fast. He scanned his surroundings and took an educated guess at his situation.


    The knight probably hadn¡¯t been the one to kill him.


    If that were the case, the detective should¡¯ve been sliced through or stabbed. He couldn¡¯t be certain¡ªresurrection may have fully healed fatal wounds like pierced organs¡ªbut he had other reasons to believe the knight hadn¡¯t been involved.


    More than anything, the flashing light and chalk outline made it clear why the knight was here.


    This knight was in the same profession. There weren¡¯t a lot of reasons to hang around a corpse, after all.


    ¡°Could you tell me my name?¡± the detective asked, breaking the silence. The best thing he could do was act disarming and harmless.


    The knight and the detective stared at each other for a good minute, tense and cold.


    ¡°¡­ Ailn eum-Creid?¡± the knight answered. A moment ago he looked shocked and terrified. But some of that gave way to concern. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Ailn eum-Creid,¡± Ailn repeated. Guess that was his name now. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m Ailn. I take it you¡¯re the guy who was investigating my murder?¡±


    The knight flinched and just stared at Ailn wordlessly.


    ¡°Well¡­ yes,¡± the knight said. He took a step back warily, and his right hand tensed¡ªit was a tell that he was on the verge of pulling his sword.


    Ailn raised both of his hands non-threateningly. That was a universal sign of nonaggression, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s not a mystery¡ªer, your name?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Kylian,¡± the knight replied.


    ¡°Sir Kylian?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re the noble here¡­ Your Grace,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Ailn, glanced down at his shabby tunic. ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it. Anyway, your footprints are all over the place.¡±


    Ailn waited for some sort of response, but Kylian simply stood there in stillness and shock. Ailn sighed, making light conversation as best he could.


    ¡°Head trauma, right? This body¡ªI, died of head trauma,¡± Ailn said. ¡°...Strong chance my death was staged.¡±


    ¡°How¡ª¡± Kylian started.


    ¡°It¡¯s literally on me, Kylian, plain as day.¡± Ailn gestured toward the numerous cuts, then toward his other arm. ¡°I¡¯ve got superficial lacerations all over my body. But no meaningful defense wounds. Amateur mistake when someone wants to obscure the form of death.¡±


    Ailn¡¯s fingers ran underneath his collar, and pressed against the burn marks on his neck. ¡°Though¡­ not sure what this was about. I woke up in a pretty interesting state, to say the least,¡± he said, starting to put some strength into his arms. ¡°Who discovered my body? You?¡±


    Kylian slowly approached.


    ¡°A maid found you,¡± Kylian said. He extended his hand, realizing Ailn was contending with his injuries.


    Soon, with Kylian¡¯s help, Ailn managed to stand up and brushed himself off, a little surprised the body was already seaworthy. But he was freezing. As soon as life had returned to the body, so did all of its physiological function; it took a moment, but he started shivering.


    Despite this, he amiably shook the hand that had helped him up.


    Kylian stared back confused, and the chilling air whistled through the two of them.


    ¡°C-could we get someplace warm, actually?¡± Ailn asked through chattering teeth.


    <hr>


    Kylian took Ailn to an oft-empty guardroom nearby. Nominally meant for surveilling the parapets that stood over the steeper face of the hill the castle sat on, it was never a high priority for actual guard postings.


    It was a safe place to keep Ailn while he sorted his thoughts. At least for tonight, the highest priority would be making sure the young noble survived.


    Though Kylian was not exactly devout, he¡¯d be a fool to question what was right before him. He didn¡¯t know whether Ailn¡¯s resurrection was a miracle, or the work of the devil. But the most urgent matter was keeping a man who had just come back to life from promptly dying of hypothermia.


    Ailn took a seat against the stone wall. Despite his shivering, he looked contemplative; thoughtful, almost lively in the way he scanned the guardroom.


    How are you alive?


    The question plagued Kylian¡¯s mind. But the knight held back, opting instead to light the hearth. It was the expedient course of action: keep him alive, worry about theology later.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I¡¯m alive,¡± Ailn said.


    Kylian didn¡¯t respond, and merely continued striking the flint over the bundle of tinder. His head was starting to ache terribly. His uncertainties were growing, while the rush of seeing a man come back to life was wearing off.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna get me put to death for sacrilege, are you?¡±


    Wincing at his straightforwardness, Kylian gave a weary glance over his shoulder.


    ¡°I would not,¡± he said. ¡°But I cannot guarantee how others are going to act.¡±


    The fire was starting to catch, at least. Dry leaves caught sparks, and with some gentle blowing they turned into proper embers.


    ¡°That¡¯s a problem, then.¡± Ailn crossed his arms and closed his eyes.


    What he was thinking about, Kylian had no idea. If the knights truly did think Ailn was a demon, it would be more than just a ¡®problem.¡¯ Nor would it be solvable with a moment of contemplation.


    Finally, Ailn opened his eyes. ¡°Look. What do you think happened?¡±


    Kylian froze for a moment, pausing his fire tending activities.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you what you think,¡± Ailn said.


    Now that the hearth was lit, the guardroom was starting to warm up. Rather than take a seat against the stone wall like Ailn, Kylian continued to stare awkwardly at the fire.


    ¡°...I wouldn¡¯t mistake a dead body for an unconscious one. You were certainly dead.¡± Kylian spoke honestly. ¡°Past that, I don¡¯t know what to make of it.¡±


    Ailn simply shrugged in response.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say some kind of miracle happened and leave it at that,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Are you not afraid?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°The other knights who saw your corpse are wont to believe evil was involved in your resurrection.¡±


    ¡°Guys like that are more afraid of demotions than demons, frankly,¡± Ailn said. ¡°If you act like they were this close to leaving an aristocrat to die in the cold, but you¡¯re such a nice guy you¡¯ll let them get away with it, they¡¯ll be grateful.¡±


    That certainly made sense, but¡­


    Kylian let out a frustrated and grunting sigh, instinctively steadying himself against the stone wall. He felt dizzy. Maybe this really was a demon.


    ¡°From who you are, to the moments of your death¡ªyou don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have, say, a flash of memory involving the courtyard, or an emotional reaction to hearing the name eum-Creid? Renea? Sigurd?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Ailn replied.


    ¡°Do you know where you live?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Ailn replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s Varant,¡± Kylian said slowly, as if he were speaking to someone infirm. ¡°The capital of the eum-Creid duchy is Varant, which is in the Radoscht Empire.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me I¡¯m part of the ruling nobility?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t exactly in good standing within the duchy, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said, his voice low. ¡°The situation¡¯s precarious. It may very well be your own kin who wished to see you dead.¡±


    ¡°All in the family, huh?¡± Ailn muttered thoughtfully, while scanning the room. ¡°Ah.¡±


    Getting up with a stretch, he walked over to a kite shield that hung from an armor hook, taking a moment to stare at its reflective surface. ¡°Would you look at that? I¡¯m straight out of a painting. Seriously? White hair?¡±


    Kylian felt a vein throb in his temple, but he ignored it, taking the wrought iron poker and stoking the embers within the hearth.


    ¡°Perhaps the smartest course of option is to spirit you away. No one else knows you¡¯re alive save for me,¡± Kylian said, thinking aloud to himself. ¡°I could pull in favors with a merchant whose smuggling I lent a blind eye to.¡±


    Once again, Ailn crossed his arms and closed his eyes to think. For a while he just stood there, tapping his finger on his elbow, deep in thought.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m good staying here,¡± Ailn finally said.


    ¡°This is your life at stake, Your Grace,¡± Kylian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°As painful as it might be to say goodbye to your homeland¡ª¡±


    ¡°How reliable is this city¡¯s rule of law?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Suppose we found out someone important was behind my murder, and we could prove it conclusively. Would they get away with it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kylian blinked. ¡°Certainly not. The Azure Knights are fair-handed and bound to the laws of the empire.¡±


    ¡°Then as long as the culprit is caught, things should work themselves out, right?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a dubious hypothetical,¡± Kylian said. ¡°How do you expect them to be caught?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll catch them. First light tomorrow, we¡¯ll head out and examine the crime scene,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°You plan to solve your own murder?¡± Kylian stared at him, disbelieving, trying to keep the edge from entering his voice. ¡°I admit you¡¯re sharp. But it¡¯s clear some of your baseless confidence is a symptom of your head injury.¡±


    ¡°Tag along if you want¡ªor don¡¯t. I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Ailn said. There wasn¡¯t a hint of doubt in his voice. ¡°As long as no one obstructs me, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd,¡± Kylian whispered hoarsely, mostly to himself. He was actively massaging his temple. ¡°...You don¡¯t even know who you are.¡±


    ¡°Relax. You can fill me in on the details at breakfast,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Say, what do you eat around here anyway?¡±


    His headache continually getting worse, Kylian didn¡¯t bother answering his last question. He felt as if he was being pulled into Ailn¡¯s pace.


    In a sense, Ailn¡¯s candor made him trustworthy. But Kylian couldn¡¯t shake the nagging suspicion that someone who earns your trust fast might be the most dangerous type of person.


    The hearth crackled on, as Kylian struggled to find his words.


    ¡°It¡¯s as if¡­ you¡¯re a completely different person,¡± Kylian finally said. ¡°Are you really Ailn eum-Creid?¡±


    ¡°That''s what you told me,¡± Ailn shrugged.

 Chapter 3: The Order of the Azure Knights

    Out in the bailey, the air was cold, humid, and chilling. The sun was just below the horizon, casting the dreary glow of pre-dawn.


    Cairn couldn¡¯t believe who was in front of him, standing in the guardroom. Perhaps this was a nightmare. He was having a waking dream, born from the guilt of leaving Kylian alone at the scene of death.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably a lot to take in,¡± Ailn said, holding his hand out. ¡°Nice to meet you, Cairn. I¡¯m Ailn eum-Creid.¡±


    Cairn had known Ailn since he was born, but he¡¯d never given off this kind of confident air. Perhaps it was his current state of dress: he wore the uniform of the Azure Knights.


    Just like his brother Sigurd, his silver hair paired naturally with the azure cloak¡ªmatching the colors of the eum-Creid family crest. Unlike Sigurd, Ailn was fresh-faced. Put more bluntly, Ailn had the good looks of his brother, without looking like a jerk.


    ¡°...We¡¯ve met before,¡± Cairn said dubiously. But he returned Ailn¡¯s handshake nonetheless.


    ¡°Nice handshake,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Firm grip, web of the palm and everything.¡±


    Ailn¡¯s hands had been stiff with rigor mortis just a couple of hours ago. And his eyes had been almost completely gray, clouded with death.


    Now those eyes weren¡¯t just lively and clear¡ªthey looked amused. As if coming back from the dead were the punchline to a great prank.


    ¡°Cairn, you¡¯re the only one who properly examined him,¡± Kylian said. ¡°What do you think? Could this be some miracle from Lady Renea¡¯s holy healing?¡±


    Cairn shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Saintess bringing someone back to life.¡±


    He thought back to the last mournful look of Renea eum-Creid, praying over her brother¡¯s body. It was just before she left the castle to examine Varant¡¯s barrier. He was certain nothing like healing had taken place.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pretend to understand it, either,¡± Kylian said, ¡°but for the moment, he needs an examination.¡±


    Ailn crooked his neck and pointed to it.


    ¡°Actually, doc, I think my neck¡¯s still kind of sore.¡± Ailn said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do some of that healing abracadabra on me?¡±


    ¡°Abra¡ªwhat? That¡¯s not what¡­¡± Kylian pressed the back of his thumb against the bridge of his nose in frustration, trying to maintain his patience with the flippant noble. ¡°Physicians don¡¯t have healing magic.¡±


    Cairn ignored Ailn¡¯s impertinence, wordlessly checking for all the wounds he saw last night.


    That small bump on his head was a fractured section of skull six hours ago, and he¡¯d surely died from the resulting bruising of the brain. The burn marks on his neck, and even the cuts all over his body looked like they were healing.


    ¡°You seem perfectly healthy,¡± Cairn said, his voice a little shaky. ¡°I can hardly even see the burns.¡±


    ¡°So those really were burn wounds,¡± Ailn felt his neck again.


    ¡°They¡¯re rapidly healing even as we speak,¡± Cairn muttered, his face turning pale. He raised his hand to his forehead in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you well, Cairn?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cairn said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop by my office later, Your Grace? Let¡¯s see if you still feel fine after moving about.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I had a few questions for you later, anyway.¡±


    ¡°...Make certain you stop by then, Your Grace,¡± Cairn said.


    He kept his eyes on Ailn, while taking more than a few steps backwards. It was as if he wanted to make sure the newly revived noble wouldn¡¯t attack him while he retreated. And when he was a ways off, he turned around and made swift with his gait.


    With that, Cairn was gone, and Kylian and Ailn turned their attention to the urgent matter at hand: judiciously spreading the word of Ailn¡¯s survival.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it would be wise for you to simply walk through the barracks,¡± Kylian said, ¡°so I¡¯ll find a way to surreptitiously bring the high marshal, Sir Aldous, here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just sticking around here? Didn¡¯t you bring the knights¡¯ uniform so I could blend in?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No one in this duchy would fail to recognize you,¡± Kylian shook his head. ¡°I brought you the uniform so you¡¯d give off¡­ less of an impression of death.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re not gonna make me pay for it, are you?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Of course not. I received it without cost from the quartermaster,¡± Kylian said. ¡°I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to many of his indiscretions.¡±


    Ailn whistled. ¡°You know what Kylian? You¡¯re pretty slick.¡±


    It was true. Kylian had learned fast that a peacekeeper¡¯s job went smoother when people owed you.


    ¡°At any rate, we don¡¯t know if anyone in the Order has complicity in your death,¡± Kylian grimaced. ¡°I want to consult Aldous first because he¡¯s one of the only men I can trust.¡±


    ¡°Well, be fast. I¡¯m hungry,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already procured your breakfast,¡± Kylian said flatly. Turning to leave, he tossed him a pouch of dried meat he¡¯d also retrieved from the quartermaster.


    He didn¡¯t even look back when he heard Ailn groan.


    <hr>


    Sir Aldous, the de facto leader of the Azure Knights, commanded respect beyond his title. Nominally, the Knight Commander was always the oldest male of the eum-Creid family. Hence, Ailn¡¯s elder brother Sigurd was the proper head of the knights.


    But Sigurd made his rounds at the imperial capital almost as frequently as he made his rounds through the northern wall. Given his persistent absence, Aldous for all intents and purposes had led the knights for decades.


    He was a man of his own making.


    Born a commoner in the north, he¡¯d known strife from the earliest age. Before he was even ten years of age, he was already a squire within the Azure Knights, learning swordsmanship to protect the duchy, the noble house of the eum-Creids, and the people of the domain.


    His rise to nobility was signified by the uninheritable title of Baronet, bestowed upon him by the then-Saintess, Celine eum-Creid¡ªAiln¡¯s mother.


    The modesty of this title, relative to his accomplishments, underscored the limited influence the eum-Creid family wielded within the empire at large.


    Nonetheless, he¡¯d earned a deep respect within the duchy that would surely be remembered beyond his own lifetime.


    This was who Kylian decided to place his bets on.


    Kylian walked briskly through the halls of the barracks, nods of respect given to him by the other knights as he passed. For once, Kylian was glad for his reputation as a rising star within the ranks of the Azure Knights. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Most of the time, it did little more than earn him quiet, petty enemies; many of the older knights saw him as an obnoxious upstart. Indeed, the reward for his consistent hard work and loyalty was mostly disgruntled whispers.


    But today, that sterling reputation would be sorely needed.


    Kylian¡¯s wait was short. In fact, Aldous¡¯s aide came out to retrieve him. He¡¯d jumped the line, and he sighed at the whispering he could hear even as he passed.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Kylian said upon entering. He addressed Aldous with a chest salute.


    ¡°What could possibly be urgent at a time like this, Kylian?¡± Aldous sighed. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept.


    Aldous was a tall and powerful-looking man. He was still muscular, even though it was evident he was beginning to lose the battle against age and desk work.


    Because he was a baronet, that made him a full-fledged vassal, if a minor one. Hence, he could wear the eum-Creid¡¯s family crest upon his person¡ªin his case, the silver wolf was embroidered into his blue cloak.


    At the moment, however, his commanding presence was undercut by the hunch in his back and the blots of ink on his hand.


    ¡°¡­ I see that you have much work to do because of the recent tragedy,¡± Kylian said. ¡°But that makes what I¡¯m about to reveal to you all the more imperative.¡±


    ¡°Well, out with it then,¡± Aldous replied brusquely.


    ¡°Sir, forgive me for seeming cryptic, but¡­¡± Kylian paused a moment. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to see it yourself. If I uttered it before the proof was given, it would sound blasphemous.¡±


    ¡°Kylian, I hate riddles.¡± Aldous pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Now is not the time. Just look.¡±


    Aldous really couldn¡¯t be blamed for his frustration. Tall stacks of parchment sat on his desk. The knight commander worked with ink more often than steel.


    The stack was even taller today, likely due to Ailn¡¯s apparent death. They would need to reach a conclusion on the circumstances which led to it.


    As far as announcement, the citizens of Varant had already heard, but nonetheless there still needed to be a public proclamation. The empire at large needed to be informed.


    The actual arrangements of his funeral would¡¯ve been handled by the Azure Knights; some unwilling knight or priest would be forced to eulogize him, and lend dignity to an individual most believed completely lacked it.


    What caught Kylian¡¯s eye, though, was a document of request sitting at the very top of the desk, stamped with a seal of rejection. Anyone in the duchy knew the seal belonged not just to the eum-Creid family, but one specific member: Renea eum-Creid.


    But what was being rejected, exactly?


    Aldous followed the line of Kylian¡¯s gaze and realized what he was curious about.


    ¡°Our Lady Renea is not satisfied with the investigation of her brother¡¯s death. Since the nature of events seemed self-evident, we formally requested closure. But I suppose that was tactless all considered,¡± Aldous sighed. ¡°I hate to say it, but a tragedy like this often calls for an appropriate performance.¡±


    Kylian felt a tremor of discomfort. Even before he¡¯d seen Ailn come back to life, he¡¯d disagreed with the other knights¡¯ consensus.


    ¡°She wishes for a formal inquest when she returns,¡± Aldous said. He didn¡¯t try to hide the frustration in his voice. ¡°We should be worried about war, not this imagined plot of murder against a son too piteous to even have enemies.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡ª¡± Kylian started.


    ¡°The real direction of our investigation should be into how the beasts even came into the castle! Those miserable gatekeepers¡ª¡± Aldous was already on a rant.


    ¡°If I may, sir,¡± Kylian interrupted, ¡°I believe there are reasons an inquest is appropriate.¡±


    Aldous stared at Kylian.


    ¡°Come now, Kylian,¡± Aldous said. ¡°The reality of the situation is obvious.¡±


    The ¡®obvious¡¯ story of the knights went like this. Shadow beasts had inexplicably broken through the city¡¯s outer walls, and into the castle itself. It was so inexplicable, in fact, that the knights considered it likely the work of a malicious actor.


    There was an endless list of noble families who wished to see the eum-Creids suffer, and Ailn had been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. His holy aura was weak, and he simply couldn¡¯t protect himself.


    A pitiable death that he hardly deserved, but that was life in the north.


    The task now was to determine which enemy was responsible. The eum-Creids would never suffer humiliation without retaliation.


    But what Kylian feared was that the enemy lay within.


    ¡°Sir, on all my honor as a knight, I just need you to follow me,¡± Kylian said. ¡°It is relevant, and it is urgent.¡±


    And it would probably save Aldous a heft of paperwork. Probably.


    ¡°¡­So be it, then! Not like you¡¯ve ever cried wolf before,¡± Aldous grunted. ¡°But if this is a waste of my time, I will beat you half to death in the knights¡¯ yard and call it training.¡±


    Kylian winced, remembering his squire days.


    <hr>


    ¡°Aldous, right?¡± Ailn asked, holding a hand out.


    Aldous lurched back as if Ailn had cast a spell.


    ¡°Good lord! W-what the hell is this?!¡± Aldous yelled out. His hand hovered over his sword, as his face twisted in fear and alarm. ¡°Is this some form of devilry?!¡±


    There were few things that could shock the steadfast Aldous. But the sight of Ailn nearly brought the proud high marshal to his knees.


    Ailn, for his part, had looked almost bored waiting around for them. He¡¯d hung around the empty guardroom like a bad surprise.


    ¡°Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,¡± Ailn said, walking up and offering his hand to the high marshal again. ¡°Ailn eum-Creid. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Aldous stared blankly at Ailn¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What, do you not do that here?¡± Ailn asked. His brows furrowed.


    ¡°Sir Aldous, as you can see, Ailn eum-Creid is alive and well,¡± Kylian said hastily. ¡°The young master has, ahem, had a change in memory and disposition from the blow to his head.¡±


    Kylian turned warily toward Aldous, whose countenance had gone from fearful to cautious. Though his hand had stopped hovering over the hilt of his sword, the glimmer of appraisal had not yet left the high marshal¡¯s eyes.


    Finally, Aldous spoke.


    ¡°Then it would appear,¡± Aldous began, his voice grave, ¡°the Azure Knights have truly blundered this time.¡± He gave a long, exhausted sigh. ¡°Heads are going to roll¡­ mine chief among them.¡±


    Aldous growled, presumably thinking of the failures of the investigation. It seemed he¡¯d defaulted toward the most mundane explanation: that Ailn had simply never died.


    ¡°Still,¡± Aldous continued, and smiled broadly. ¡°To think the young scion lives. What a miracle! I¡¯ll see to it that the herald makes haste, and the proclamation of your survival is prompt to the town square. Your family will be overjoyed¡ªespecially your sister.¡±


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wise, Aldous,¡± Kylian said hesitantly. ¡°I brought Ailn here to keep this within our confidence.¡±


    Cautiously, Kylian continued to speak despite his apprehension over what he was about to suggest.


    ¡°Ailn was attacked by man, not shadow beast. I¡¯m certain of it,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Someone in this castle wished him dead. You were the only knight I felt I could trust.¡±


    Aldous simply stared back at Kylian. The moment lingered, and Kylian started to feel like he was being pierced by that stare.


    It was an uncomfortably long time before Aldous actually spoke.


    ¡°Are you saying you believe the murderer to be among the Azure Knights? Or even¡­ the noble eum-Creids?¡± Aldous''s question hung in the air, heavy with implication.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t suggest it carelessly,¡± Kylian said, feeling sweat creep down his spine. ¡°Few have access to the inner keep, and I do not believe this murder to be the work of a servant.¡±


    ¡°And why not?¡± Aldous asked. He peered down at Kylian in skepticism.


    Until this point, Ailn had been largely content to let Kylian and Aldous handle things. But the recent turn in the conversation seemed to raise his ire.


    ¡°Because they left my body,¡± Ailn interjected. ¡°The body of a man they thought was dead. They wanted it to be seen.¡±


    Aldous sighed.


    ¡°Young master, if I may,¡± he said somewhat gruffly, ¡°you are alive, are you not? How do you know they left you for dead?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s even more bizarre to leave me unconscious,¡± Ailn said, not even trying to hide his impatience. ¡°Aldous, clearly I¡¯m not that important, or you¡¯d do a better job of pretending to pay me respect. But I¡¯m sure even I could get a servant put to death if I remembered them assaulting me.¡±


    Aldous flinched at the accusation of veiled insolence. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he muttered, bowing to one knee. ¡°I have forgotten my place.¡±


    Kylian was shocked to see Ailn act this way. Even if his new disposition was bold, he seemed like he¡¯d be the last person to care about noble regard.


    Then again, the old Ailn had always been loath to pretend he had power¡­ perhaps that was precisely why he had none.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it too much,¡± Ailn said. His tone was casual again, but notably he didn¡¯t tell Aldous to be at ease, or offer him a hand. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t really want to hide, so¡­¡±


    He made a face and shrugged.


    Kylian stared at Ailn in disbelief. ¡°The whole reason we came here¡ª¡±


    ¡°All we need to do is catch the culprit before they can do anything,¡± Ailn said. ¡°That inquest is in two days, right? I¡¯ll avoid walking around alone in empty courtyards until then.¡±


    Pausing, Ailn added, ¡°Just make sure no one strikes me down as an evil creature.¡± He looked down at Aldous. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a problem with that?¡±


    The words Ailn spoke asked for permission, but his tone of voice suggested it was a command.


    ¡°¡­Certainly,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I¡¯ll spread word among the knights. They will be of assistance to you should you need them.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. You can stop kneeling now,¡± Ailn said. ¡°We¡¯ll be back whenever we need you. Let¡¯s head out, Kylian.¡±


    As the two walked out, Kylian couldn¡¯t help but glance back at Aldous, whose expression was too complex for him to decipher.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Ailn started, once they were out of earshot, ¡°what the hell¡¯s a shadow beast?¡±

 Chapter 4: The Scene of the Crime

    At the very north of the Radoscht Empire, the eum-Creid duchy exists as the last strand of civilization, beyond which lies the darkness.


    Through the lens of romance and honor, the duchy is the shield which protects the empire; yet through the eyes of its residents, it is a hopeless mass of land in the sticks. And to most of the empire¡¯s citizens, it is merely a garrison¡ªa buffer against the shadow beasts.


    Upon the duchy¡¯s crown sits its capital Varant, a fortress city enclosed in granite walls. Regarded by the central nobles as little more than a glorified outpost, Varant is tasked with the management of the great northern wall.


    There, the Azure Knights serve as the eum-Creid family¡¯s extended arm. Salvation in their swords, they patrol the northern wall, ready to wield their holy aura and cut down the shadows which threaten to break through.


    The shadow beasts are strange creatures, seemingly impervious to death by normal means, destructible only by the divine blessing which flows through the blood of the eum-Creids. But this gift does not belong to the knights. It must be bestowed.


    Hence, the knights must regularly return to the castle, where the Saintess performs the bestowal ceremony. Last evening, during this ceremony, shadow beasts were found in the castle, an inner sanctum with its own holy barrier¡ªthe one place they should not be.


    Because the Saintess was in the process of bestowing, the holy barrier would have been at its weakest. The knights guarding the estate were at their fewest, as they were attending the ceremony to receive that blessing.


    A number of servants were injured. A handful of knights were attacked. And the body of the honorable Ailn eum-Creid¡ªat the time thought dead¡ªwas found in a lonely courtyard, an unused space that used to hold servants¡¯ quarters when they were little more than shanties.


    What Ailn was doing there, however, was a mystery.


    These were the rough details of the case. And now, Ailn and Kylian were back at the courtyard so Ailn could give it his own thorough investigation.


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s a lot of context for me to ¡®forget.¡¯ Would¡¯ve been nice to ¡®remember¡¯ how this world works,¡± Ailn said, looking slightly irritated.


    Kylian found it a rather odd way of phrasing things.


    ¡°So, the night of the attack, almost every knight was at the bestowal chamber?¡± Ailn asked. He apparently shook off whatever was bothering him. ¡°That narrows down the range of suspects, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Kylian admitted. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been so baffled, and why my suspicions of attempted murder have been given so little credence. I was at the ceremony myself, and can confirm all the knights who were in attendance.¡±


    ¡°You have holy powers, too?¡± Ailn asked. He gazed around the open courtyard, now in a muddy state of thaw.


    ¡°I do, though the strength of my holy aura is modest compared to many knights patrolling the northern wall. Though I¡¯ve performed my duties at the wall, I currently serve as a peacekeeper,¡± Kylian replied.


    ¡°So, do I have holy powers?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Holy aura,¡± Kylian corrected him. ¡°Your standing within your family was low, as your aura was weaker than any of the knights.¡± Then he added, honestly, ¡°It was not strong enough for combat.¡±


    ¡°Holy magic, huh?¡± Ailn stared at his hands for a moment, before turning his attention to the courtyard.


    If Kylian were being honest, he found the specifics of what Ailn remembered strange. If he didn¡¯t remember what holy aura or shadow beasts were, why would he remember what a sword was? It gave him severe doubts about this investigative endeavor.


    Nonetheless, he wished to give the young noble a chance, and see where it may lead.


    The courtyard was organized around the fountain at its very center, surrounded by withered shrubs, cobblestone leading out in cardinal directions. Near the back were remnants of stone and wood sheds decaying.


    At some point, there might have been an abortive attempt to turn it into a garden. All that remained, though, were the broken fountain, rotting sheds, and random scraps of ground¡ªdead grass, bare dirt, rocks, or mulch.


    The body was found close to its entrance. Fragmented spackles of chalk marked a patch of mud, along with the shattered sword that was discovered with the body.


    ¡°There¡¯s definitely some discoloration from blood here, but I knew that much,¡± Ailn said, kneeling down. ¡°Wish I had a body to work with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the very definition of putting the cart before the horse,¡± Kylian said exasperatedly. ¡°Could you not show a little more gratitude toward your survival?¡±


    Ailn stared at the shattered sword.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like¡­ there¡¯s missing material here?¡± Ailn asked suddenly.


    ¡°Missing what exactly?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°The sword,¡± Ailn said. ¡°It¡¯d be about two feet with this much steel. Are all the knights¡¯ swords standard issue?¡±


    ¡°In length and appearance, yes,¡± Kylian replied, visually examining the shattered sword himself. ¡°The only difference between any swords produced in the grand forge is the amount of orichalcum mixed in.¡±


    ¡°Got some kind of bag?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°We¡¯ll visit that forge later.¡±


    Kylian presently deposited the steel shards in a leather pouch he had on his person. Ailn, still kneeling, began prowling the courtyard methodically.


    ¡°¡­ Do you want me to start from the opposite end?¡± Kylian asked. He couldn¡¯t help but feel the exercise was fruitless, since he¡¯d checked the courtyard so thoroughly the day prior.


    ¡°Just follow me for now so you can learn,¡± Ailn said.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Kylian was patient, thorough, and had keen eyes. Hence, he found Ailn¡¯s remark obnoxious, yet he refrained from saying anything. Even as the knight thought about calling the young noble¡¯s bluff and taking control of the situation, he noticed how agonizingly slowly Ailn searched the ground.


    Once again, he found himself pulled into Ailn¡¯s rhythm, and wondered why.


    At times, Ailn seemed to be contemplating bare dirt which clearly had nothing to show. He rifled meticulously through the weeds, as if he had a specific object in mind.


    It went on half an hour and they hadn¡¯t even reached the stone fountain. Though he was convinced of the search¡¯s futility, Kylian somehow found himself more impressed than irritated.


    ¡°What exactly are you looking for?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Anything really,¡± Ailn replied. ¡°The boring work is the most important work. I can tell you understand that more than most.¡±


    Kylian did, in fact.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you fully get it,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°The best detectives in the world are the ones who can handle the most boredom.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a detective is.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re detectives, Kylian. Because we¡¯re the guys willing to be bored.¡±


    It was definitely boring. And even if Kylian hardly believed Ailn could find anything he hadn¡¯t¡ªhe had paced the area for hours after all¡ªhe began to feel a sense of kinship.


    Theft and violent crime were common in Varant, and the number of knights that could be devoted to peacekeeping were few. There could only be so many watchful eyes.


    They did not have the hands necessary to meaningfully deter every murder, and Kylian harbored no illusions of changing that. But what he did believe was that most of the murders in Varant could be solved.


    Aging knights in the Order liked to say that truth was a luxury too costly for those trying merely to survive¡ªand Kylian particularly detested this empty pretension. It was apathy and laziness disguised as realism, and Kylian had seen the helpless anger of those left behind, as the trails grew colder, and the chance for justice faded away.


    So if nothing else, he respected Ailn¡¯s dedication to the truth. He admired the mundanity of his efforts, because they reminded him of a simple fact: truth was not a luxury. It was a necessity, and it was ludicrous to point at the consistent failures of men as proof of its decadence.


    ¡°Where would the water for this fountain have come from? When it was working,¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d assume the¡­ well¡­?¡± Kylian started, but immediately realized his error. That made no sense for a flowing fountain.


    ¡°Is there a kitchen? Adjacent to this courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Not quite, but nearby, yes. How did you ascertain that?¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s probably a cistern somewhere up there,¡± Ailn said, pointing up toward the courtyard¡¯s inner wall. ¡°Something as frivolous as a fountain wouldn¡¯t have been built unless the water flow already existed. Plus, those shacks probably belonged to kitchen staff.¡±


    ¡°It is odd that a fountain would¡¯ve been made for servants¡­¡± Kylian said, putting together just how strange this courtyard was.


    ¡°I doubt it was. Some time ago, this held servants¡¯ quarters,¡± Ailn pointed to the shacks. Then he pointed to the fountain, tracing his finger along one of the cobblestone paths. ¡°But even longer ago, this courtyard was meant to be pretty. The cistern came first, and priorities changed with the times¡ªuntil the courtyard fell into total disuse.¡±


    It was an impressive deduction to be sure, Kylian thought. Still, he failed to see the immediate relevance. He was about to question Ailn further, but the young noble was already back to his meticulous examination.


    He held up a scrap of clothing which looked like it came from a blue dress.


    Kylian gaped. How had he possibly missed that?


    ¡°From whe¡ª¡±


    ¡°The fountain,¡± Ailn replied, cutting him off. He held it against the jagged remnants of a stone ornament sitting on the fountain¡¯s rim. The decoration had likely once been a deep azure, but by now was a pale blue. ¡°It would¡¯ve been pretty easy to miss.¡±


    ¡°...It would have been,¡± Kylian admitted. That didn¡¯t make it any less shameful, or vexing. ¡°It appears to be from a maid¡¯s kirtle. I¡­ don''t know what to make of it.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    He continued his long search through the courtyard, and Kylian made no move to question him, even in his own mind.


    It was another hour before they reached the decaying shacks, during which time the two had been entirely silent. Most of the courtyard¡¯s structures had been almost completely erased by time, with only crumbling stone foundations left.


    A few still had haphazard wooden beams standing. One shack even had the remains of a collapsed roof.


    But something about the sight of them bothered Ailn.


    ¡°Have these always been destroyed?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°As far back as I can remember these shacks have been rotting,¡± Kylian replied, hesitation in his voice. He then walked to the collapsed shack. ¡°But¡­¡±


    The knight paused, questioning his own memory and perception. The shacks had always drawn so little of his attention. Now, he wished he had given them more than a lingering glance, even two days ago.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t believe this one¡¯s roof was destroyed, even just a few days prior,¡± Kylian said truthfully. ¡°I¡¯m not certain.¡±


    Ailn peered at a pile of debris behind the shack. Then he examined a beam that looked snapped in half. ¡°Seems implausible this would just be wind¡­ Did you ever find anything like splinters on my body?¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort. You think you were flung into these sheds?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Ailn walked over to the debris, and started picking through it.


    Here, he enlisted Kylian¡¯s help searching through the debris, and this task was performed even more painstakingly. However, meticulous as they were, nothing of interest turned up. A couple of times, Ailn came across a tool¡¯s rusted remains, before shaking his head and throwing it to the already-sorted debris.


    Nothing. At least, until Ailn picked up a piece of broken wood that seemingly looked like all the others.


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡± Ailn tossed the piece of wood to Kylian.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Kylian realized immediately why Ailn had singled it out.


    There were burn marks. And they had a strong resemblance to those that had been on Ailn¡¯s neck. It wasn¡¯t certain. But it was highly suggestive.


    What if they¡¯d been produced by the same force¡ªat the very same instant?


    A force that was kinetic, and strong enough to destroy a shed, yet which would also leave burn marks. It was suggestive of the black powder used in siege weaponry. And yet such a thing would leave far more residual evidence.


    Though Kylian could not quite cohere the facts, the discovery of these marks was a stunning revelation¡­ which only produced more questions. It gave the knight a sense of foreboding he couldn¡¯t explain.


    ¡°I owe you an apology, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said with some resignation. ¡°I had little faith you¡¯d find anything. Yet, here I am after the fact, questioning my own competence¡­¡±


    His gaze settled on the rotting shacks, as if to etch them into memory.


    The burn marks were neither obvious nor extremely subtle. Would he have found this piece of wood, if he¡¯d returned by himself to re-examine the courtyard? Would he have come back at all?


    He remembered how he was on the verge of giving up the night prior. Another day, and these pieces of evidence would have surely been fully forgotten, erased by the natural elements.


    There could have been more he missed, that already had.


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have given it that much attention if you hadn¡¯t noticed the shack¡¯s state.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°It¡¯s admirable nonetheless¡ªyour meticulousness and perspicacity.¡±


    ¡°It has long been an axiom of mine,¡± Ailn grinned, ¡°that the little things are infinitely the most important.¡±


    ¡°A good saying. It¡¯s of your own creation?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    If nothing else, Kylian was impressed with Ailn¡¯s ability to turn a good phrase.

 Chapter 5: The Divine Blessing

    Located in the keep, the bestowal chamber could be said to be the most important room in the entire castle. And for their investigation, it was a place of special interest, as almost every knight was attending the bestowal ceremony at the time of the attack.


    The chamber represented the bond between the Azure Knights and the Saintess herself. It was where they gave their oaths, and where they were pardoned for their sins¡ªtheir souls cleansed in order to receive the divine blessing.


    ¡°Crazy to think the Saintess is my sister. Never been related to a big shot before,¡± Ailn said, as they walked through the castle¡¯s hallways.


    ¡°Saintess-apparent,¡± Kylian frowned. ¡°Though I suppose many in the duchy fail to make the distinction.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m looking forward to meeting her, anyway,¡± Ailn said casually. ¡°Considering I¡¯m so low on the totem pole, I¡¯m curious what our relationship¡¯s like.¡±


    Once again, there was a subtle offness in Ailn¡¯s mannerisms. It was true that for an amnesiac, a reunion would be similar to meeting someone for the first time.


    But that¡¯s why it seemed odd he¡¯d show so little emotional investment. Kylian would have expected nervousness, or even aversion¡ªcertainly not marked indifference.


    ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s really not my place to say this, but¡­¡± Kylian hesitated. ¡°The two of you were quite close before your memory loss. I imagine she¡¯d be disheartened if you treated her so¡­ nonchalantly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how things go,¡± Ailn said ambiguously.


    The corridor leading to the chamber was indistinguishable from any other in the castle. The only hint of the chamber¡¯s importance were its solid oak doors, which displayed the duchy¡¯s heraldic emblem in bas-relief.


    Ailn pushed open the ornate doors, revealing the chamber beyond. Contrary to his vision of a splendid, cathedral-like space, the chamber was small. Very small.


    ¡°So this is where you get your ¡®holy energy?¡¯¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Holy aura,¡± Kylian corrected him. ¡°It¡¯s where we receive the divine blessing, yes.¡±


    The bestowal chamber was designed to accommodate two at a time: the knight receiving the divine blessing, and the Saintess bestowing it. Accordingly, the chamber was divided by a wooden screen and silk drapes.


    ¡°Why the curtains?¡± Ailn felt the fine material in his hands.


    ¡°Before they receive the divine blessing, each knight confesses their sins,¡± Kylian said. ¡°The drapes prevent the Saintess from seeing who¡¯s confessing. It reflects the universal generosity of the blessing. As long as you cleanse your soul, you can receive it.¡±


    ¡°So, anyone can receive the divine blessing?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...According to our theology, yes. But practically speaking, no.¡± Kylian shook his head looking a bit sheepish. ¡°Anyone can go through the ceremony, but holy aura itself requires compatibility.¡±


    Ailn tugged lightly at the silk drapes, as if he wanted to verify the quality of the chamber¡¯s materials. Pulling them aside, he looked through the screen.


    ¡°And the Saintess sits on the other side there?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kylian said. ¡°That area¡¯s referred to as the sanctum.¡±


    The two of them entered the sanctum. Despite its name, the sanctum was just as unremarkable as the area for the knights. The only real difference was the presence of a chair instead of a pew¡ªwhich made sense.


    The ceremony took hours because the Saintess had to grant clemency to each individual knight. It would be strange if they weren¡¯t afforded the comfort of a chair.


    Still, it was new to Kylian. He¡¯d never thought about it, because he¡¯d never been in the sanctum before. He felt some anxiety intruding on a space he¡¯d normally never see. It seemed almost sacrilegious.


    ¡°Does every knight have the same amount of holy aura?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Kylian replied. ¡°It differs greatly from knight to knight.¡±


    ¡°Who has the most?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°The strongest holy auras belong to the members of your family,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Your brother and sister have both been exceptionally blessed. That is to say His Highness Sigurd, and Her Grace the future Saintess Renea.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ both of them can bestow?¡± Ailn tilted his head.


    Kylian shook his head, relieved to hear Ailn asking about his family. ¡°While your brother has an immense amount of aura, only the women of the eum-Creid family can bestow the divine blessing.¡±


    He paused, making sure Ailn was following before continuing. ¡°His Grace Sigurd, however, doesn¡¯t need to have the blessing bestowed upon him¡ªunlike knights such as myself.¡±


    Ailn frowned slightly, as he processed the information.


    ¡°You could say that the men of the eum-Creid family have half of the divine blessing,¡± Kylian said. ¡°They don¡¯t need to go through the bestowal ceremony. But they can¡¯t perform the bestowal ceremony either.¡±


    He continued, ¡°The rest of the Azure Knights have different levels of compatibility and talent, for how much holy aura their constitution can retain. Mine, for instance, is on the lower end.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Ailn looked at his hands for a moment, without saying anything. Then, he dropped them, wordlessly moving on to looking through the sanctum.


    Kylian surmised Ailn was probably curious about his own holy aura.


    Ailn, like Sigurd, would not need the divine blessing bestowed; his holy aura was notoriously weak, regardless. Kylian had never borne witness to it, but he knew Ailn¡¯s lack of aura had been the cause for most of the mockery sent his way.


    At any rate, despite the room¡¯s seeming emptiness, Ailn had been scanning the sanctum intently for quite a while now. He stared at the wall for so long, Kylian wondered if he¡¯d expected the chamber to hold pivotal evidence.


    ¡°Is there something specific you¡¯re looking for?¡± Kylian asked again.


    Ailn didn¡¯t respond for a bit. Then he shook his head.


    ¡°Just thinking about a possibility. The bestowal ceremony¡ªit was taking place the entire time I was attacked, right?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was well underway when the shadow beasts attacked,¡± Kylian replied.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re done here for now,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°¡®For now¡¯?¡± Kylian looked at him curiously.


    Of all the places they could investigate, the bestowal chamber seemed particularly unhelpful. It didn¡¯t help that the place was a literal dead-end¡ªa corridor with a room at the end. The only way in and out of the room was through the corridor. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The knights who went through the ceremony lined up outside the chamber, waiting for their turn. Thus, it was impossible to leave without being seen by the other knights.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a feeling we¡¯ll be back here¡­ but I could be wrong,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve got somewhere more important to be right now.¡±


    ¡°...Where, exactly?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°The mess hall. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    <hr><hr>


    ***


    Kylian and Ailn entered the mess hall. What was the best word to describe the stares as the pair walked through¡ªhaunted, perhaps? The looks on the servants¡¯ faces were ghastly, and the knights¡¯ were even worse.


    To the knights, the return from death of the second son of the eum-Creid family meant that something evil was afoot. Either that, or they¡¯d been grievously lacking in the performance of their duties. And that was even worse.


    Ailn strode confidently nonetheless. Really, he seemed to relish it.


    Kylian, meanwhile, was struggling. He was not one to wither beneath stares, but today was just too much. Caught between Ailn¡¯s post-resurrection brashness, and his own reputation as an upstart, the knight knew exactly what he looked like: a coattail-rider.


    Specifically, he looked like he was riding the coattails of a losing horse¡ªone that had forgotten its place.


    ¡°Say, you don¡¯t have a lunch special for nobles, do you?¡± Ailn asked, warily eyeing the stale bread and porridge that everyone else in the cafeteria was eating. ¡°I¡¯m a eum-Creid, you know. Right there on the banner?¡±


    The woman doling out porridge seemed to be the only one unfazed in the entire mess hall. Wordlessly, her bored gaze never faltering, she ladled Ailn¡¯s porridge and clunked some bread onto his wooden tray. When he grunted in dismay, she went out of her way to pour more.


    ¡°Is that you being nice, or¡­¡± Ailn started.


    ¡°Next!¡± she yelled out irritably.


    ¡°Kylian,¡± Ailn came back with a sour look on his face. ¡°Is that lese-majesty? I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m gonna do anything about it. I¡¯m just asking.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, that is not lese-majesty. Not even if you were the Saintess herself. What the hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Kylian asked.


    Ailn clicked his tongue in response, before letting his gaze wander. The two of them started to look for a spot to sit.


    ¡°When I was getting my ¡®food¡¯,¡± Ailn said, moving on from his disappointment, ¡°I got a good look at the guard postings, actually.¡±


    Keeping a list of postings at the mess hall ensured knights stayed on the same page. Kylian realized they had likely not changed since yesterday.


    Meanwhile, on the west end of the mess hall, more than a few knights had gathered, hardly trying to hide their stares. But when Ailn started moving in their direction, they seemed to shudder like prey caught in the hunt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kylian whispered, catching up to Ailn and trying to keep pace.


    ¡°Those knights were staring at me, so I¡¯m going to go talk to them. Why are you whispering?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Is there not a more tactful approach here?¡± Kylian asked in return.


    ¡°What, are they shy toddlers?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any need for pretense when everyone knows exactly who I am, right?¡±


    While they approached, most of the knights gathered around the west table surreptitiously dispersed, acting as if they¡¯d found more interesting company just about everywhere else in the mess hall.


    Perhaps they really were shy.


    One noticeably young knight had remained sitting, and he seemed completely terrified by the sight of Ailn. Frozen in place, he¡¯d been the only one lacking the presence of mind to make a strategic retreat.


    He gave a small hiccup when they sat down.


    To Kylian¡¯s surprise, instead of jumping straight into interrogating the poor knight, Ailn simply started eating. It was clear he was hungry, because he was eating at quite the pace. It was also clear he didn¡¯t like it, because he wore a grimace through his entire meal.


    ¡°I-if you¡¯ll excuse me, then¡­¡± The knight tried to get away, but Ailn held him in place with a raised hand and a purposeful look, while he battled to swallow the stale bread.


    ¡°Apologies, Sir Tristan,¡± Kylian nodded. ¡°We just have a few questions for you¡ªregarding His Grace and the events of last night.¡±


    ¡°His Grace?¡± Tristan repeated blankly. No one called Ailn that.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Ailn coughed, having finally managed to get the lump of bread down. He held his hand out. ¡°Sir Tristan, is it?¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ does¡ªdoes His Grace expect me to kiss his hand in deference?¡± Tristan looked at Kylian nervously.


    ¡°...No. Don¡¯t do that,¡± Kylian said.


    Tristan unconsciously pulled back an inch. He kept peering at Ailn¡¯s hand as if Ailn meant to hurt him.


    ¡°...Alright then,¡± Ailn said, putting his hand away. ¡°If I remember correctly, the guard postings would have had you outside this very mess hall last night. That puts you rather close to the scene of the crime.¡±


    Tristan eased up a bit, coming closer to the table.


    ¡°That I was,¡± Tristan acknowledged. He still seemed unsure of his standing in this conversation. ¡°¡­ Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Would that mean you were the closest guard when I was knocked unconscious?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No! N-no, Your Grace,¡± Tristan said. ¡°Reynard was nearest the courtyard¡ªSir Reynard. Do you perhaps not remember?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Ailn said completely truthfully. ¡°I was knocked out so fully people thought I was dead. I¡¯m alive, but my memory¡¯s failed me. So, I¡¯m hoping you can help me piece together what happened last night.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your Grace.¡± Tristan leaned in hesitantly. Clearly the young knight was quite impressionable, because he started whispering like a scolded schoolboy. ¡°Are the guards from that night in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Not unless you tried to kill me,¡± Ailn replied. Tristan flinched in response.


    Nonetheless, at Kylian¡¯s gentle behest, he did his best to relate last night¡¯s events.


    ¡°I-I never actually saw you last night, Your Grace. Honest. I hardly remember anything outside of being attacked by a few shadow beasts,¡± Tristan tried his best to relate his experience. ¡°It shocked me silly, seeing them in the castle. The shock was worse than the actual beasts.¡±


    ¡°And so you were attacked?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I was, but¡­ I retreated into the mess hall,¡± Tristan said sheepishly. ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon any servants, mind you. I brought everyone in, and shuttered off the front until some other knights could arrive.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s commendable enough,¡± Kylian said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d wager about three shadow beasts kept trying to break down that door. I kept the door held fast best I could. It must¡¯ve taken an hour before anyone came¡­¡± Tristan was clearly still shaken by the attack.


    Ailn stayed largely silent, letting Kylian ask the questions. He had his usual distant and contemplative look.


    ¡°Your time and testimony is appreciated, Sir Tristan. Though I¡¯m not sure we learned anything new,¡± Kylian sighed. ¡°Did anything else strange happen?¡±


    ¡°Strange? There was¡­ oh! There was! I heard something¡ªI heard a couple of strange things, actually!¡± Tristan nearly leapt out of his seat. ¡°I heard a loud blast. Like someone had shot a catapult!¡±


    ¡°A catapult?¡± Kylian asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Yes sir, a loud noise just like a catapult! I didn¡¯t tell anyone else because no one wanted to hear it,¡± Tristan¡¯s eyes cast down. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone else heard it, too.¡±


    ¡°Just once?¡± Kylian prodded.


    ¡°No, sir. Twice! No, thrice!¡± Tristan yelped his answer out with a hiccup.


    Kylian had no idea what to make of it.


    He hadn¡¯t been on duty last night, because he was at the bestowal ceremony like most of the knights. The stranger the case got, the more he wished he could¡¯ve observed the events first hand. And he was about to hear something even stranger.


    ¡°And then¡ªand then well after the attack, I heard¡­ You¡¯ll think I¡¯m jesting. Everyone in the mess hall¡­ we heard a ghostly wailing noise from the walls.¡± Tristan¡¯s voice had quieted to an unsure whisper. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask all the kitchen servants. Surely a few of them will be honest.¡±


    ¡°A ghostly wailing,¡± Kylian repeated dubiously.


    ¡°I know how preposterous it sounds, but that¡¯s what I heard!¡± Tristan said.


    Though Kylian was not one to dismiss testimony out of hand, he knew Tristan could be quite cowardly. Hence, a ¡®ghostly wailing in the walls¡¯ struck him as particularly dubious.


    ¡°¡­I see. We appreciate your help, Tristan.¡± Ailn said, getting up to leave. Kylian followed suit.


    ¡°Wait! Before you go, Sir Kylian, Your Grace¡­ May I ask you a question in return?¡± Tristan looked at them timidly.


    Ailn turned around, and looked at Tristan curiously.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Is Miss Sophie alright?¡± Tristan asked.


    ¡°...Sophie?¡± Kylian asked. He walked back over to the table. ¡°Did something happen to Lady Renea¡¯s lady-in-waiting?¡±


    ¡°She was the one who found His Grace, sir, when we thought he was dead,¡± Tristan said. ¡°But she ran off! She must have been overcome with emotion.¡±


    Ailn and Kylian exchanged a quick glance.


    ¡°She¡¯s currently with Lady Renea inspecting the city¡¯s barrier,¡± Kylian said, more to himself than Tristan. ¡°We¡¯ll have to wait for her return.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure to check on her,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You¡¯ve been extremely helpful, Sir Tristan. Dare I say there¡¯s a promotion in your future?¡±


    Ailn gave Tristan a nod farewell.


    ¡°You definitely don¡¯t have the power to promise that,¡± Kylian warned Ailn, following him.


    Almost as fast as they¡¯d approached, the two were off¡ªonce Ailn had finished his meal, of course¡ªand Tristan was alone again. He was a little hopeful he¡¯d see some kind of windfall. But mostly he was just confused.

 Chapter 6: ‘Suspect Gallery’

    Sir Tristan¡¯s story checked out: the servants in the kitchen had heard the wailing at least. But perhaps because he¡¯d been the only one outside, it was only Tristan who testified to hearing blasting noises.


    A few of the servants had heard that Sophie was present at the scene. However, Sophie¡¯s status differed greatly from theirs, despite being a maid, and the servants knew surprisingly little about her.


    She even slept in the lord¡¯s chamber with the central family. Ailn found this particularly odd.


    Hence, Ailn and Kylian found themselves entering the Great Hall, so that they could visit the family solar. The solar contained both the ducal study and the lord¡¯s chamber, and Ailn wished to see both for himself.


    ¡°I understand a lady-in-waiting is different from your typical maid¡ªbut I still have a hard time understanding it,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Lady Renea has always been joined at the hip with Miss Sophie. To the point Miss Sophie even attends to her when she tours the northern wall,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°She follows her to the battlefield?¡± Ailn asked. He looked taken aback. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to ask of a maid, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Miss Sophie is very protective of Lady Renea. She¡¯s older, and the two were raised like sisters.¡± Kylian hesitated a moment. ¡°Some call it Lady Renea¡¯s one vice: that she is still a bit coddled. Many think she puts her lady-in-waiting in unnecessary danger. But as far as I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s always been Miss Sophie¡¯s decision.¡±


    Ailn and Kylian strenuously pushed open the Great Hall¡¯s tall oak door.


    To the left, a great hearth with a roaring fire. To the right, tucked away in the corner, an unassuming staircase leading up to the eum-Creid¡¯s private space on the castle¡¯s second floor. A throne sat at the back of the room, elevated by a dais.


    Of greatest interest to Ailn, however, were the portraits which adorned the walls.


    It was the portrait gallery of the eum-Creid family.


    Most of the men, women, and children on the wall shared Ailn¡¯s silver hair and blue eyes, but few possessed as pure and striking as his. Some had hair grayer than silver, and many had eyes of colors other than blue, yet the family resemblance they all shared was unmistakable.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this convenient, Kylian? It¡¯s like a big gallery of murder suspects,¡± Ailn said.


    A few guards gazed suspiciously in their direction. Kylian did his best to ignore their stares.


    Ailn walked up and down the length of the Great Hall slowly, taking in all the portraits of his family. He stopped in his tracks, a curious expression breaking out on his face.


    ¡°Is this me?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...That¡¯s right,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been portrayed,¡± Ailn mumbled. ¡°Why?¡±


    Kylian hesitated, not sure how to explain Ailn¡¯s circumstances gently. He¡¯d previously explained Ailn¡¯s low standing within the family, yet hadn¡¯t fully emphasized the extent of it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve nearly been disowned, Your Grace,¡± Kylian admitted. ¡°Though you still retain your name, it has largely been so the family can save face.¡± The knight raised his gaze to the portrait of Ailn as a child. ¡°Hence, your portrait has never been taken down. Yet, they¡¯ve also neglected to update it.¡±


    ¡°...I see,¡± Ailn said.


    He stared at the portrait of ¡®himself.¡¯


    It made for a strange experience. Playing a role was one thing; acknowledging the human behind it was another. Though he had no intention to meaningfully carry on the legacy of the original Ailn, that didn¡¯t mean he was free of regret.


    Next to his portrait were two others. By their arrangement, they were clearly meant to be considered as a trio. One was a portrait of a young man, who looked a bit older than Ailn was now. The other was a portrait of a teenaged girl.


    Both had silver hair and blue eyes.


    ¡°And these two are my siblings I assume?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. His Highness Sigurd and Her Grace Renea,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Renea have a grand portrait with the other family heads?¡± Ailn asked.


    Ailn looked over to the area behind the throne. The half-dome gallery was clearly reserved for heads of the family.


    If Renea was the future Saintess, she should be there as well.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s still not the head of the family,¡± Kylian answered. ¡°Until she comes of age, Sigurd is acting as regent; meanwhile Sigurd, as the highest-ranking male eum-Creid, holds the title of duke without actually being the family head.¡±


    Ailn nodded along to Kylian¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°Alright. So, which one of them is trying to kill me?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...Your sister is known to care for you dearly,¡± Kylian kept his voice low, answering the question indirectly.


    ¡°So you think it¡¯s Sigurd,¡± Ailn¡¯s eyes went back to the portrait of his brother.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Kylian said hesitantly, glancing over his shoulder.


    ¡°So you think it¡¯s Sigurd,¡± Ailn repeated. ¡°Where do we find him?¡±


    ¡°A thousand miles away at the capital,¡± Kylian said.


    Ailn looked at Kylian, confused. ¡°And you suspect him because¡­?¡±


    ¡°He could¡¯ve hired an assassin, or had one of the Azure Knights acting as his extended hand. Rather¡ªno one else would have the resources or influence,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°What about mom and dad? What are they up to?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Your parents are dead, Ailn.¡± Kylian peered over with a look of subtle consolation.


    ¡°Oh. Huh.¡± Ailn looked apologetic. ¡°Sorry to hear that.¡±


    Ailn continued to study the portraits of his family intently, while Kylian gave careful, if idle, thought to the anomalies of Ailn¡¯s behavior.


    Of all the ways Ailn had reacted peculiarly to his own life circumstances, this was the most extreme.


    Even if Ailn had lost his memory¡ªwould he not at least have some emotional response to the unexpected reminder of his parents¡¯ death?


    Kylian tried to quiet down the nagging doubt in the back of his mind. It truly felt as though Ailn were a complete stranger to the entire duchy. No, perhaps he was looking at this from the wrong perspective.


    Could it be that Ailn¡¯s amnesia was a way of coping with the trauma of his near-death experience?


    What if the culprit truly had been someone dear to him? If he¡¯d caught sight of them at the moment of attack, then it might have broken his heart, right before he suffered a severe head injury. That would mean this new personality he fashioned for himself was an elaborate form of self-protection. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    If that were the case¡­


    ¡°Is that the late Saintess?¡± Ailn asked, breaking Kylian out of his thoughts. He pointed toward the portraits of the family heads.


    The last head of the family, Celine¡ªAiln¡¯s mother¡ªwas the rightmost portrait. To her immediate left was Ailn¡¯s grandfather, the late Duke Aaron. He was, of course, Celine¡¯s father, and the head of the family before her.


    Father and daughter alike had a proud, regal look¡ªan air of nobility suggested by their high cheekbones. Both were portrayed with an unwavering gaze: Aaron with a look so serious it bordered on spite, Celine with a gentle smile that softened the impression of her sharp features.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a portrait of your mother,¡± Kylian said.


    Ailn had an uncharacteristically somber expression. Kylian would have naturally thought it was a look of nostalgia, and yet he didn¡¯t sense any yearning in Ailn¡¯s gaze. Rather, the young noble seemed like a traveler in his own body, paying respect to the memories he didn¡¯t have.


    ¡°I see.¡± Ailn¡¯s gaze was still on his mother¡¯s portrait. ¡°What kind of person was she?¡±


    ¡°She was a kind and grounded woman who performed her duties admirably.¡± Kylian glanced at Ailn who simply kept his gaze upon his mother¡¯s portrait. ¡°She¡¯s been dead for seven years.¡±


    Looking at the solemnity Ailn was currently carrying himself with, Kylian felt a slight guilt. He didn¡¯t believe he was best suited for the task of helping Ailn remember the tragedies of his own family.


    Ailn¡¯s grave expression disappeared, however, and he tilted his head curiously.


    ¡°...Who¡¯s still alive, exactly?¡± Ailn asked Kylian.


    Kylian turned toward Ailn warily. He didn¡¯t quite understand the intent of Ailn¡¯s question, but something in his tone of voice gave Kylian the sense they weren¡¯t seeing eye to eye.


    ¡°In your family?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Right. If you¡¯re suspicious of my family, who else is a potential culprit?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Well, there is your Aunt Ennieux, but¡­¡± Kylian trailed off.


    He pointed at a portrait of a fair woman with silver hair, whose brown eyes stood out from the rest of the family.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s her,¡± Kylian said honestly. ¡°I¡¯d suspect her children before her, and even then¡­ I very much doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°You just have to meet her.¡±


    ¡°Is she so kind you can¡¯t believe she¡¯d hurt anybody?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kylian grimaced. ¡°Not quite.¡±


    <hr><hr>


    ***


    Kylian and Ailn went up the stairs at the back of the Great Hall, entering the solar reserved for the noble family.


    ¡°Sophie really does sleep here¡­¡± Ailn peered into the lord¡¯s chamber. ¡°There isn¡¯t much here besides beds.¡±


    The solar was small, a practical use of the second floor above the Great Hall rather than a lavish accommodation built for its own sake.


    Frankly, it was an intimate familial space Kylian should never have had access to; the beds were even still unmade. It felt like an act of insubordination and an invasion of privacy at the same time.


    Doubling as an informal parlor within the solar was the ducal study.


    Like everything else eum-Creid, it was modest by noble standards. Where most nobles went out of their way to construct splendid libraries¡ªoften filled with books they didn¡¯t actually read¡ªthe ducal study hardly even earned its moniker.


    In fact, it was less of a proper room and more of a distinguished partition, separated out from the rest of the lord¡¯s chamber by way of wood and rich tapestry.


    Said tapestry, which displayed the heraldic emblem of the eum-Creids, was probably the closest thing to opulence on the estate. A proud silver wolf against an azure sky: rendered with silver thread, on a base of silk weft on cotton warp.


    ¡°You guys have real books¡ªI¡¯m surprised. I mean, with spines and everything. That¡¯s great,¡± Ailn mused, flipping through a book on governance.


    ¡°Your Grace, sometimes you say inexplicable things that feel subtly insulting,¡± Kylian said with a wince. ¡°I would be remiss if I didn¡¯t warn you of it.¡±


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°It is a little chafing, yes,¡± Kylian replied.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ailn said, placing the book back on the shelf. ¡°I¡¯ll try to be more subtle.¡±


    ¡°That is precisely the least helpful action,¡± Kylian frowned, following Ailn¡¯s gaze.


    Ailn picked books off the shelf one by one. Examining each in turn, he¡¯d flip to the start of the book, then flip to the end, before sporadically checking pages in the middle.


    Kylian found Ailn¡¯s manner of ¡®reading¡¯ worth observing in and of itself. He¡¯d been skeptical about how useful a trip to the ducal study could be. Even if there was somehow something relevant in the study¡¯s corpus of information, Kylian didn¡¯t believe it would be a practical avenue to explore.


    There were many books, and only two days. If they¡¯d had a more focused inquiry, it might be manageable, but as it stood Kylian felt they¡¯d be better off exhaustively interviewing residents of the castle.


    Still, Ailn was a great deal more efficient than Kylian had thought possible. Just a few minutes in the study, and he¡¯d already searched through a dozen or so books to his personal satisfaction.


    Occasionally one book¡¯s contents would interest Ailn enough to skim a page or two fully, but most books found themselves back on the shelf within a few seconds.


    Frankly, the cavalier way in which Ailn handled the books bothered Kylian. The pages would likely stretch.


    ¡°What¡¯s this one?¡± Ailn flipped open a tome that looked particularly worn and regal. ¡°I can¡¯t read it.¡±


    Kylian glanced at the book Ailn had opened.


    ¡°It would be more surprising if you could. It¡¯s in the ancient language,¡± Kylian said. ¡°The last ones left who can read it are either wizards or scholars.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it talks about ghosts? ¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Ghosts?¡± Kylian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you jesting? Do you sincerely believe there was a ghost wailing in the walls?¡±


    Ailn shrugged.


    ¡°Kylian, I came back to life last night. If you believe that, why would ghosts be a step too far?¡± Ailn asked.


    He had a point. Still, it was doubtful such a book existed; Kylian had never even heard a ghost story growing up. Varant was already always at battle with death and shadow. Who needed ghosts? The culture of the city was too hard-nosed to fear apparitions of such an ethereal nature.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ailn picked a new book out¡ªone that was the furthest thing from fictitious or fanciful. He flipped through it for a while, before Kylian¡¯s curiosity got the better of him.


    ¡°The castle archive?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Check this out.¡±


    Ailn showed Kylian the page he was looking at: records for Sophie, Renea¡¯s lady-in-waiting. Lacking a surname, she only had her first name. And¡­


    ¡°The more I learned about Sophie, the more curious I got. And what do you know? She has no parents documented,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Is that really so telling? War orphans are unfortunately common here,¡± Kylian said. ¡°You¡¯ll find plenty of children like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªthat alone doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± Ailn seemed to fiddle with something on his wrist that wasn¡¯t actually there. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll keep what I¡¯m thinking close to the vest for now,¡± Ailn said, starting to grimace. ¡°No point casting aspersions without any real evidence.¡±


    Ailn said nothing for a moment. Then, before Kylian could even say anything, or press him to elaborate, he seemed to wince at his own thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± Ailn gave Kylian a questioning look, ¡°why are you so convinced the ultimate culprit is someone in my family?¡±


    Why indeed? The moment he saw the body, Kylian¡¯s suspicions had ventured in that direction.


    First, he had reason to believe Ailn was targeted specifically. It was rare for him to be at the castle at all. And it seemed implausible that his presence would coincide with the only shadow beast attack in its history.


    As for why Kylian suspected his family¡­ he wasn¡¯t entirely sure. There was a personal touch to how Ailn¡¯s body had been left in the courtyard¡ªa pointedness which had led to Kylian disqualifying outside influence instinctually.


    In Kylian¡¯s experience as a peacekeeper, that typically meant motives romantic or familial. But it would be impossible for a mere scorned lover to orchestrate such an elaborate attack, especially one involving shadow beasts.


    With romance ruled out, that left Ailn¡¯s family. Of the eum-Creids, the only likely candidate would be Sigurd, who held no shortage of contempt for Ailn.


    But was this chain of reasoning truly sound? He wondered briefly if he harbored resentments toward Sigurd that were hidden even from himself, such that he¡¯d unfairly narrowed his own view.


    ¡°...Just a hunch,¡± Kylian said somberly. ¡°One that, in retrospect, I find increasingly difficult to justify.¡±


    ¡°No need to doubt yourself. Intuition is just reasoning still waiting to be articulated.¡± Ailn tapped his temple. ¡°Make it explicit, and you can see if it¡¯s sound.¡±


    ¡°Intuition, is it?¡± Kylian mumbled. He closed his eyes, calling to mind the appearance of the body. He retraced the grim emotions that ran through him, as he watched Cairn examine the seeming corpse. ¡°It was as if... you were meant to be on display. The staging wasn¡¯t merely meant to hide the nature of the crime. There was an emotionality to it.¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is the key motive is humiliation,¡± Ailn said bluntly.


    Hearing the quiet thing said out loud brought clarity to Kylian¡¯s thoughts.


    The culprit intended to humiliate Ailn. He was already considered a disgrace, and yet the culprit wanted more: a should-be paladin cut down by the weakest creatures of the dark¡ªshadow beasts so unthreatening that the young timid guard of the cafeteria held them at bay with a thick wooden door.


    His death was meant to cement a shameful legacy, by justifying the insults that had always followed him in life. And in the courtyard, his corpse would have been left as a cruel joke, to be heard by those who cared the least about him, and cared the most about everything wrong with him.


    Whoever had tried to murder Ailn was motivated by hatred.

 Chapter 7: Ennieux eum-Creid

    The culprit¡¯s apparent hatred for Ailn now revealed, Kylian again felt the twinge of pity he¡¯d felt when he first heard of Ailn¡¯s death.


    On the other hand, the new Ailn didn¡¯t seem to mind much. He had a furrow in his brow¡ªand a deep frown¡ªbut it was more from concentration than upset. He¡¯d been reading for a while now, and Kylian had spent his time trying to discern the throughline of the records he¡¯d picked.


    Things like infirmary records, records of employment, or past proclamations. Perhaps with the benefit of time, some kind of deep motive could be discerned within¡ªbut at the moment, with the inquest two days away, this type of clerical information seemed little more useful than scattered trivia.


    ¡°Do you think I can take some of these books?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Take them?¡± Kylian repeated blankly. Could they? Almost certainly not. A single book was monstrously expensive. ¡°No. I don¡¯t believe that would be wise.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯d hate to lug these around all day,¡± Ailn said thoughtfully. Kylian realized Ailn had already built up quite the stack, teetering precariously on the lip of the shelf. ¡°Hey, keep a watch on the corridor for a moment. Make sure no one¡¯s coming.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Ailn replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing big.¡±


    Kylian very much doubted that, but his attention drifted to the corridor anyway. His anxiety from intruding into the eum-Creid family¡¯s private space was returning in full force. Particularly worrying was the fact that the ducal study was the favored retreat of Ailn¡¯s noble aunt, Lady Ennieux; she was an avid reader.


    Objectively, she wasn¡¯t the worst potential encounter; despite her contemptuous and haughty attitude, Kylian very much doubted she had the malevolence nor influence to be the mastermind behind Ailn¡¯s attempted murder.


    He probably wanted to run into her least of all, though. She had a talent for giving people ulcers¡ªand Kylian was her favorite ulcer recipient.


    That¡¯s when a shrill voice rang from the Great Hall below.


    ¡°You let WHO through?!¡±


    <hr><hr>


    ***


    The wide open space did little to dull the screaming, while the corridor into the ducal study almost seemed to funnel it through. By the time it reached Kylian and Ailn upstairs, the high-pitched whine¡ªalready delivered imperiously¡ªsounded quite booming. These were truly noble reverberations.


    Ennieux eum-Creid had arrived.


    As always, her clothes were lavish and ornate. She wore a deep crimson gown, with gold leaf embroidered ornately into its bodice¡ªcolors chosen in clear contrast to those on the heraldic emblem. The gown¡¯s sleeves of flowing sheer wisped over her silk evening gloves, which crinkled as she belittled the guard with hand gestures that were simultaneously flowery and bombastic.


    ¡°How much of an insufferable imbecile are you to let some fraud through into our living quarters?!¡± Ennieux screamed at the poor guard. ¡°How obvious must a robbery be for you to do your job?!¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Aldous ordered us to assist Sir Kylian and the young master as much as possible, my lady! I saw him with my own eyes! It¡¯s him!¡± the guard stuttered in response.


    She was livid. She¡¯d been baffled to hear that a knight and her dead nephew entered the eum-Creid¡¯s private quarters¡ªunder the auspices of Aldous, no less. But she couldn''t believe her ears when she heard they¡¯d been there for hours.


    ¡°That daft fool was clearly tricked by the work of some mage dying a swindler¡¯s hair,¡± Ennieux spat out. Up above, Kylian could almost hear her eyes rolling. ¡°Now, go apprehend the knaves!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring them down! Certainly!¡± The guard rushed up the stairs.


    ¡°Hmph! This is why this duchy¡¯s education sorely needs reform! No wonder the central nobles treat us like hicks¡­¡±


    Less than noble, and never very obliging, Ennieux eum-Creid nonetheless fully believed in the grand moral purpose that was noblesse oblige. After all, she was the youngest child of the late Duke Aaron eum-Creid.


    In a few ways, she was actually quite like Ailn. When it came to holy aura she far exceeded him, but was still the runt among her siblings. Not to mention she¡¯d earned similar notoriety for failing to fulfill her duties protecting the northern wall.


    Unlike Ailn, however, she was a noble brat.


    A full ten years younger than her next closest sibling, she was the apple of the late duke¡¯s eye, born well after the harshness of his personality had already been weathered down by the endless battle against the shadows.


    As the duke entered the twilight of his years, she must have seemed like the last light peeking through the cold mountains. The late Duchess Anne eum-Creid died after giving birth to her, and when the infant Ennieux peered up at Duke Aaron with Anne¡¯s almond-shaped, chestnut-colored eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the workings of providence.


    He made sure to love her dearly, as if to make up for what he never gave his other children. Hence, she grew up a spoiled father¡¯s child, and she never truly got over his death.


    Having been retrieved by the guard, Kylian and Ailn made their way down the stairs.


    ¡°O-oh! Sir Kylian! I didn¡¯t expect to see you here!¡± Ennieux fidgeted when she saw who was actually coming down the stairs. It was spectacular, really, the way she noticed her courtly crush before her resurrected nephew.


    ¡°¡­ My Lady,¡± Kylian nodded in response, attempting to be as curt as possible.


    Kylian pitied Ennieux as much as he¡¯d pitied Ailn, actually¡ªshe¡¯d had a breakdown when she started her touring duties, and Duke Aaron had done little to rebuke her. This act of coddling deeply disturbed his vassals, and she was bright enough to discern their contempt, no matter how well they hid it.


    In Kylian¡¯s view, much of her behavior, or at least its origin, was self-protection. By no means did this absolve her of her flaws.


    ¡°Aunt Ennieux, I presume?¡± Ailn asked, striding amiably down the stairs and extending his hand.


    Now even she had to notice Ailn. Broken out of her daze, suspicious of potential fraud though she was¡ªshe knew what her nephew looked like. She had a great memory for those she disliked. And the annoying smile on her nephew¡¯s face was presently searing itself ever deeper into her prodigiously vindictive memory.


    She slapped his hand away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the commoners are teaching you, but I won¡¯t entertain it,¡± she snarled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be dead?!¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°The Azure Knights almost made a terrible mistake,¡± Kylian said, stepping in front of Ailn. ¡°But thankfully, the young master is alive and well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sir Kylian, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the only reason this cad wasn¡¯t buried alive or cremated! How awful that your chivalry and dedication should render such a worthless reward.¡±


    Ennieux glared openly at Ailn. Kylian was more than a little surprised at how quickly she seemed to accept Ailn¡¯s survival.


    She never liked Ailn, of course. He was too much like her. But unlike Ennieux, Ailn never squirmed in an attempt to assert his nobility.


    Perhaps it made her feel shameless, or perhaps she saw his passivity as pathetic. It could be said that Ailn¡¯s dishonor justified Ennieux¡¯s defensiveness: she maintained a sort of status within the family by loudly proclaiming her nobility. She barked, and people took pains not to step into her garden.


    What must she have seen in Ailn, who wouldn¡¯t even bark?


    ¡°I hope with this new lease on life you¡¯ll put more thought into what trouble you cause your poor sister,¡± Ennieux said. ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever grief your ¡®death¡¯ brought her, quiet relief came in equal spades. Reflect on that, Ailn eum-Creid. I lecture you for your own good.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my dear aunt.¡± Ailn bowed deeply, and said nothing more, surprising Kylian.


    ¡°And most of all,¡± Ennieux stepped in closer, her voice icy. ¡°If I see you alone with Sophie once more, I will ensure you can never speak to your sister again. It¡¯s disgusting, Ailn. It truly is.¡±


    Ailn peered up from his bow. He maintained his polite tone, but he looked quite surprised.


    ¡°I was meeting with her regularly?¡± Ailn asked. He had an expression of slight concern.


    ¡°Oh, come off it Ailn. Did you think I, the most noble lady in the duchy, would be so stupid as to be unaware of your filthy dalliances?¡± Ennieux looked like she wanted to spit on Ailn. ¡°Renea may turn a blind eye, but I¡ª¡°


    ¡°The young master has lost his memory, actually,¡± Kylian interjected. He certainly hadn¡¯t heard of it.


    ¡°Lost his memory? Hmph! Good.¡± Ennieux placed her hands on her hips. ¡°The better not to tell you, then. Why should I help you continue sinning? Take this as a sign to change your ways.¡±


    Kylian started to object, before he caught Ailn¡¯s eye. Ailn simply shook his head.


    ¡°Now Kylian,¡± Ennieux pulled right up to his face. ¡°If you were free later I would be most obliged if you were to join me for a cup of tea in my parlor.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m afraid I must continue the investigation of the young master¡¯s attempted murder,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°¡®Attempted murder?¡¯ Is that how he chooses to dignify it?¡± Ennieux scoffed at Ailn, thinking it little more than his attempts to save face. ¡°I heard the shadow beasts myself! Murder! Really now, Ailn.¡±


    ¡°There were shadow beasts here in the keep?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Y-yes, well. A few had appeared near the Great Hall,¡± Ennieux said. She crossed her arms in a manner that suggested discomfort. ¡°It was¡­ shocking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that happened,¡± Kylian said with sincere concern. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not too shaken, Lady Ennieux.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ R-really.¡± Ennieux fluttered her eyes at him, ¡°I could perhaps find reassurance if we discussed it sometime, Sir Kylian. If you ever find yourself thirsty or peckish¡­¡±


    ¡°Then I will gladly go to the cafeteria to eat with the other knights. The food supplies your husband procures from the west on his frequent travels are not always appetizing, but I am continually grateful to him nonetheless. Would you relay that to him?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course,¡± Ennieux clicked her tongue and backed off at his unsubtle chiding. ¡°As the alleged robbery was but my useless nephew, I bid the both of you good day.¡±


    Not that she apologized to the guard for her mistake, of course.


    Her sullen look was more disappointed than angry, and as she left the Great Hall she gave a single fretful look backward.


    <hr><hr>


    Kylian glanced worriedly to his side. No matter how resilient Ailn was, it surely had to sting to see just how little his death¡ªor revival¡ªhad affected his aunt. Her behavior could easily have cut deeply into the very insecurities his amnesia was trying to suppress.


    ¡°Is something on your mind, Your Grace?¡± Kylian asked, pausing as he observed the perturbed look on Ailn''s face as they left the Great Hall.


    ¡°There is,¡± Ailn admitted, his voice lowering slightly. ¡°Kylian, did you know I was meeting with the maid?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking about? And no, I strictly avoid engaging in gossip,¡± Kylian frowned, a bit caught off-guard. ¡°I would never let hearsay cloud my judgment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly reliable but¡ªa detective can¡¯t just ignore it. Sometimes hearsay¡¯s the only lead you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Was that really the extent of his reaction? The two started heading toward the grand forge, hoping to learn more about the shattered sword fragments. As they made their way, Kylian decided to probe Ailn more directly.


    ¡°What do you think of your aunt, Ailn?¡± Kylian asked.


    "She''s fun,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I bet she livens up the tea parties.¡±


    "Is that¡­ really what you make of her?" Kylian muttered, struck by his nonchalance.


    "I like the way she talks. It¡¯s put-on, but charming,¡± Ailn said, giving a refreshingly genuine smile while saying some rather rude things. ¡°Is she imitating someone? Like my grandfather?"


    Kylian shook his head. "Hardly. I have no idea where she gets it from. No one in the north talks like that. Not the eum-Creids, definitely."


    In fact, Kylian had hardly dealt with nobles hailing from other regions. Some of them, especially those centrally located, had certainly been haughty. And yet their speech always seemed more at ease, even if their prim and proper manners were suffocatingly precise. It was almost like...


    "I bet she picked it up from all those romances she''s got in the study. That''s hilarious. Now I like her even more,¡± Ailn said.


    "Romances?" Kylian asked.


    "Dozens. A lot of them involving knights, actually. Have you never read the classic A Knight to Die For, A Lady to Cry For?"


    "I would never dare."


    Kylian had learned many strategies to gently rebuff Ennieux''s advances, including: praising her husband''s tireless work for the duchy, reminding her that her children touring the northern wall surely loved coming back to a stable and loving home, and simply asserting that he, a knight, would never even dream of romancing a noble like herself.


    "I''d be flattered if I were you. You''re a commoner and she''s still smitten. Why?" Ailn asked.


    "Why, indeed?" Kylian muttered.


    In other parts of the empire, noble infidelity was less a transgression and more of an accepted vice. But in the duchy, holiness mattered; the eum-Creids were a family of paladins and saintesses after all. Always so close to danger, the people of the duchy were quite devout.


    Kylian, meanwhile, was a victim of his own good nature.


    He felt sorry for Ennieux, the way she aimlessly wandered the castle, with always an anxious air. Even her condescension towards commoners was more insufferable than it was vicious; if she truly hated them, she would''ve made the servants'' lives hell. Many central nobles certainly liked to.


    A few kind words was all, when he''d caught sight of her staring out distantly on the ramparts. He was young and naive, entirely unaware of how a pretty sentiment well-planted could germinate into a great big oak of regret.


    Something about how even a shy primrose opens up in the evening. It was incredibly embarrassing in retrospect. But now the primrose cared little whether or not the sun was shining; it seemed as if she''d happily open up to Kylian any time.


    No wonder the other knights thought he was unduly favored.


    "Do you suspect her?" Kylian asked, trying to steer the conversation back to somewhere sane.


    "Can''t say she tops the list,¡± Ailn said. ¡°But I''m not one to cross people off too quickly, no matter what my gut says. I''m curious about her children, though."


    "Her children?" Kylian blinked, a little perplexed. "I suppose so."


    Unfortunately for her, neither of Ennieux''s children would inherit her surname; rather, they would inherit their father''s, which was Gren. Camille and Nicolas, perhaps shying from their mother''s vain behavior, had always been more knights than nobles.


    Neither had even managed to inherit any intrinsic holy power, as Ennieux''s was already modest. Theirs, like the rest of the knights, had to be bestowed.


    ¡°How much holy power can they hold?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°More than average. Even if they didn¡¯t inherit the blessing in their blood, they¡¯re quite talented in their capacity to retain it,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± Ailn clicked his tongue, and started his habit of fiddling with his wrist again. ¡°By the way¡ªdo people¡­ smoke around here?¡±


    ¡°Tobacco? Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t they?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°No reason,¡± Ailn said. His gaze went to his belt, part of the standard knight¡¯s uniform. He didn¡¯t carry much, so he lacked the usual ensemble of pouches a knight would be seen with. ¡°...It¡¯d be great if someone invented pockets though.¡±


    ¡°Invented what?¡±


    Ailn didn¡¯t respond. He seemed restless¡ªand all the way to the forge, he kept his fist grasped, as if to stop himself from reaching for something that wasn¡¯t there.

 Chapter 8: Steel and Orichalcum

    The forge was hot and filled with the sound of clanging metal and wheezing air. Apprentices wheezed themselves, as they worked the bellows, looking none too amused when Ailn and Kylian walked in. Perhaps they didn¡¯t like having their work interrupted.


    ¡°You need somethin¡¯?¡± one of the apprentices asked gruffly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the noble lout that died?¡±


    ¡°The very same,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t address the young master so crudely,¡± Kylian admonished them with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Not to his face or anywhere you can be heard.¡±


    From the back of the shop, the continuous clanging of metal could still be heard. The master had apparently not deigned them worthy of breaking his focus.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be quick. We just need you to test out some shards. Steel shards from a sword,¡± Ailn said.


    The clanging stopped. Ailn and Kylian turned their heads in the direction of the sudden silence.


    ¡°You broke one of my swords?!¡± a voice screamed from the back, its own kind of bellow.


    The master came stomping out, tong and hammer in each hand¡ªthe tong itself still red hot as he waved it around in Kylian¡¯s face.


    Kylian took a timid step back, a foot outside the forge, and his head struck the low stone lintel of the entrance. Ailn chuckled at the sight, which made Kylian scowl. That is, until the hot tongs were swinging around in front of him.


    ¡°Hey! Watch it. This body just came back from death. Near-death.¡± Ailn peered down nervously at the tongs. ¡°The sword broke when I was attacked.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how. You¡¯re saying you broke your sword,¡± the master fumed.


    ¡°Probably. Maybe. That¡¯s what we¡¯re trying to find out.¡± Ailn pulled out the pouch with the steel shards and handed it to the master. ¡°Can you tell us anything interesting?¡±


    The master growled and handed his hammer to one of his apprentices before snatching the pouch out of Ailn¡¯s hand. He emptied its contents out onto a worktable and grabbed the largest shard with the tong.


    ¡°Slow down on the bellowing!¡± he hollered at his apprentices. ¡°Let it cool down to red.¡±


    Kylian, for his part, wasn¡¯t sure what they hoped to find. Was the sword in the courtyard truly missing material? At a glance, he thought that Ailn could be right. But a handful of missing steel felt inconsequential compared to the stark fact that he¡¯d been lying there¡ªdead or unconscious¡ªwith a sword shattered beside him.


    The apprentices sighed with relief at their chance to take a break, slumping back into the bench against the stone wall. They passed a leather costrel between themselves, taking big swigs of water; rather magnanimously, they even offered the costrel to Ailn and Kylian.


    The two declined politely.


    It took about fifteen minutes for the heat of the forge to cool down to a red flame, and Kylian found the wait quite awkward. The workshop dropped a few degrees, yet the air was still unbearably stuffy.


    Finally, when the flame dulled to a dark red, the master held the shard over it. He murmured softly to himself, and shook his head as the shard started melting.


    ¡°A flame this cold and it¡¯s already melting¡­¡± he said quietly. Somehow he looked a little despairing.


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been one of the lower quality swords then,¡± Kylian said. Which was to be expected, given it was on Ailn¡¯s person. He sighed. ¡°I suppose this was a false lead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even know the nature of your own tools?!¡± the master snapped. ¡°This shard is the highest quality of orichalcum alloy there is! The trade off for conducting holy aura is weaker steel! It¡¯s brittler, and it melts at a lower temperature!¡±


    He kicked at an ash bucket sitting near the forge, knocking it to the ground with a loud clang. The soot puffed out through the room, till everyone was having a coughing fit besides the master. He must¡¯ve been used to it.


    Both Ailn and Kylian¡¯s cloaks got dirty with soot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it out on me, you old man! Damn,¡± Ailn coughed, and tried to brush off the soot accumulating on his once azure cloak. Now it was looking more like a shadowy indigo. ¡°So, what? I owned an amazing sword I couldn¡¯t even use properly?¡±


    ¡°Hell if I know,¡± the master growled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t surprise me if a spoiled brat like you witlessly asked for an orichalcum sword just to show off. I only make a few of these a year.¡±


    Ailn clicked his tongue. Then he turned to Kylian.


    ¡°Guess I was vain,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°You¡­ certainly never struck me that way,¡± Kylian said doubtfully.


    Ailn crossed his arms and tilted his head. Then, after a moment¡¯s thought, he snapped his fingers.


    ¡°What if we checked in with that quartermaster you¡¯re always bugging?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°He should keep inventory on distributing those swords, right?¡±


    Kylian knitted his brow at Ailn¡¯s choice of words.


    ¡°Bugging? You of all people¡­¡± Kylian held himself back. This wasn¡¯t the time for this. ¡°And no. The swords don¡¯t belong to the knight order. Every knight purchases their own sword.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me,¡± Ailn looked at Kylian quite pityingly. ¡°That¡¯s a scam if I ever heard of one.¡±


    Actually, Kylian agreed with that. Despite his loyalty to the order and to the duchy, he also thought it was unfair to ask knights who put their lives on the line to provide for their own weapon.


    That said, he understood it was a matter of economic necessity. Swords were expensive¡ªespecially those of steel mixed with orichalcum. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Is there any chance someone planted the sword?¡± Ailn asked, clearly puzzled.


    ¡°That would be absurd. They cost so much I¡¯ve never even heard of a knight owning two. And to what end?¡± Kylian asked in response.


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    It cost Kylian three months¡¯ salary to purchase his sword, and since he paid by a monthly deduction it took him four years to settle the debt. No one would shatter a sword purposefully¡ªespecially when it did so little to add to the staging of the crime.


    On the other hand, it did seem at odds with the old Ailn¡¯s personality. Why would he be so modest in every other aspect of his life, yet keep a sword so lavish?


    ¡°If that¡¯s all you came to ask, then see yourself out,¡± the master said, grabbing the hammer from his apprentice and turning back to the smithy. ¡°Already ruined my day. Don¡¯t come back if you¡¯ve broken another sword.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Ailn said, patting him on the back, which made him growl more than anything, ¡°try not to have a heart attack, old man. If we do our job right we¡¯ll find the guy who really broke it.¡±


    <hr><hr>


    ***


    Simple and underutilized. That was the first impression the knights¡¯ yard gave off. Not too far from the forge, it was a wide space befitting its job of training the Azure Knights. But its width was most of what it had going for it.


    The only real equipment offered for training was a number of wooden pells. Far too many pells, and not too many knights actually using them.


    There was a large circular space for sparring, and nearby trees offered shade for spectators¡ªthough really, there were only squires sparring.


    ¡°Do you guys¡­ take your jobs seriously?¡± Ailn asked, puzzled.


    There was almost no one here.


    Kylian averted his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not ideal, I admit, but swordplay truly is secondary when it comes to defeating shadow beasts. I also believe the knights could stand to hone their fundamental skills¡ªbut a more direct and singular focus is practical in its own right.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you actually prepare to fight shadow beasts?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°You go to the wall,¡± Kylian replied. ¡°After you reach the minimum acceptable competence with your sword, you¡¯re taken to face the beasts as young as possible.¡±


    ¡°Sink or swim, huh?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard the phrase, but that sounds about right,¡± Kylian nodded.


    What was the best way to learn how to fight shadow beasts? By actually fighting them. That was the philosophy, by and large, of the knight order and the duchy itself.


    With sufficient holy power, a beast could be cut through with ease. But if your faith shook, and your power dwindled, your blade was liable to get caught in its body. For all those who nearly died from having their sword stuck, it left an impression: watching the light wane, feeling the resistance and burning in your muscles as your arms start to shake¡­


    The old saying in the Azure Knights was that the edge of your sword was sharpened on the whetstone of your prayer.


    These days, few took the saying on its face. The modern Azure Knight was simply not that devout, and understood it differently: you die if you let yourself be enfeebled by fear.


    That¡¯s why squires were brought to the battlefield to get their first kill as swiftly as possible. The older one was before they stepped against the shadows, the less likely they could handle the pressure.


    Kylian related as much to Ailn.


    ¡°Maybe that makes sense,¡± Ailn said, swinging a wooden sword in hand from side to side. ¡°But then it seems like you should spend more time practicing manifesting your holy aura.¡±


    ¡°...There are still those knights in the order who believe it heretical to use the divine blessing for anything but the quelling of shadow beasts,¡± Kylian sighed. ¡°To use it for anything else erodes the trust with which it was received.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you believe it,¡± Ailn said, readying a striking stance which looked surprisingly competent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I do believe it,¡± Kylian said. ¡°It is, at any rate, not to be done lightly.¡±


    Ailn struck the pell with force, and it produced a resounding thud. Kylian couldn¡¯t help but whistle at it¡ªperhaps Ailn was rubbing off on him.


    ¡°Wow. I¡¯m better than I thought¡­ a lot better, actually.¡± Ailn stared at his dominant hand, and then at the pell he just struck. He seemed almost perturbed by his own strike. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not gonna ask you to do it lightly. But I am gonna ask you to demonstrate your holy aura for me.¡±


    Ailn tapped the pell again.


    ¡°What?¡± Kylian glanced around anxiously. Did any of the squires hear?


    ¡°Are you that worried about being caught?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°We can go find a tree somewhere, I guess, if you really want to.¡±


    Kylian paused. What would happen, indeed? As far as he knew, it wasn¡¯t unlawful within the duchy itself.


    It was just strongly frowned upon.


    More than a few knights found the heresy hypocritical and antithetical, at least in principle, to the preservation of their own lives. It just so happened that they nevertheless believed the best form of practice was doing.


    Being able to manifest your holy aura when perfectly safe was not a reliable indicator of your ability to do so in the midst of danger. Hence, even the knights who had their reservations accepted the theological prohibition.


    ¡°Why do you want to see a demonstration of holy aura?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°The orichalcum-heavy sword got me thinking,¡± Ailn said. ¡°And you know, I¡¯ve never even seen this holy aura since I woke up. What if everyone just made it up? Actually, you¡¯re the only one who mentioned it to me.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s not true. The blacksmith just mentioned it,¡± Kylian grimaced. ¡°Do you truly believe I would do that?¡±


    ¡°Well, someone tried to kill me,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°Why¡¯s a big, elaborate prank out of the question?¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Kylian said, uneasily. ¡°Perhaps it will jog your memory.¡±


    ¡°Are we gonna look for a tree?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have anything to be ashamed of,¡± Kylian replied, though he didn¡¯t exactly give the appearance of guiltlessness. ¡°I would rather do it openly and explain myself, than run the risk of being seen doing it in a furtive manner.¡±


    Besides, there weren¡¯t that many squires around. And in any event, how would anyone be able to tell?


    ¡°Put as much strength into your swing as you can,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I want to see the aura¡¯s full force.¡±


    Kylian¡¯s eyebrows scrunched in irritation. But if there was no chance of using his aura surreptitiously, then why not go all out?


    He took a deep breath. It had been a while since he¡¯d actually used his holy aura, since he¡¯d been serving as a peacekeeper. He had been at the bestowal ceremony the night Ailn was attacked, but by the time he reached the shadow beasts they¡¯d already been cleanly dispatched.


    A soft glow of white ran down his blade. His holy power had always been modest, and as such he was more serious about his swordsmanship than the other knights. Thus, his strike was swift and sharp.


    As his blade met the wood, it was as if the aura energetically splashed; a surging, concussive sound rang out and sustained.


    The squires who had been sparring looked over in curiosity, and Kylian felt sweat begin to run down his back. He merely nodded, and gestured with his hands that they should get back to their own business.


    The pell itself had partially shattered at the point of impact, and Ailn stared for a long while at it. At first, Kylian he¡¯d simply been caught off-guard. But Ailn walked closer to the pell, and put a squinting eye right up to the shatter point.


    ¡°Kylian. Do you need a sword to use your holy aura?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Certainly not,¡± Kylian said, a nervous edge in his tone. ¡°It has to manifest through our body after all. Why? You¡¯re not going to ask me to punch the pell are you?¡±


    ¡°No. I was just curious. Thinking of different scenarios.¡± Ailn reached his hand carefully toward the shatterpoint, and picked out a few splinters. ¡°More importantly, take a look at these.¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± Kylian asked, as he took one of the splinters in his hand. Then, once he could look closely enough, he realized exactly what Ailn was pointing out.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this wood look a little burnt?¡±

 Chapter 9: Just One More Thing

    As the pair headed toward the infirmary, Kylian¡¯s mind was in a rush. Partially from the implications of the burnt wood, but partially because with every discovery this case made less and less sense. And this last revelation made the least sense of all.


    If the killer used holy aura to assault Ailn, then it definitively limited the list of candidates. It couldn¡¯t have been a servant, nor an assassin hired from the outside.


    It had to be someone from the Order.


    That did potentially explain the sword that had been left shattered by the body. An orichalcum sword like that should belong to someone possessed of an exceptional holy aura. That would limit the possibilities to a few of the order¡¯s best knights. There was Aldous, and Sir Jean¡­ Sir Dartune as well.


    And yet, all the strongest knights had been at the bestowal ceremony. Kylian saw them himself. At least, all of the strongest knights who were currently at the castle. It was possible a knight who should have been posted at the northern wall had discreetly returned.


    Not every knight received the divine blessing at the same time. The majority of the knights would always be located at the northern wall; a member of the Azure Knights actually only needed to go through the bestowal ceremony around once a year.


    There was a chance that such a knight, acting under orders, could have covertly entered the castle. Kylian had no idea how they might have managed to sneak in unnoticed by a gatekeeper¡ªhe had checked the log just last night and seen no such entries¡ªbut it was far from impossible.


    Alternatively, it could have been one of the few knights assigned to guard duty during the ceremony. Of these guards, he knew Sir Reynard¡¯s aura was quite powerful.


    All of this left a terrible taste in Kylian¡¯s mouth. Even though he had suspected the involvement of a member of the Order from the beginning, it was different entirely to see proof of the hidden and dirtied hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions yet, Kylian,¡± Ailn gently chided him as they made their way through the keep. ¡°Give it time to slow cook.¡±


    ¡°I hardly think I¡¯m jumping to conclusions,¡± Kylian said. His own tired voice surprised him. ¡°You may as well have drawn them for me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s what you think the first time. Sometimes it¡¯s not. But at the end of the day, there¡¯s only one way it could have happened.¡±


    ¡°That seems a given,¡± Kylian said, frowning.


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of not fixating,¡± Ailn said casually. ¡°You consider the facts as a whole. Whatever happened, happened. There¡¯s only one world where all the facts can co-exist, and it¡¯s the one we already live in.¡±


    ¡°Could you elaborate on that?¡± Kylian glanced at him.


    ¡°Well¡­ facts that contradict are like squabbling neighbors, right?¡± Ailn remarked. ¡°Ask yourself how they ever managed to get along. Then, naturally, the missing links reveal themselves. That¡¯s how I reasoned out the existence of the cistern.¡±


    It was a novel way of thinking to say the least. Kylian wasn¡¯t sure if it was substantive at the end of the day, but he had to admit that he felt some instinctual resonance. More than anything else, he couldn¡¯t deny that Ailn¡¯s distinctive process had clearly borne fruit.


    ¡°...I suppose you could say it prods the mind in a more deductive direction,¡± Kylian mused.


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s like chess. Do you have chess here?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Here?¡± Kylian repeated, ever puzzled by Ailn¡¯s wording. ¡°Yes. There is chess here in the duchy.¡±


    ¡°Every piece on the board leaves proof of how it moved,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You can always work a chess game backwards from the final position.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Kylian stopped in his tracks and eyed Ailn warily. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Think about it,¡± Ailn narrowed his eyes at Kylian.


    ¡°You do realize you can just move knights back and forth indefinitely from the start position, don¡¯t you?¡± Kylian asked.


    Now Ailn stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed further as he presumably pondered it. After a moment, he averted his gaze.


    ¡°Oh look. There¡¯s the infirmary.¡± Ailn proceeded to ignore Kylian¡¯s statement.


    Of course, there were those times¡ªlike now¡ªwhen Kylian found himself less than impressed by Ailn.


    In contrast to the rest of the keep, the infirmary was quite sunny. All in all it gave a rather idyllic impression.


    Ailn took it in with some surprise. He hadn¡¯t exactly expected it to be dusty and dark, but it was one of the brightest places in the entire keep. Lots of light came in through the wide, mullioned windows at the back, but it was all soft and diffuse.


    It was a pleasant sight, which was wearying in its own way; both Ailn and Kylian were reminded of just how tired they were.


    Ailn had only gotten a few hours of sleep sitting against a stone wall. Kylian was even worse off¡ªhe¡¯d nodded off a few times, but for the most part, he stayed awake to ensure Ailn¡¯s head injury didn¡¯t worsen while he slept.


    They caught sight of a young physician¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°Can I help you? Oh! Sir Kylian, and¡­ Your Grace,¡± the assistant walked over to them. ¡°Did you need Physician Cairn?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Could you retrieve him for us?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± The assistant gave a quick bow, before heading deeper inside the infirmary to retrieve Cairn¡ªpast all the sick beds, which currently held no soldiers, and into what was presumably Cairn¡¯s office. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Ailn stared enviously at the beds in the infirmary.


    ¡°Kylian,¡± Ailn started, ¡°where do I actually sleep?¡±


    Thinking back to the family solar, he noticed there hadn¡¯t been a bed for him in there. That made sense, if he wasn¡¯t held in high esteem.


    He didn¡¯t sleep in the servants¡¯ quarters, did he?¡±


    ¡°You live in a small cottage in the woods that was once used for hunting,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°...That bad, huh?¡± Ailn muttered, remembering his dirty tunic.


    ¡°You are notoriously impoverished,¡± Kylian replied. ¡°You live gracefully with little to your name.¡±


    Ailn¡¯s posture drooped.


    With Lady Renea¡¯s expected return tomorrow, and the inquest the day after, they didn¡¯t have time to waste. However, since it was barely afternoon, that also meant they had a long day ahead of them.


    Even in another world, Ailn was feeling the 2PM slump.


    <hr><hr>


    ***


    Cairn¡¯s office was less orderly than you¡¯d expect. It certainly wasn¡¯t a pigsty, but its stone shelves clearly weren¡¯t organized. Plants, scrolls, and apothecary jars lived together in happy disharmony, while the blots of ink all over the unfurled parchment on his desk revealed his sloppy handwriting.


    ¡°There¡¯s a doctor¡¯s signature if I ever saw one,¡± Ailn whistled, extending a hand to Cairn.


    ¡°Can it,¡± Cairn said, reciprocating the handshake. ¡°Doctors have messy signatures because they keep busy.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t say it was a bad thing. I¡¯d say it¡¯s proof you¡¯re the genuine article,¡± Ailn shrugged. His brow furrowed. ¡°So you change that death report to an injury report yet?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Cairn sighed, taking a seat behind his desk. ¡°Took me forever because I¡¯m not used to¡­ well, lying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for a¡­ physician to have a hard time distorting the truth,¡± Kylian said. He paused to think about it himself.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d be more worried if you were good at ¡®creative¡¯ work,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Speaking of my injuries¡ªyou know, we learned something interesting, Cairn. Those burn marks on my neck were probably from holy power.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Cairn looked up.


    Ailn shrugged amiably, as if he was talking about the weather.


    ¡°I had Kylian take a big holy swing at one of those training posts in the yard. Took out a chunk of it,¡± Ailn said. ¡°...Wasn¡¯t nearly enough aura to take out a shed, though.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying one of the knights did it?¡± Cairn spoke quietly. He seemed genuinely shocked. ¡°Or¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m saying, Cairn. Especially since so many people with holy aura were all held up at the bestowal ceremony,¡± Ailn walked up to Cairn¡¯s desk. ¡°That said, I¡¯ve got some questions for you. I need you to help me with my amnesia, and a few of these questions might get awkward.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Cairn looked at Ailn testily. ¡°I¡¯ll happily answer anything you ask. What kind of awkward?¡±


    Cairn leaned back in his chair, turning his palms upward¡ªalmost like he was showing there was nothing to hide.


    But Ailn wasn¡¯t focused on Cairn himself. He pulled a number of sheets of rolled up parchment out of a scroll case attached to his belt.


    ¡°The scandalous kind,¡± Ailn said, dropping the stack of parchment onto the desk in front of him. The way he loomed over Cairn almost made it look like an interrogation.


    ¡°Did you¡­ rip that out of a book?!¡± Kylian glared at Ailn.


    ¡°Sometimes you need to shove proof in someone¡¯s face to corner them, Kylian,¡± Ailn turned his head toward Cairn, almost looking apologetic. Almost. ¡°Cairn, I need to know about Sophie.¡±


    ¡°About Sophie?¡± Cairn made a face.


    A little confused, but mostly annoyed, he glanced at the document on top of the stack, his movements slowly stilling as he realized what it was. A birth document.


    ¡°Looks like you get it,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I need to know who Sophie¡¯s parents are.¡±


    Cairn¡¯s expression grew dark. He tried to restrain it, to keep a calm facade, but the effort was clear; he wasn¡¯t one for masking his emotions.


    ¡°How should I know?¡± Cairn asked, averting his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s probably a war orphan.¡±


    Cairn tentatively grabbed the stack of parchment, bringing the second sheet to the front. His expression got even worse.


    ¡°You can play dumb Cairn, but this record of delivery shows she was delivered by the head assistant to the court physician.¡± Ailn pointed at the second sheet of parchment Cairn was now reading. ¡°And according to this ducal warrant¡­ that would have been you.¡±


    Cairn shuffled uneasily behind his own desk. He set the stack of parchment down. Evidently, he didn¡¯t want to see anymore.


    ¡°I think I remember her now. Yes¡ªher mother was a vagrant, who left shortly after her birth,¡± Cairn said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s no record of her parents. It happens all the time.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me she was just Moses in a basket of reeds? Why would the eum-Creids take her in as a lady-in-waiting, and put her on the easy path to being granted nobility?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. The Saintess was a merciful woman. Is it so strange for a noble family to take her in? Sometimes children of similar age are adopted to become siblings and playmates¡ª¡± Cairn pointed at Ailn, some confidence returning,¡°¡ªeven if they came floating down the riverbank. Just look at how close she is with Lady Renea!¡±


    Kylian¡¯s eyebrow raised in seeming puzzlement, while Ailn simply shook his head.


    ¡°Sophie¡¯s older than Renea, Cairn. By more than a year. Here¡¯s the real suspicious thing, though.¡± Ailn pulled out the last sheet from under the stack, and laid it back on top of the desk: an aged herald¡¯s proclamation. ¡°This is a herald¡¯s call for jubilation at the recovery of the Saintess Celine. She¡¯d suffered from a long illness that lasted about five months.¡±


    He slowly pointed from one date on Sophie¡¯s record of delivery, to the date of the proclamation.


    ¡°Celine¡¯s illness ended¡­ two days after Sophie¡¯s birth,¡± Ailn said. ¡°It¡¯s a hell of a coincidence, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Cairn¡¯s face flushed, while Kylian¡¯s grew even paler. It seemed like every page Ailn threw on the desk threatened to give the knight a heart attack.


    One hand to his forehead and deep in thought, Cairn stared at the proclamation for a long while before replying.


    ¡°Is there something you have against your family, Your Grace? I really don¡¯t understand.¡± Cairn looked genuinely confused, if a little appalled. He gave a weary glance toward Kylian, a knight now unwittingly privy to the matters of the master. ¡°Why ask me? Why ask here, right in front of Sir Kylian?¡±


    Ailn seemed to think this one over, closing his eyes and crossing his arms.


    ¡°...He was going to need to know, anyway,¡± Ailn said, finally. He opened his eyes. ¡°I told you this would be awkward.¡±


    Cairn let out a deep and anxious sigh, before holding his face in his hands. ¡°Talk to your family if you really want to know more. You''re putting me in a difficult position, Your Grace!¡±


    Kylian held his breath. But Ailn simply nodded.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Ailn threw his hands up in the air. ¡°I¡¯ll quit bothering you, Cairn. You¡¯re a tough nut to crack. Just remember the inquest is two days from now, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need to testify.¡±


    Ailn gave a wave as the two turned to leave. ¡°We¡¯ll be back if we need you.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, you¡­ weren¡¯t exactly being subtle,¡± Kylian said, his eyes troubled. ¡°If someone heard your accusation¡ªeven if she''s your own mother¡ª¡±


    ¡°What can I say? Subtlety¡¯s not my forte,¡± Ailn shrugged.


    With that, the two started to walk out. All the while, Kylian kept looking from Ailn to Cairn and back, consternation on his face. Just before they crossed the threshold, however, Ailn stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Cairn¡­ just one more thing,¡± Ailn tapped his forehead. He gave Kylian a subtle look. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you in a sec.¡±


    ¡°...Of course. Then I shall go on ahead and seek out Sir Reynard.¡± Kylian, seemingly catching onto the meaning in Ailn¡¯s look, sighed and left the room.


    Once the knight was gone, Cairn felt an inexplicable dread in his stomach as he watched Ailn slowly approach. What did the young noble want now?


    ¡°So, Cairn,¡± Ailn said, looming over him. ¡°How long have you been in that body?¡±

 Chapter 10: A Physician’s Butterfly Dream

    Cairn blinked¡ªconfused for a moment¡ªbefore the implication really hit him. Then his eyes widened and his face began to flush.


    ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Cairn¡¯s eyes cast downward at his desk, and his voice quieted down to a mumble. ¡°In this body?¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m asking, Cairn. Reincarnation. When did you reincarnate into that body?¡± Ailn clarified his question.


    Cairn reflexively picked up his quill as if he suddenly had something interesting to write, and started inking loops and blots onto what was probably expensive parchment. Ailn stayed silent, and the tension hung between them.


    It was strange. Being put on the spot like this made Cairn feel like a young man again.


    Forty-seven years. That¡¯s how long he¡¯d lived in this body. At this point, it was his past life that felt like a distant dream. He was a young man when he¡¯d died back then, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he suffered from arrested development as a result.


    Once upon a time he worked the cash register. He stocked shelves, bagged up groceries, and took whatever abuse customers threw at him when they had a bad day. Then he took the lectures from his managers too.


    In that life, his parents never looked his way. They weren¡¯t bad to him, but they didn¡¯t have any particular love for him. He had too many siblings, and he wasn¡¯t one of the ones that stood out.


    Don¡¯t bother. You¡¯re not one of the talented ones. Just work hard and keep your head down. They never said it out loud, but their attitude said it all.


    One of the only clear memories he had from his past life was his father¡¯s disgruntlement, and his mother¡¯s worried face. He¡¯d mentioned he might save up so he could afford schooling.


    ¡®Is that really such a wise choice?¡¯


    ¡®You could be using that time to earn money.¡¯


    ¡®Why waste your time? I won¡¯t stop you, but you¡¯ll give up on it, anyway.¡¯


    And he did give up on it. After a few weeks of stressed, indignant anger, putting in the extra time at work to show just how determined he was¡ªhe got sick from overworking. Wasting away in bed, the righteous storm of anger vanished, and so did the wind in his sails.


    It was futile, just like they said. And he never brought it up again.


    But in this world he was considered smart. He was born with the mental acuity of an adult after all. So he came in exceptionally bright, fast to speak, fast to write, and his new parents never hesitated to tell him how special he was. They held the highest hopes for him, and Cairn always contended with the ¡®lie¡¯ of his own intelligence.


    No matter that he met their expectations, he still felt like an impostor. He worked harder because of it, but that only continued to convince him that deep down he wasn¡¯t very bright at all.


    He was thrilled when he entered as an apprentice to the court physician. It was the first time he felt that he could validate his parents¡¯ unyielding belief in him. And once he saw his path in this world, one that could be paved purely with sincerity and hard work, he committed to it.


    The reward for his hard work was respect he¡¯d never earned in his original world. But he always knew it was built on a foundation of the love his parents gave him unconditionally.


    Now, just like Zhuangzi once dreamed that he was a butterfly, Cairn felt like he might wake any moment. From one dream into the next, a physician with a distant memory of being a cashier¡ªafraid that he was a cashier living one long, absurd fantasy that he was a physician.


    It was like Ailn¡¯s question might pull him out of the dream.


    ¡°... Who are you?¡± Cairn asked finally, without looking up. ¡°You¡¯re like me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a reincarnator, yes,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Yesterday, when Ailn eum-Creid was attacked¡ªthe real Ailn must have died,¡± Cairn¡¯s brows narrowed in realization. ¡°You¡¯ve only been in that body since yesterday. And that¡¯s why you came back to life¡­¡±


    ¡°Does it ever happen any other way?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I was born in this body,¡± Cairn replied. ¡°And I¡¯ve lived to be a middle aged man, with an esteemed court position and everything. What gave it away?¡±


    ¡°Come on, ¡®doc.¡¯ There were tons of little tells. No one else here even knows what a handshake is,¡± Ailn turned over his hand, emphasizing the web of his palm. ¡°But I knew for sure when you filled in details about Moses yourself. I never said anything about a riverbank.¡±


    ¡°...Seriously?¡± Cairn cursed under his breath, then looked up at Ailn. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal? Were you just feeling so lonely you had to expose me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve got an important mission and I¡¯m not out to get you. What¡¯re you so worried about? There an issue with being found out?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°A huge issue.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a taboo here in the empire,¡± Cairn said. ¡°The devils from another world. The devils with the flashing red eyes. Most people nowadays treat it as nonsense¡ªbut men have been put to death for it before.¡±


    ¡°Flashing red eyes¡­¡± Ailn spoke softly to himself. ¡°Like ruby eyes?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ve heard something like that, sure,¡± Cairn replied, seeming struck by it. ¡°A long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Can you control your eyes? Do they ever come out when you don¡¯t want them to?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°As a kid they sometimes came out, yeah.¡± Cairn leaned back in his wooden chair like it was a rocker, spinning his quill around his finger. ¡°My dad always told me to hide them. My mom, bless her, used to bend over backwards trying to cover for me when I slipped up. Say some smoke got into my eye, things like that.¡±


    ¡°No one ever tried to get you in trouble?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°They were good people of the duchy who did their jobs. My mom was a scribe. Dad was a knight. Modesty kept them from having any real enemies,¡± Cairn said. ¡°Even if some of their friends looked at me funny, so long as I learned to control my eyes they never had proof.¡±


    Maybe that¡¯s why he cared about this world more than the last, despite its dire circumstances. Cairn stared up at the ceiling wistfully, almost tipping backward completely in his chair before righting himself. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    His parents were always on his side. What more could you ask for? It was one thing that they always treated him as a child sent from heaven, brilliant and meant for greatness. But they never wavered, even when they saw his eyes.


    It couldn¡¯t have been easy, given how devout they were. By cultural taboo, all of Cairn¡¯s seeming talent might¡¯ve been seen as tricks of the devil. How fast he learned, the way he talked beyond his years¡ªseeming to know things from a world they¡¯d never heard of¡ªand the way his eyes flashed red when he grew emotional¡­ It wouldn¡¯t have been strange to be scared by all these things.


    But they insisted. He was gifted, not cursed, and his eyes were no exception, even if circumstances forced Cairn to hide them. His mother had always called them ¡®beautiful, splendid rubies.¡¯ He¡¯d always just thought of it as the type of silly, loving thing a mother would say.


    Yet here was Ailn, calling them the same thing: ruby eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got good news for you, Cairn. What if I told you that you¡¯d never have to worry about your eyes being discovered again?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say you were full of it,¡± Cairn squinted with more than a little doubt. ¡°Even now, I¡¯ve got to watch myself.¡±


    ¡°I can take your ruby eyes away. In fact, I need to take your ruby eyes away,¡± Ailn pointed at Cairn¡¯s eyes, which made him pull back a bit.


    ¡°Why?¡± Cairn asked, his squint getting even narrower. Anything that had to do with his eyes made him suspicious. Especially if someone had something positive to say about them.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was for the sake of this world?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Maybe. Probably not,¡± Cairn said.


    ¡°Look.¡± Ailn closed his eyes.


    And when he opened them again, they flashed emerald. Cairn had never seen anything like them¡ªnot even his own eyes glittered that brightly.


    He understood, then, what ruby eyes really meant. His own eyes had a soft glint when they could be seen; as a consequence, they looked like they were flashing. But Ailn¡¯s eyes truly looked like emeralds¡ªit almost felt like you could carve into his irises and pull them out as actual gems.


    Cairn wondered if somewhere out there, someone had eyes like his own yet just as resplendent as Ailn¡¯s¡ªeyes that shone with such luster they looked as if they were actual rubies.


    ¡°You¡­ can really take them away?¡± Cairn asked. He felt hesitant.


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Do you need them?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    By the situation alone, Cairn had no real reason to trust Ailn. But something in those emerald eyes was convincing, as if they were imbued with a message of divinity. And perhaps some small part of him remembered his mother, who always believed in his own ruby eyes.


    Which made it quite bittersweet, actually.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cairn said. ¡°I believe you. What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°Just look me in the eye,¡± Ailn said.


    The two made eye contact, and Cairn¡¯s jeweled eyes seemed to manifest in response to Ailn¡¯s.


    Half a second later, a small red flash passed from Cairn¡¯s to Ailn¡¯s eyes¡ªbut only Ailn saw the flash.


    Cairn, for his part, felt a sudden chill. It was like he took a gulp of ice cold water. And for the first time in his life, Cairn could no longer manifest his ruby eyes. He felt exhausted.


    ¡°I should be grateful.¡± Cairn closed his eyes, apologizing in his mind to his mother. Then he opened them again. ¡°Thank you. I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Having regrets?¡± Ailn asked. With a blink, his eyes turned back to their normal blue.


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    Cairn noticed Ailn wincing and fiddling with his sleeve, as if he was looking for a watch that wasn¡¯t there. Now that they could speak frankly, he was curious about something.


    ¡°Were you asking about Sophie just to throw me off?¡± Cairn asked.


    ¡°Half and half,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a mission, and then I¡¯ve got the problem right in front of me. That is, someone killed this body and I need to figure out who. Bastard child looking for revenge is as good a reason as any, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You think she did it?¡± Cairn asked, surprised. ¡°But how¡ª¡±


    He stopped mid-sentence, as the implications of their prior conversation suddenly hit him.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s plausible someone in her position would be resentful, at least.¡± Ailn gestured to his own face before walking over to one of the stone shelves and absentmindedly picked up a potted plant. ¡°But the real question is: did she inherit holy aura?¡±


    Ailn gave Cairn a questioning glance.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Cairn said, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s not the type of thing you can detect.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s no way to know unless they use it?¡± Ailn said, arching an eyebrow.


    ¡°At least as far as I know,¡± Cairn shrugged. ¡°Besides, why would she kill you instead of Renea or Sigurd?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense to me, either. But she may have been the only one in any position to kill Ailn¡ªshe¡¯s the maid that found the body,¡± ¡®Ailn¡¯ said.


    ¡°Really, now¡­ ¡± Cairn¡¯s expression clouded over. ¡°I suppose that does make her rather suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Cairn, how many people knew about Celine¡¯s infidelity?¡± Ailn asked.


    Cairn stiffened in response. Even though the secret was known between the two of them, it was one he hated to acknowledge out loud. Not simply because it was such a terrible scandal, but because he¡¯d admired the late Saintess.


    Speaking of her like this after her death was painful.


    ¡°Almost no one,¡± Cairn said. ¡°The core family, and anyone who tended to Celine¡¯s health.¡±


    ¡°The knights weren¡¯t suspicious?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°A girl appears from nowhere and sleeps in the family chambers?¡±


    ¡°Sophie slept with the servants until after Lady Renea was born,¡± Cairn replied. ¡°Then, people assumed she was taken in as a playmate¡ªlike I said earlier.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the father?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No idea. You think I¡¯d go asking around? That¡¯s crazy. I doubt even Ennieux knows,¡± Cairn said.


    Ailn raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Not even her sister, huh?¡± Ailn said, in a somewhat skeptical tone.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t close,¡± Cairn said. ¡°Celine was a wonderful Saintess, and kind to everyone in the duchy. But she always seemed a little aloof around her family.¡±


    ¡°What about her husband?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Henry was a nice guy,¡± Cairn said, blinking a few times at the memory. ¡°But he was a kept man. I¡¯m sure he was upset. I doubt he could have done anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Did they have a good relationship, otherwise?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No. Not really,¡± Cairn admitted. ¡°Her marriage to Henry was political¡ªhis family owns the orichalcum mines out west. But I don¡¯t know if she could respect a man who wasn¡¯t risking his life to protect the duchy like her. Every time I saw the two of them together, the only word that came to mind was ¡®polite.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Mind if I ask you how they died?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...Henry died of what I¡¯m guessing was a stroke or heart attack,¡± Cairn said. ¡°It was a sudden death, the kind that would¡¯ve been beyond the understanding of this world¡¯s medical science.¡±


    ¡°And Celine?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Celine¡­ died in an attack while riding a carriage to the capital,¡± Cairn said, uncomfortably. ¡°The knights keep pretty mum about it, honestly. You¡¯d be better off asking Kylian.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ailn said, placing the plant back on the shelf and walking over to Cairn¡¯s desk. ¡°I appreciate your cooperation Cairn. And if you keep one more secret for me, I¡¯ll make sure to keep yours.¡±


    Ailn took out a final leaf of parchment and placed it on Cairn¡¯s desk.


    ¡°¡®Amidst the terrible cold and loneliness, it was half a stock of midnight oak, that found its way to light her hearth that ni¡ª¡¯ Uh, what is this?¡± Cairn looked up at Ailn dubiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s from chapter three of Winter is Coming,¡± Ailn winced. ¡°I accidentally ripped it out when I took all those other pages. Kylian¡¯s gonna have a heart attack if he realizes I ruined Ennieux¡¯s favorite book.¡±


    Cairn blanched, noticing the well-wrinkled fold at the corner of the page. Ailn was already on his way out of his office when he called back.


    ¡°You keep my secret and I¡¯ll keep yours.¡±


    ¡°Mine¡¯s not even a problem anymore, dammit,¡± Cairn said, unconsciously rubbing at his eye ¡°Don¡¯t get me caught up in anything.¡±


    Ailn said nothing, leaving the room with a backward wave of his hand.


    With the room empty, and his ruby eyes taken, Cairn felt in the silence the melancholy that had already been present. He thought of his parents again, and decided to go visit them. He¡¯d have to get them something nice.

 Chapter 11: ‘Round the Bailey

    As he made his way to the southeast arc of the bailey, Kylian wondered if he should have given Ailn directions.


    Essentially, the castle was structured like this: the central keep was surrounded by a circular and enclosing lawn of grass called the bailey. Ancillary structures such as the forge or the barracks were then built into outer walls which surrounded the bailey.


    The simplest way to traverse the bailey was simply to go in a circle.


    Sir Reynard had been posted as a guard for the abbey, which was built as a complex extending from the southeast wall. Essentially, if the castle were a clock, then the abbey¡¯s corner was a square plaza which jutted out from 5 o¡¯clock.


    The courtyard where Ailn had been attacked was in the northeast of the bailey. Reynard would¡¯ve been a reasonably short distance from him.


    Sir Tristan had heard the blasting noises from the mess hall located in the northwest of the bailey. Essentially, he was at 10 o¡¯clock.


    But Kylian knew the castle well, and took a shortcut. He needed to get from one end of the bailey to the other, so he simply cut through the center of the circle: the keep.


    Unfortunately, many of the castle¡¯s corridors were nigh indistinguishable from each other, unless you knew them intimately. Thus, even knights who¡¯d lived in the castle for years often found themselves on the wrong end of the bailey when they¡¯d tried to save time by cutting through the keep.


    Ailn would probably get lost.


    Kylian decided to take his time then, and slow the pace of his walk. It was always good to take a breather when you could.


    He nodded at knights or servants passing by on his way through the keep. Often, they were too engaged in their own whispering to even notice him, and Kylian found himself wondering if he¡¯d been naive not to keep better tabs on court gossip.


    He¡¯d always seen it as foolish and unproductive¡ªwhich it was, most of the time. But he couldn¡¯t help but feel chagrined that apparently every knight and servant in the castle had heard of Ailn and Sophie¡¯s meetings¡ªexcept for himself.


    ¡°It would make a world of difference if I could¡¯ve confirmed it with my own eyes,¡± Kylian muttered to himself.


    The nature of Ailn and Sophie¡¯s relationship was a terrible puzzle to him. It had already been scandalous. Now it seemed it could be the dirty heart of the whole matter.


    Logistically, Sophie was the most likely suspect. If that was the only factor to consider, he had a difficult time seeing how it could be anyone but her.


    And while he didn¡¯t yet know enough to discern her potential motives, his experience as a peacekeeper had taught him that it was often the secret ties between people that led to crimes like murder.


    It left a queasy feeling in Kylian. Was it simply moral repulsion? Or was it his intuition trying to guide him?


    He certainly found the mental image unpleasant. He imagined a young girl in a maid¡¯s kirtle striking down her brother, holy aura radiating from her hand while he took the blow helplessly.


    Somehow, the notion of fratricide had been easier to stomach when he¡¯d imagined Sigurd was the ultimate culprit. He was always a frighteningly cold person, and if he had a knight kill on his behalf¡ªwell, irrational as it was, that made the heinousness seem even more distant.


    Kylian shook his head of useless thoughts. He could see Sir Reynard up ahead. With luck, he could help Kylian find a clearer view of the matter.


    Sir Reynard was the knight who¡¯d been stationed closest to the courtyard on the day of the attack. In fact, he was almost always stationed here in the eastern bailey.


    He was an exceptional knight, and a powerful user of holy aura who¡¯d only been relegated to guard duty after injury at the north wall.


    Still strong, but with a leg that made it difficult for him to run, most everyone in the Order agreed that leaving him on the battlefield would be uselessly sending a good man to die.


    And at any rate, a castle needed its guards.


    ¡°Sir Kylian!¡± Reynard was already calling out to him by the time he came into view. ¡°Caught word from Aldous you wanted to speak to me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kylian gave a polite nod once he was in proximity. ¡°I have a few questions about the prior night¡¯s attack.¡±


    ¡°Got something to ask about the shadow beasts?¡± Reynard asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first of my priorities,¡± Kylian said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m investigating the attack on the young master Ailn, in the courtyard. I need to know what you witnessed.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Reynard drooped a bit and scratched his ear. ¡°I¡¯m plenty happy to help as much as I can, Sir Kylian. But I¡¯m ¡®afraid I won¡¯t be as useful to you as you¡¯re hopin¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Kylian asked, frowning.


    ¡°I¡¯m always here by the eastern part of the bailey, but you know¡ªwhen the attack happened I was actually nearer the south gate,¡± Reynard said. ¡°If you¡¯ll remember, it was a cold night.¡±


    ¡°I remember that being the case, yes.¡± Kylian tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s the relation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m often called out of my post to help de-ice the gatehouse. Not too many guards in the castle, unfortunately, and I¡¯ve been helping them on the regular those kinds of nights,¡± Reynard said. He looked rather sad. ¡°Hence, by the terrible luck of it, His Grace was attacked right under my nose.¡±


    Reynard was a good man. Kylian already knew that, but nonetheless he found himself surprised by Reynard¡¯s earnest regret. None of the other knights had any heaviness of heart regarding the attack on Ailn¡ªneither concern for his well-being, nor remorse over their failed duties.


    Still, it was unfortunate. If he¡¯d been more auspiciously positioned, perhaps they could have sealed the case right then and there. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Sir Tristan tells me he heard blasting noises, when he was attacked by shadow beasts,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Did you hear those as well?¡±


    ¡°Blasting noises? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Reynard¡¯s pupils moved to the corners of his lids, as he thought. ¡°Could be that I just didn¡¯t notice, seein¡¯ as I was held up by beasts.¡±


    It made some sense. The south gate was a great deal further from the courtyard than the kitchen. But he was a bit surprised to hear Reynard had engaged the shadow beasts himself.


    ¡°You saw the shadow beasts?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°While you were at the south gate? I¡¯d heard the gatekeepers all claimed they hadn¡¯t seen the shadow beasts come in through the gates.¡±


    ¡°These ones didn¡¯t,¡± Reynard said with a shake of his head. ¡°I came runnin¡¯ into the bailey when I caught sight of ¡®em, from up on the ramparts. Couple of other guards and I killed about four of ¡®em.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you de-icing?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I was gettin¡¯ all the ice around the cap of the gate,¡± Reynard said, pantomiming a downward prodding motion. ¡°We poke at it with a long spear.¡±


    ¡°So, they really did seem to come from nowhere¡­¡± Kylian mumbled. He tried to make sense of it.


    Of course, the sudden appearance of the shadow beasts in the bailey was always the attack¡¯s biggest mystery.


    But where they¡¯d actually attacked was also strange. There was the mess hall, near the north end, where Sir Tristan had seen three of them. There were a few Lady Ennieux had seen near the Great Hall, at the west end of the keep.


    And now, Kylian learned that Sir Reynard had engaged with four of them around the southwest arc of the bailey.


    ¡°Anythin¡¯ else you needed to know, Sir Kylian?¡± Reynard looked eager to help where he could.


    Kylian thought for a moment. Certainly, he might as well learn as much as he could while waiting for Ailn, but¡­


    ¡°I do have another topic of inquiry,¡± Kylian said, averting his eyes. ¡°For that, I believe we should wait for His Grace.¡±


    <hr>


    It would¡¯ve been wise to set an actual meeting spot with Kylian¡ªor at least ask him where to find Reynard.


    Making his way out of the keep was more difficult than Ailn expected. He supposed this was the origin of the word labyrinthine: winding nondescript staircases, and endless nondescript corridors. He¡¯d think he was on one floor when he was actually on another. He¡¯d brute force it by going in a single direction, only to realize at some point he¡¯d been turned around.


    Maybe the original Ailn left the family castle because it was too damn complicated.


    Not to mention half the castle was annoyingly dark. He knew the popular image of torches lighting the keep¡¯s every hallway was unrealistic, for fear of fire. But actually walking through a castle with few windows and no lighting was miserable¡ªit was cold too.


    Just as Ailn turned the corner, he caught sight of a young teenaged boy. A squire, most likely, given his clothing. His clothes weren¡¯t much different from Ailn¡¯s, except his azure hood covered his face.


    The boy stared rather enigmatically at him, but Ailn would have none of it.


    ¡°Are you allowed to come down like this?¡± Ailn asked.


    The boy flinched and let down his hood.


    ¡°You could tell it was me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You know, half of what I do is use common sense,¡± Ailn frowned. ¡° What do you imagine you look like when you stand still in the middle of a hallway and stare? For your sake, I hope you don¡¯t think it looks natural.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like anyone down here would ever recognize me anymore,¡± the boy said with a chagrined smile. ¡°I just wanted to congratulate you on your first job well done.¡±


    He snapped his fingers and a red light appeared, floating out of Ailn¡¯s eyes. Slowly, the light wisped its way to the young god¡¯s open palm and hovered over it.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised it was as easy as it was. Now that I¡¯ve got the ruby for you, how many jewels are left?¡±


    ¡°Er, you think you¡¯ve got the ruby?¡± The boy averted his eyes.


    ¡°What other red jewels are there? You¡¯re not about to tell me I¡¯m hunting for every obscure precious stone out there are you?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s six jewels holding the world soul in total, but this isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He trailed off. Seeing the irritated look starting in Ailn¡¯s eyes, the young god looked around anxiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small shard of the larger jewel,¡± the boy continued, closing his palm and opened it again, revealing a small red shard. ¡°You¡¯ve got a long way to go before finishing the jewel.¡±


    Looking at the miniscule size of the shard, Ailn grunted in frustration and held his face in frustration. ¡°So this job is about a hundred times bigger than you pretended it was.¡±


    ¡°I-I told you from the start.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I don¡¯t remember how you said it, but I¡¯m sure whatever you said was misleading.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a great start, though!¡± the boy said, trying to sound chipper. ¡°I knew you were right for the job. You move fast, which is exactly what I needed.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Er, well, you know¡­ efficiency¡¯s good,¡± the young god poked his index fingers together. ¡°Isn¡¯t the best kind of hire the kind you don¡¯t need to babysit?¡±


    ¡°And isn¡¯t the worst kind of employer the kind who lies and doesn¡¯t tell you what you need to know?¡± Ailn fiddled with his wrist. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told me that everyone here hates reincarnators?¡±


    The young god laughed nervously in response.


    ¡°What were you gonna do if I went and told someone, then got hung right away?¡± Ailn went on.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, who does that?¡± the young god asked. ¡°The whole reason I hired you is because no one acts that obvious.¡±


    ¡°I need to know more about what I¡¯m actually doing. Why¡¯s the taboo exist? Do the jewels do anything? What¡¯s it mean that I¡¯ve got emerald eyes and that guy¡¯s got ruby?¡± Ailn gestured irritatedly with his hands while pelting the young god with questions.


    ¡°All in due time,¡± the young god held his hands up, then motioned to the castle corridor they were in. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time or place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. That would have been while we were floating in the void with all the time in the world.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Ailn¡ªcan I call you Ailn now?¡ªI hear your concerns. Just know that my hands are tied. I¡¯ll let you in on this much.¡± The ruby shard floating above the young god¡¯s palm spun around with a twinkle. ¡°The jewels¡­ all hold different parts of the world soul. And someone who holds a fragment can call upon that facet of the world¡¯s existence.¡±


    ¡°Okay. What facet is the emerald?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Union.¡¯ It¡¯s what binds disparate things together and makes them greater than the sum of their parts. But for our purposes, it¡¯s what lets you take jewel shards from others without harming them.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the ruby?¡±


    ¡°The ruby is ¡®Psyche.¡¯ It¡¯s the aspect of the world that allows consciousness, and it underlies all thinking, feeling, and experiencing¡ªand calling upon it lets you coax others¡¯ thoughts and feelings to your will.¡°


    ¡°So, Cairn was¡­¡± Ailn stopped, confused.


    Had Cairn been mind controlling people? He didn¡¯t seem like a quack hoisted to his position by popularity.


    ¡°The shard you got from Cairn is about as small as it gets,¡± the young god said, pinching it between his thumb and index. ¡°Even if he was ever unconsciously manifesting it, at most it would have made him slightly more charismatic¡ªthings like people finding him more interesting, or finding his jokes funnier than they really are.¡±


    ¡°A typical halo effect, then.¡±


    ¡°Right. It wouldn¡¯t be any different than if he were a little more handsome.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I think I¡¯ve got it.¡± Ailn crossed his arms and tapped his finger thoughtfully. ¡°Then are you gonna tell me about the rest of the jewels?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± the young god avoided Ailn¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your chief concern right now is the ruby. In fact, I¡¯d like you to focus your efforts on unifying the ruby.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is there something particularly urgent about finding the ruby?¡± Ailn asked, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°The entire situation demands urgency. Because¡­ you¡¯re not the only one looking for the jewels,¡± the boy admitted. ¡°And someone is trying to bring together all the ruby shards in the empire.¡±

 Chapter 12: Courtyard Rumors

    Kylian had been interviewing Sir Reynard for a while before Ailn found them, and he made sure to catch him up to speed.


    ¡°Sir Reynard, is it?¡± Ailn asked, reaching his hand out toward the knight.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Reynard tried to kneel, but Ailn waved dismissively, before extending his hand again.


    Reynard looked at his own hand with confusion, but after a long while reached it out in reply. With a friendly smile, Ailn took it and completed the handshake¡ªeven if Reynard¡¯s participation was a bit limp-wristed.


    ¡°I heard from Sir Aldous you were wanting to speak to me, except I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve got anything useful for you,¡± he said. ¡°I hope I do, though. I¡¯m ashamed I was right useless as a guard.¡±


    He had a grim expression that struck Kylian as honest. Of all the knights, Reynard was the first one who seemed to care.


    Was it simply because, as the nearest guard to the courtyard, he could be singled out as the most responsible in failing to protect Ailn? It was a possibility. But in Kylian¡¯s eyes, he simply had a sincere nature.


    This was how he¡¯d always known Reynard, even if their paths hadn¡¯t often crossed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be everywhere at once, Reynard,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You were where you were stationed. That¡¯s all you can really ask of a guard.¡±


    The problem was that the castle had a thinly spread guard detail which reflected its mostly vestigial nature. There was a time long ago when it would have protected against conventional armies: archers, men-at-arms, and so forth.


    Now that the empire was unified, the duchy had only shadow beasts to fear. And shadow beasts had never before last night¡¯s attack actually reached the castle. There would surely be a re-evaluation of the wisdom in keeping the castle so sparsely protected, but even Ailn¡¯s near-death had yet to spark any real sense of urgency.


    ¡°But since you were here, we¡¯re curious to know what you saw and when you saw it.¡± Ailn gestured around the bailey. ¡°So, you saw the shadow beasts yourself, then? Can you tell us a little bit about them? What they looked like, how fearsome they were?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Reynard¡¯s eyes looked up and to the left as he remembered. ¡°I saw three of them. I was the only one there, and managed to hold them off until help arrived. Killed one of them, myself.¡±


    ¡°For someone who held his own against three of them, you sound pretty calm. Calmer than Sir Tristan, at least.¡±


    ¡°When I realized those awful things were in the castle¡­ well, I felt moved by duty,¡± Reynard said. ¡°Sinful things like them shouldn¡¯t be here in a holy place like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard they were wolf types,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Do you corroborate that?¡±


    ¡°Wolf types?¡± Ailn asked, curious himself.


    ¡°Shadow beasts come in many different forms, and we have certainly not seen them all,¡± Kylian said. ¡°But shadow beasts akin to wolves are not uncommon.¡±


    ¡°They seemed like wolves, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Reynard frowned. ¡°They were terrible things¡­ but they were smaller than the ones I saw while guarding the wall.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Tell me Reynard, would you say you have a strong holy aura?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Stronger than most,¡± Reynard said, standing taller. ¡°One of the strongest that doesn¡¯t belong to an officer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a comforting thing to hear,¡± Ailn said, glancing at Kylian. Kylian nodded in assent. ¡°This may be a bit brash, but can I take a look at your sword?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, Your Grace.¡± Reynard didn¡¯t so much as question the request, and unsheathed his sword happily. ¡°It cost me a pretty penny, you know. Half a year¡¯s salary for this thing!¡±


    ¡°What an excellent blade,¡± Ailn said. He wouldn¡¯t really have any way of knowing, but he nonetheless put on the show of gazing in admiration. ¡°You¡¯ve got ¡®REIN¡¯ inscribed here near the hilt. Smart way to keep another knight from claiming your sword.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it certainly is, Your Grace,¡± Reynard said with a righteous look. ¡°The worst cheats in the entire duchy live in that damn barracks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a prudent thing to do,¡± Kylian agreed, making a point of showing Ailn the ¡®KYL¡¯ inscribed at the base of his own blade.


    Now that he considered it, the missing material from the shattered sword blade could have been someone trying to hide their name.


    Before he gave the sword back, Ailn took it by its hilt and raised it ever so slightly. With a smoothness that seemed almost genteel, he presented it back to Reynard with a warm smile, palm overturned like a king entrusting a treasure to his most loyal knight.


    Kylian was not impressed with this bit of theater, but Reynard certainly was. He received his sword gracefully, as if he hadn¡¯t given it for inspection in the first place.


    ¡°Reynard, perhaps you¡¯ve heard this,¡± Ailn talked softly, even conspiratorially.  ¡°But I¡¯ve lost my memory. I¡¯ve heard that I was not always an upright man. I desire your honesty most of all.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Grace,¡± Reynard said, face solemn, eyes unwavering.


    ¡°I want to amend my ways. But how can a man truly make amends if he remembers not his sins?¡± Ailn asked.


    Reynard nodded, now his confidante in the path to holiness.


    ¡°Now, as many people have attested¡ªI was apparently meeting my sister¡¯s maid, Sophie,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been witness myself, yes,¡± Reynard said. ¡°I didn¡¯t always see you, but I reckon you two were always meeting on the days of the bestowal ceremony. Must be the only time Sophie has a chance to spread her wings from Lady Renea, them being so attached and all.¡±


    ¡°Did you see us together on the day of the attack?¡± Ailn asked.


    Reynard paused.


    ¡°I saw her with you after. With your, er, unconscious body Your Grace. I think she must¡¯ve thought you were dead¡­ well, being truthful about it we all did,¡± Reynard said, sounding quite sad about it. ¡°She was the one screamin¡¯ for help, so I saw you first. But¡­¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°She was real out of it,¡± Reynard¡¯s words slowed, and he took on a lingering cadence as he recalled Sophie¡¯s reaction to Ailn¡¯s body. His eyes were softly sorrowful, as if he could still see her now. ¡°Completely mournful, eyes glued to the ground, and well, to you lying there on the ground. I had a hard time talking to her.¡±


    ¡°Did any of the other knights talk to her?¡±


    Reynard shook his head.


    ¡°I felt terrible just leaving her there with you, but she wouldn¡¯t budge,¡± Reynard said. ¡°When I ran to grab another guard, and told her I¡¯d be back, well, she must¡¯ve taken off ¡®cause I didn¡¯t see her back there.¡±


    ¡°Did you see the two of us together before I was attacked?¡±


    ¡°Not directly, no, on account of me helping out with the gate¡¯s de-icing since it was such a cool and humid night. But I did see both of you. A fair span of time before the ceremony, I was out here in the bailey when I saw Miss Sophie heading toward the courtyard¡ªholding a lantern, now that I recollect it.¡±


    ¡°A lantern? Was it already dark?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ it was still a couple hours or more from sunset. It was a mite odd, I suppose. But I could see her as just being the careful type.¡±


    ¡°And did you see me pass through the bailey?¡±


    ¡°I saw you pass through the gate, to be particular with it. I saw Miss Sophie, then I went to de-ice. When I was de-icing the gate, I saw you pass through¡ªto go meet her in the courtyard, I imagine.¡±


    ¡°This all matches our expectations,¡± Ailn said, pausing. He seemed to have a momentary crisis, wincing a while before he finally came right out with his question.


    ¡°Was I having liaisons with my sister¡¯s maid?¡± Ailn asked.


    Kylian felt his stomach drop.


    Here was another set of circumstances that Kylian hadn¡¯t considered in concert. First, that Ailn was supposedly seeing the maid regularly, and there were rumors of it being illicit. Second, that Sophie was very probably the child of the Saintess, born out of wedlock.


    Third, that this would make Sophie Ailn¡¯s half-sister. Potentially capable of conjuring the holy aura, and even of murdering him.


    Put it all together, and suddenly Ennieux¡¯s utter disgust with Ailn did not seem so unreasonable. Just how much worse would the gossip be if all those moralizing busybodies found out Ailn and Sophie¡¯s blood relation?


    No, that wasn¡¯t the biggest issue. What if the rumors were true, and they really were meeting romantically? There were infinite scenarios that gave a plausible motive for murder.


    Reynard was silent for a while, and Kylian couldn¡¯t help but imagine the worst. His mind was not one to wander, but the implications were like caltrops in a grassy field. Walk straight, and gouge your foot anyway. Live honorably, avoid gossip, and find yourself nonetheless embroiled in a scandal of infidelity, illegitimate children, and¡­ well inc¡ª


    Kylian just stared at Ailn. Even Ailn seemed to sweat.


    ¡°Look, we have to know. It¡¯s not like it was me. I mean. I guess it was. Dammit,¡± Ailn tussled his own hair in frustration and groaned. ¡°This sucks.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it was like that,¡± Reynard said after a long time. He looked Ailn in the eye. ¡°I hear all kinds of whispering things, Your Grace. And I have no proof. But whenever I caught sight of you and her, I never felt nothing like that. No romance. No anything past that. I¡¯d be honest with you if I did.¡±


    Ailn and Kylian collectively let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too observant, so I don¡¯t quite know,¡± Reynard said. There was tenderness in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d only seen you occasionally. The two of you walked close. But not that close. Not in that kind of way.¡±


    Reynard¡¯s eyes looked around the bailey as if he were watching them walk by again. He thought back to all the gossip throughout the years, the nosy interest and embarrassment knights and servants alike took on.


    If you¡¯d heard them tell it, Ailn was shamelessly seducing one of his sister¡¯s maids, while she was a maid resentful of her lady and her place. Lots of people talked.


    But Reynard had actually seen them.


    And to him? Everything seemed perfectly innocent. With his honest nature, it made his heart ache to hear how people talked about the two. It did look like they were trying to be discreet. It did look like they were close, and that they cared for each other.


    Yet, even if he couldn¡¯t explain it, it never looked the way all the vicious whispering said it did. All he ever saw were two people spending time together, grateful and happy that they could.


    He seemed frustrated that he couldn¡¯t quite articulate it. But after a few moments, the right words finally came.


    ¡°You know, crazy as it sounds, the two of you always just looked like brother and sister to me.¡±


    <hr>


    By the time they reached the courtyard, the sun had set. To their surprise, they found Aldous.


    ¡°Huh. Look who¡¯s here,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Aldous said sheepishly, perhaps still embarrassed from the morning, ¡°I had thought I¡¯d find you back here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it,¡± Ailn said. His eyes skirted around the courtyard, noticing the shattered pieces of sword still hadn¡¯t been cleaned from earlier in the day. ¡°Did you come to do some investigating?¡±


    ¡°I certainly did. Sometimes it takes a wakeup call to shock you out of deskwork, drudgery and uselessness,¡± Aldous lamented. ¡°A lifetime of protecting this duchy in earnest, wiped clear of my mind by the endless rolls of parchment.¡±


    He laughed at himself, not bothering to hide the strain of self-loathing in his tone: ¡°And here I am now, having been moved to remembrance by a young knight decades my junior. I have considered it earnestly, and realized there may be something quite dire afoot¡ªjust as Sir Kylian said.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you suspect my family as well?¡± Ailn asked. Aldous paled in response.


    Nonetheless, he responded in regretful affirmation: ¡°I have been forced to consider them as one of many alternatives. And I¡¯ve come to examine the scene of the assault myself, to see if this mind of mine has any sharpness yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, have you found anything?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Not a thing,¡± Aldous said, almost feebly. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve let myself dull for too long.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I just came to check something out. It might¡­ take me a while, though. You guys should do your own thing in the meantime.¡±


    His demeanor had the slightest tone of sending children off to play, but that slightest of tones was quite noxious.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you, sir,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Forgive him.¡±


    ¡°A vassal is never in a position to ¡®forgive¡¯ their lord, Kylian,¡± Aldous said sternly.


    ¡°...Of course. You¡¯re most correct, Sir Aldous,¡± Kylian said, with a rather thin smile. ¡°At any rate, the investigation has turned up surprises and confusions in daunting measure. I should bring you up to speed.¡±


    Kylian related the facts of the case to Aldous, leaving out Sophie¡¯s ignominious origins for when they could talk in a more appropriately private setting. Still, what he did tell Aldous shocked him, and he reacted with particular dismay when he heard how the divine blessing had been perverted for the foul purpose of murder.


    ¡°It¡¯s a puzzle,¡± Aldous admitted. ¡°And a painful, fiendish one at that. For the rot to point at our very order¡­ ¡±


    The man looked tired and broken by it all. For a while, he seemed simply stupefied into silence.


    Then Aldous spoke again: ¡°I¡¯ll share some information of my own, Kylian. Just after the peak of noon today, the knights discovered that the kennel had been attacked last night. Or so we believe.¡±


    Kylian blinked. ¡°The kennel?¡±


    ¡°Correct. On account of all the chaos, a proper inventory of the castle was not completed until today,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Not only is Sir Envont, the master of the hounds missing, but so are a number of hounds. We suspect¡­ they were eaten by the beasts.¡±


    There had been precedent for shadow beasts killing humans and eating their corpses. In fact¡ªwolf types were known to do it.


    The kennel was largely unused in Varant, as hunting was simply not a popular sport for knights who risked life and limb against shadow beasts. Moreover, the kennel itself was an appropriation of an old dungeon built into the lower walls. It was a dingy place which courted more rats than people.


    Kylian closed his eyes and tried to sort his thoughts. Did this change anything? This case was getting more complicated and sordid by the hour.

 Chapter 13: The Passage

    Ailn was busy touching a statue.


    Specifically, he was touching the statue of the woman on top of the fountain. And Kylian, who had just attested to Ailn¡¯s surprising talents to Aldous, felt a bit embarrassed about it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fully follow what you¡¯re doing,¡± Kylian said. In truth, he didn¡¯t follow at all.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Aldous looked on in confused consternation.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty certain there¡¯s a secret passage here,¡± Ailn said. He gestured to the wall nearest the fountain. ¡°Just look. Why does that part of the wall bulge out half a foot? It¡¯s cracking, too.¡±


    He pointed toward the top of the wall, where he postulated the existence of a cistern, and traced it down through the area of the lower wall which protruded out. There were indeed cracks.


    Then he pointed down along the ground.


    ¡°The piping is obviously going to be underneath the ground,¡± Ailn continued. ¡°A place that gets this cold, I¡¯d be surprised if there wasn¡¯t a maintenance tunnel.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s plausible. Not convincing,¡± Kylian said.


    Aldous shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve served as a knight for three decades, and I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. The high marshal is in charge of the castle¡¯s security¡ªif it existed, I would know.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not betting my life on it,¡± Ailn said, going back to fiddling with the decorations on the fountain. ¡°But the blue scrap of dress we found got me thinking. Then I remembered something we heard earlier today. About something someone else heard.¡±


    ¡°Which specific thing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re not telling me now?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Give it some honest thought.¡± Ailn said. ¡°We heard all the same things today, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Kylian couldn¡¯t even muster up the energy to be annoyed. But they¡¯d seen and heard so much today that it was a blur, and he was mentally exhausted.


    This was the last stop for the day. Against his better judgment he was already checking out¡ªwaiting, essentially, for Ailn to give up so they could get some rest. Slowly and methodically Ailn once again examined the fountain.


    The fountain had a central statue, though you could think of it as two: a woman in the clothing of a saintess standing atop a wolf¡¯s head. It was a moderately sized fountain, and the woman was also of modest size. The wolf¡¯s head she stood on top of was to scale, and the water sprout was located in its open mouth.


    Ailn started his tactile examination from the top. This meant he was presently handling the statue of the representative Saintess. Handling was a nice word for it. Grasping, pinching, twisting, patting. The sight made Kylian wince for a number of reasons.


    ¡°Aha,¡± Ailn said.


    Kylian¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a stone scraping, and iron turning in its tread. Ailn was turning the Saintess around like a screw.


    For a moment, Kylian wanted to strike him for vandalizing the fountain. But as Ailn kept turning the Saintess around, it became increasingly clear to Kylian the scraping stone sound was coming from somewhere else¡ªnamely, right behind him.


    A section of cobblestone raised with every turn of the generic stone saintess, and soon enough it protruded from the ground enough that it could be lifted.


    Aldous and Kylian stared at the newly revealed passage, amazed.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Ailn said, wiping the sweat off his brow. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    <hr>


    The entrance to the passage was below the cobblestone. When they set to lifting it, they realized it was hinged, and upon opening it saw a short ladder down into the maintenance tunnel.


    Pulling the cover closed, it began to sink back down, and they could hear gears shift, presumably spinning the Saintess statue in reverse and back into its original position.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Aldous muttered, defeated. ¡°To think I would be so completely unaware of such a passage¡­¡±


    ¡°Relax, man. Didn¡¯t you spend most of your life fighting shadow beasts?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Well, yes¡­¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°It was an important lesson for me to learn, I¡¯ll admit,¡± Kylian said.


    The self-reproach was evident in his voice. While Ailn¡¯s case for it was plausible, Kylian hadn¡¯t actually believed the passage was there. At the very least, he didn¡¯t think they¡¯d find it.


    It was a dark passage with a low ceiling. The low height was exacerbated by the pipe which ran along it. and the upsidedown stone arches which held the pipe in place. Avoiding these obstacles with their heads proved to be a challenge.


    More than that, the passage went deeper than they¡¯d expected, and it wasn¡¯t long before the light from the surface was hardly reaching them.


    Kylian manifested his holy aura to light the way. It wasn¡¯t ideal for navigating the dark, since the aura¡¯s light naturally waxed and waned, but it would have to do.


    The continuous flash of white against the dark, with the musty air, and the soft echo of their footsteps¡ªwell, it wasn¡¯t pleasant. In all honesty, the effect was quite unnerving.


    The passage sloped up at a slight incline, and the ceiling sloped at a greater incline, until eventually they could stand straight. It was clear they¡¯d reached the section of the passage through the actual castle wall.


    Presently, they came upon a split in the pipe and passage. In one direction, the upward slope became sharper. In the other direction, the slope went downward.


    ¡°This was probably the original function of the tunnel,¡± Ailn said, pointing at the sharp upward slope, then the downward one. ¡°I assume that comes from the cistern. I¡¯d imagine the other one goes generally to the kitchen. And then, after that¡­¡±


    ¡°After that?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°After that, we¡¯ll see if it connects to other passages. When castles get renovated or expanded, hidden passages are often elaborated at the request of the central family.¡±


    Even more than before, Kylian couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. Ailn¡¯s deductions when they¡¯d first been in the courtyard hadn¡¯t just been sound. They¡¯d been correct. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Look,¡± Ailn said, grimacing. ¡°It¡¯s gets narrower over there.¡±


    The tradeoff for the ceiling raising, apparently, was a narrowing of the width of the passage. It was still wide enough to pass through without sidling. But it wasn¡¯t comfortable, especially for Aldous who was of heavier set and broader shoulders than the two younger men.


    When they reached its narrowest point, Ailn stopped.


    ¡°Hold on a second. What are these?¡± Ailn stopped and examined something that was on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s shattered glass, and¡­ dried wax? This must be from a lantern.¡±


    ¡°I suppose someone broke a lantern while traveling through here. It looks like they were rushing and smashed it because of the narrowed passage,¡± Kylian guessed.


    ¡°A lantern of glass is rather expensive,¡± Aldous said suspiciously. ¡°Would a passage for maintenance not have been used mostly by servants?¡±


    ¡°These kinds of things become family secrets over time. Cultural practices¡ªlike servants hiding away in walls¡ªusually end up being abolished,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Then, the existence of passages like these get passed down in written memory. The only ones who retain the knowledge are those that can read.¡±


    They went on through the narrow stretch of passage for a while. This area was particularly claustrophobic, and difficult to navigate even with the light from the warn spell guiding them. Besides being cramped, there were more than a few turns that went on for a few meters before reaching a dead end.


    And they¡¯d almost walked right past the small seam in the wall that actually continued on to the rest of the passage.


    Once they went through the seam, the passage widened out, and Ailn seemed to find something interesting on the wall. ¡°Hey. Check out this indentation,¡± he said.


    He pressed against a convex section of wall, and the sound of stone shifting could be heard. ¡°I bet if we pushed here, we¡¯d bust into one of the kitchen cupboards.¡±


    Now that they¡¯d stopped, they could hear the soft sounds of bustling from the kitchen beyond the concrete walls.


    Ailn released his hands, and the stone shifted back. Then he pushed slightly, and the stone shifted forward again. He seemed to be contemplating going through.


    ¡°Do you¡­ think going through would aid our investigation, Your Grace?¡± By now Aldous had given away all pretense of expertise to the prodigious young master.


    ¡°Not at all. But it could be pretty funny,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± Kylian said.


    So they kept on.


    The extent of the passage was what surprised Kylian the most. It was difficult to track exactly how far they traveled, because they were moving so tentatively. Still, it was a deep passage, and he suspected there were multiple entrances in and out of the castle.


    He¡¯d been disoriented by their movement through the dark, but he guessed that they were in the keep by now. It made some sense. If the castle were attacked, a passage like this could be used by the core family to escape in secret to at least the outer bailey.


    It wouldn¡¯t be the best move in every case, but it was a sensible option to have.


    ¡°There are a few places we could end up,¡± Ailn said. ¡°There¡¯s a hearth in the Great Hall. The existing chimney structure would make hiding a passage easy. In fact, it would be connected with the hearth in the solar.¡±


    The passage started to widen again, and even turned a corner.


    ¡°Or its bookshelves,¡± Ailn continued. ¡°If your intention is to hide a passage from the start, then a bookshelf obviates the need for any complicated stone masonry. They¡¯d essentially be a normal wall, made of wood.¡±


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Aldous said, with a tone of genuine enlightenment. ¡°I had no idea you were so¡­ learned, Your Grace.¡±


    Kylian himself wondered how Ailn would know all this. Perhaps when he was younger he¡¯d read a book in the ducal study about castle building?


    They turned yet another corner. That¡¯s when Kylian noticed something.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Kylian said. ¡°There¡¯s something here.¡±


    He¡¯d nearly missed it, but there was something lying on the floor. Feeling a little gratified he¡¯d found a piece of evidence himself, he picked it up.


    ¡°This is from the robe the Saintess wears.¡± Kylian felt the blood leave his face.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...Indeed it is,¡± Aldous said gravely. ¡°The crest of the duchy is juxtaposed with the insignia of the holy church. That¡¯s something that would only be on her robe.¡±


    The three stood silent for a while. Then Aldous coughed lightly.


    ¡°This is perhaps¡­ inopportune timing, but seeing the cloth has refreshed my memory,¡± Aldous said sheepishly. ¡°A courier was sent to the Saintess this morning to inform her of the young master¡¯s fortuitous survival.¡±


    Aldous continued: ¡°We received a reply earlier this afternoon. She was so delighted to hear of your survival that she¡¯s rushing back to see you. She is formally inviting you to dine with her and the rest of the family tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So just her and Ennieux?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine so. Though Ennieux¡¯s children are typically invited. Never seen them actually attend,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°Can Kylian come?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t want to come.¡± Kylian turned his head back to glare at Ailn.


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine you can bring anyone you want, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Your sister must be thrilled that you¡¯re alive.¡±


    ¡°Hm. We can keep it a surprise then. I¡¯m sure Ennieux will be thrilled,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that great, Kylian? You can be there for our big family reunion.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we just reach the end of the corridor?¡± Kylian asked a little sharply.


    And so they went on, unsure of where the passage would take them. The corridor stretched on. The white light which followed them around kept flashing as they silently moved.  It wasn¡¯t long before Kylian lost track of where they were exactly.


    In truth, the passage itself didn¡¯t seem as if it were too long¡ªjust difficult to navigate because of their unfamiliarity.


    As Kylian thought about it, the Saintess moving through this passage wasn¡¯t necessarily suspicious. But then why did he feel such a sense of dread? The image of the blue scrap of the maid¡¯s kirtle in the bushes flashed through his mind.


    He glanced at Ailn, who seemed even less readable than usual.


    ¡°Perhaps Lady Renea takes after your mother,¡± Aldous spoke up with a laugh. ¡°Celine was quite the tomboy growing up, you may not be aware. She would have been thrilled to know a passage like this existed. She may have even explored it herself!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little scary for kids, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Celine was fearless to a fault,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Even to the day she died¡­ she refused to go down without protecting her daughter, and sending those bastards who served the Blanc family to hell.¡±


    Ailn stopped walking. He faced forward, and Kylian couldn¡¯t guess at what he was feeling.


    ¡°Sir Aldous,¡± Kylian said gently. ¡°Ailn¡­ did not actually remember the details of his mother¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Aldous¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to hear of it in this manner.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me more later,¡± Ailn said awkwardly.


    Finally, they reached the end of the corridor. All that was left was a single wall in front of them.


    They pushed it open.


    Or at least, they attempted to. Even with their combined strength, the wall didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Does the passage just end here?¡± Kylian asked.


    For some reason, a part of him felt relieved. Somehow, this whole time it had felt as if the end of the passage would reveal something terrible. Perhaps it was just a false sense of portention, the result of moving through a dark and cramped space while the warnspell disoriented him.


    If this was all there was to the passage, though, then he could fully rest at ease. He wasn¡¯t in the presence of mind to quite put together what he was afraid of¡ªit was simply a tangled theory half-forming in his head.


    Unfortunately, Kylian then heard the sound of a single stone block being pushed. Ailn had apparently singled it as being recessed, and with some effort it pushed inward slow but sure.


    An unlatching sound rang out through the intermittently broken dark.


    A thin section of the wall opened outward, towards them¡ªjust enough to sidle through, and they made their way through one by one.


    By now, sun had already set. This time any part of the castle which was neither actively being used, nor meant for traversing, would be unlit.


    Thus, when they stepped in, Kylian hadn¡¯t recognized it at first¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to recognize it, and the different angle, the bizarre lighting, both made it easier to willfully pretend. But when his emotions stilled, it was clear where they were.


    The wooden screen which separated the chamber in two, the white drape taking on the ghastly yellow while its gold trim reflected it.


    The chair where the Saintess sat while she received the confessions of every knight.


    They were in the bestowal chamber.

 Chapter 14: My Sister, the Saintess

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Ailn said, looking around at the bestowal chamber. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d actually end up here.¡±


    Kylian and Aldous looked around in shock.


    ¡°For the passage to lead here¡­ Who could have guessed?¡± Aldous muttered.


    ¡°...I just don¡¯t understand,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Could be for eavesdropping,¡± Ailn said thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s the same logic as hiding a listening post in a parlor for espionage. Maybe once upon a time knightly confessions were used for blackmail.¡±


    ¡°But the bestowal ceremony was originally held in a small wooden confessional in the abbey¡¯s church. Lady Renea¡­ moved the ceremony to this chamber herself,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Maybe once upon a time is now,¡± Ailn shrugged, shutting the passage behind them. ¡°Let¡¯s walk and talk.¡±


    Aldous was largely silent, as he took in the revelation. Opening the door to leave, though, it seemed he couldn¡¯t help his curiosity.


    ¡°¡®Once upon a time,¡¯ Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve heard the phrase.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ailn scratched his cheek. ¡°It just means ¡®at some point.¡¯ People like using it to begin stories.¡±


    ¡°Such as, once upon a time the day had passed into night without my knowing?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°Er, not quite,¡± Ailn said. ¡°More like once upon a time there were three little piglets and a big bad wolf.¡±


    ¡°What a curious story that must be,¡± Aldous said, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll tell it to you sometime, if I ever have the chance,¡± Ailn said.


    They walked out into the corridor, which was now lit by a torch. It made more sense to simply walk back through the keep than battle their way through the hidden passage again. Aldous, now in familiar territory, implicitly took the role of leader. Navigating them through the keep, he didn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°Nothing makes sense,¡± Kylian muttered. ¡°And no matter what path my thoughts take, there seems to be a painful eventuality waiting beyond the fog.¡±


    Earlier, Sophie seemed the most suspicious¡ªat least logistically. That was terrible enough. But a new theory was forming just beneath Kylian¡¯s consciousness. And this one was even darker.


    ¡°Aldous, did you know Sophie was my half-sister?¡± Ailn asked.


    The high marshal remained silent, leading them through the castle ¡®till they were nearly through the keep and out into the bailey.


    ¡°I am one of the few who did,¡± Aldous finally said, with a surprisingly clear and somber tone. ¡°No, I suppose some at the time had our suspicions¡­ but to suggest it aloud would have been grounds to have one''s tongue cleaved.¡±


    His steps seemed to take on a trudging tone, and they walked down a twisting staircase.


    For the longest while, no one said a thing. They were halted by the complications of the yokes that bind¡ªand this was a complicated set of yokes, indeed. Finally, they reached the outer bailey, where it had begun snowing again.


    ¡°For the moment, let us rest our minds and hope for clarity,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°With the inquest in two days?¡± Kylian asked, a little flabbergasted. Tired as he was, he didn¡¯t think the discussion was one they could postpone.


    ¡°Even a fool like me knows that what we¡¯ve discovered today points to a harsh or even sinister truth. Only when our minds are fully lucid, and our sinews steeled can we appropriately discuss this,¡± Aldous tiredly waved his arm as he went his way. ¡°We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±


    Ailn and Kylian glanced at each other.


    ¡°Is he not heading to the barracks?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Sir Aldous has his own quarters,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°By the way¡ªyou¡¯re not going to make me sleep in that guard room again, are you?¡±


    ¡°...The barracks is likely the safest place for you to sleep tonight. I¡¯ll talk to the quartermaster and secure you a spot.¡±


    ¡°Great. How are the beds there?¡±


    <hr>


    Morning came, and snow had fallen through the night. And though there wasn¡¯t any more of it falling from the clouds, heavy wind kicked whatever snow there was left on the ground into playful flurries.


    All told, it was the milder end of winter for the duchy. The people of Varant, and all those knights and servants in the castle were used to it. Say nothing of lethargic, if anything there was a bit of extra bustle in the air¡ªthat warmth and energy that comes from your chest to face a cold day.


    Ailn, unfortunately, had not long been a resident. The ¡®playful flurries¡¯ felt more like Father Winter spitting in his face.


    He really hated the cold.


    To make it worse, he was badly craving a smoke. He could usually go a day without caring, and that day was yesterday.


    Now he was waiting at the front of the castle for his sister to show up. One and a half sisters, allegedly.


    A number of knights, and servants, and even Ennieux gathered at the front of the castle to receive Renea and her retinue. And though they were kept outside the castle¡¯s iron fence, there were commoners gathered too. They propped their faces against the fence like they were trying to catch sight of a celebrity.


    ¡°You look terrible,¡± Kylian frowned.


    ¡°I want to smoke,¡± Ailn said honestly. He didn¡¯t have the energy to do anything but stare listlessly ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you smoke once,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Nor have I heard about it from the innumerable rumors meant to discredit you.¡±


    ¡°Guess I was just great at hiding it,¡± Ailn replied, before muttering to himself. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t my new body be addiction-free? Or am I just pathetic?¡±


    Not really wanting to think through the implications of his own psychological dependency, he shut his eyes and groaned, reaching to fiddle with a watch he wasn¡¯t actually wearing. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He felt twitchy. He¡¯d had a terrible time sleeping. The straw in the mattress had scratched his back through the linens all night, and rustled whenever he moved. How long could he stand this before he became completely unhinged?


    They stood around in the cold for twenty minutes or so, Ailn¡¯s mood dropping the whole time along with his perceived body temperature.


    A carriage bearing the ducal emblem came into view. With lacquered white wood and silver leaf, it was the fanciest thing Ailn had seen since he¡¯d been in this world. A few of the knight escorts even rode horses. A couple of them had silverish hair¡ªhe guessed those were Ennieux¡¯s children.


    The majority walked behind in procession, however. Had they gone around the entire city like this? That seemed rough.


    Finally, the carriage came to a stop, and out walked the vaunted Saintess. Saintess-apparent, at least.


    A simple white dress, made of cotton. A fur-lined robe of azure brocade, silver embroidered into its hem. A circlet on her head made of silver¡ªno, platinum actually, given its brighter sheen; it was almost amusing how consistent the duchy was. Always with the modest displays of wealth that made sure you didn¡¯t mistake restraint for poverty.


    And of course, she had silver hair and blue eyes just like he did.


    She stepped out of the carriage with a smile, giving that perfectly effortless wave so associated with nobility. Behind her walked a girl in a blue maid¡¯s kirtle, with ash brown hair that barely peeked through her mob cap, and an inscrutable face¡ªSophie, probably.


    When Renea reached the ground proper, the knights in procession swarmed to the front to step in line and form a saber arch for her to walk through. The crowd receiving her matched the saber arch, parting into two, hushing as they cleared a path.


    Aldous, the highest ranking knight, came forward to kneel and greet her.


    ¡°Welcome back my lady,¡± Aldous said, head bowed. ¡°We have been eagerly anticipating your return.¡±


    There was a breathless adulation in the air, waiting in suspense for her to speak. She knew it too, judging by the way her eyes flitted around as she stopped to let the moment hang.


    Somehow, this atmosphere was not quite what Ailn expected.


    ¡°My, how wonderful for all of you to receive me!¡± Renea eum-Creid smiled broadly. ¡°I¡¯m ever so happy to be home, again!¡±


    ¡°¡®Ever so?¡¯¡± Ailn muttered.


    The cheering started. Those watching from outside the fence rattled the bars, clamoring for her to look their way. The servants couldn¡¯t stop themselves from cheering, either. Even the knights looked a little starstruck.


    Weren¡¯t they with her all the time?


    It made sense for an aristocrat to be a celebrity of sorts¡ªespecially a figure like the Saintess. Yet the whole thing felt a little off; less beloved noble, more starlet walking the red carpet. And the way her smile never quite reached her eyes bothered him.


    ¡°Oh, goodness. What happened to this poor child?¡± Renea¡¯s attention turned to the left side of the crowd, and she began walking in that direction, people giving way as she came near.


    Now she had her hands clasped together in a manner you could only call forcibly winsome, her tone of voice ostentatiously nurturing and protective. She took dainty steps that seemed completely unnecessary in her sandals.


    She singled out a squire who¡¯d come to see her; he had a black eye you could notice even from a distance. He was clearly surprised by her attention, and once she was near he seemed completely overwhelmed. Face flushed, eyes bugged out¡ªthe boy looked like he was about to faint.


    ¡°What happened, my child?¡± Renea asked.


    Ailn cringed. Hearing a sixteen year old call out ¡®my child¡¯ to someone her age, Saintess or not, was a little too much for him.


    ¡°I-I just got it sparring, my lady,¡± the squire stammered.


    ¡°Then it sounds as if you have been working most dutifully for the duchy. Would you let me heal you as my thanks?¡± Renea raised her hand to his face, letting it hover a few inches away. A white glow slowly manifested, and his bruises disappeared almost shockingly fast.


    ¡°Thank you, my lady¡­¡± The squire seemed like he might cry. You¡¯d think she just saved his life, he was so grateful.


    ¡°No, my child. Thank you.¡± She swept her gaze around and held her hands out like she wanted to take the entire crowd into a gentle embrace. ¡°And to all of you, thank you ever so much!¡±


    The crowd went nuts. Ailn thought someone might punch themselves just to get an encore.


    ¡°Man,¡± Ailn muttered to himself in disbelief. ¡°This girl is fake as hell.¡±


    She was a regular Dorothy Gale, just without the ruby slippers or terrier. Instead she had all those affectations of joyous naivete that, in his experience, took a very cynical person to reproduce. Typically, he¡¯d find this kind of thing funny.


    It was certainly surreal.


    He¡¯d expected a little more solemnity; instead, he was watching a medieval idol work the crowd, and you know what? He just wasn¡¯t a fan of it.


    The moment of truth was coming up. Ailn eum-Creid, miraculously surviving an attack everyone thought had killed him, would finally meet his sister the Saintess. How would she react to him in his amnesiac state? That was the question on everyone¡¯s minds.


    Including Ailn¡¯s.


    He still didn¡¯t know what to make of her. Seeing her put on a show like this, and seeing everyone eat it up¡ªhe could believe that Renea eum-Creid¡¯s well-known love for her brother was also a carefully manufactured act.


    Part of him hoped so, because the guilt was piling on every time he heard about it. It was easy coming into a world where no one gave a damn about him. He knew how to deal with that. But if she really cared, and had no idea her brother had actually died, then pretending to be that brother was a real crummy thing to do¡ªeven if his hand was forced.


    Ennieux came storming up with her usual graceless grace, and grabbed him by the arm with a glare.


    ¡°Well?! Aren¡¯t you going to greet your sister? I swear¡­¡± She dragged him along to the open path in the center, and all Ailn could do was cast a desperate glance toward Kylian.


    Kylian shrugged. What was he going to do about it?


    Soon, brother and sister were face to face. No one talked. All eyes were on them, and Ailn had no idea what he was supposed to say.


    Was there some formal greeting he needed to use here? If there was, he didn¡¯t know it, and frankly Kylian would be to blame. Should he try to keep up formalities since everyone was watching? Or speak casually, since the two siblings were supposed to be close?


    His mind was stuck in underdrive. Usually he was quick with social cues. But he needed nicotine, and he was dumber than usual; why was she just staring at him?


    ¡°Renea,¡± he said awkwardly, speaking as slow as possible so he could gauge her reaction to each word, ¡°...my dear sister. I hope it was not too cold out there for you.¡±


    He kept his gaze on the bridge of her nose, to make sure he kept steady, comfortable, and most of all non-committal eye contact; blue eyes searching blue eyes like a cop who doesn¡¯t actually have a warrant.


    Hers seemed to glisten, just a bit. Was that a quiver in her bottom lip he saw?


    ¡°Ailn,¡± she walked closer, her steps a bit shaky as she did so. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive.¡±


    She was smiling. Her eyes crinkled at the corners¡­ was this genuine?


    ¡°I thought you were gone forever.¡± She spoke softly, looking more into his eyes than he was trying to look into hers. ¡°You don¡¯t know how ¡ª¡±


    She walked forward to embrace him, and Ailn, stupidly, instinctively stepped back. She flinched. Ailn flinched because she flinched. The whole crowd watching flinched. And the chilly wind blew noisily through.


    The smile on her face faltered.


    ¡°Right,¡± she said, sounding disappointed. ¡°I heard you lost your memory. I shouldn¡¯t have put you on the spot like that.¡±


    Her hands clasped together like a slowly collapsing tent, and Ailn could feel a whole duchy¡¯s worth of glares on him. The worst was from¡­ Sophie, right behind Renea? No, wait. Ennieux¡¯s, from right beside him, was definitely the worst.


    ¡°Ahem. Sorry, I just haven¡¯t been myself since the attack,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°You look tired,¡± Renea said worriedly. ¡°You must still be recovering¡­ I¡¯m sorry you had to wait here in the cold to receive me.¡±


    She turned her attention to the crowd, her smile now polite. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go inside, everyone? There¡¯s no reason for us to keep freezing out here. Come on, now.¡±


    Renea turned back to him.


    ¡°Please,¡± Renea clasped one of Ailn¡¯s hands. ¡°Get some rest. We can speak more over a proper meal tonight.¡±


    And so the reception of the Saintess ended. The knights lowered their swords, sheathing them, and Renea proceeded on into the castle with her retinue. Ennieux left with them¡ªbut not before giving Ailn a bitter, resigned shake of her head.


    The crowd started their moving and murmuring, all heading back into the castle. More than a few contemptuous scowls came Ailn¡¯s way¡ªand even he felt a bit bad about it.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t lying about needing a smoke,¡± Kylian said, walking up with a sympathetic look. ¡°That was awful.¡±

 Chapter 15: A Surprising Vice

    Just before noon, Ailn and Kylian paid a visit to Kylian¡¯s old ¡®friend¡¯ the quartermaster.


    They were trying to negotiate their way into the possession of a pipe and some tobacco to fill it. Kylian knew the quartermaster had tobacco¡ªthe problem is most of the knights liked to chew it.


    ¡°Will chewing tobacco do?¡± Kylian turned back toward Ailn, trying to hide his repulsion. ¡°If nothing else¡­¡±


    ¡°Nah. Can¡¯t stand the stuff.¡± Ailn¡¯s reply was quick.


    Kylian¡¯s feelings were mixed. On one hand, having no similar vice of his own, Kylian found himself irked that a beggar was being a chooser. On the other hand, chewing tobacco was definitely cruder, grosser stuff.


    He couldn¡¯t stop himself from imagining Ailn sitting at the dining table with the Saintess and spitting irreverently into a chalice; Ennieux might fly into a rage right there and strike him with a candelabra, finishing what the culprit couldn¡¯t.


    Right. This was definitely for the better.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with a clay pipe before,¡± Kylian said, turning back to the quartermaster. ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you¡¯re lacking the pipe tobacco to go along with it.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah? When¡¯d you see me with it?¡± The quartermaster wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡°If I ever had it, I don¡¯t anymore.¡±


    ¡°I can pay for it,¡± Kylian sighed. ¡°Quit being coy and just tell me what you want.¡±


    The quartermaster crossed his arms. ¡°A week¡¯s pay.¡±


    ¡°A week¡¯s?!¡± Kylian winced. ¡°That¡¯s insanity.¡±


    ¡°You need it, and I don¡¯t have to give it to you. If you don¡¯t have the coins, then I don¡¯t have the tobacco.¡±


    Kylian scowled as he pulled a tin coin out of a coin purse, and dropped them onto the table.


    ¡°I said a week¡¯s pay,¡± the quartermaster said coolly.


    ¡°No knight in Varant works every single day of the week.¡± Kylian added a single copper coin. ¡°Any greedier and I¡¯ll simply take my chances looking through town.¡±


    The quartermaster shrugged, then pocketed the coins, ambling back towards the barracks¡¯ storeroom. A few minutes later, he emerged with a clay pipe and a small wooden box which Kylian checked. It was densely packed.


    ¡°Where are the matches?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°The hell? Provide your own.¡±


    ¡°Would you quit being a miser?¡± Kylian narrowed his eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be peddling. Do you have matches or not?¡±


    Grumbling all the while, the quartermaster relented and dropped some matches on the table too.


    Did this really have to be so hard? He couldn¡¯t help but resent the mountains he needed to move just so Ailn could squander his health away a little faster. Then again, he¡¯d already gotten tired of seeing what was usually the finest of minds idle so miserably.


    ¡°I appreciate it. I really do,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I won¡¯t forget this.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t any need to be this melodramatic about it, but Kylian appreciated the gratitude nonetheless.


    Opening the wooden box, he eyed the pipe a moment before deftly sprinkling tobacco to its rim and packing it down with his thumb. Kylian had half-expected his motor movements to be as hampered as his mind seemed to be, but Ailn moved just fine.


    Was this mostly psychological, then?


    Ailn then started lighting the pipe, shielding the wind with his cloak as he struck a match. This, Kylian knew, could be especially difficult¡ªhe¡¯d seen more than a few knights¡¯ attempts completely frustrated by the wind and moisture before. But Ailn had it in just a moment.


    Soon, he was puffing lightly at the pipe and savoring it, eyes closed and serene, letting out a deep sigh as if he just now understood life in all its beauty.


    Somehow, that seemed more pathetic than when he was restless and dim.


    For a couple of minutes, he stayed quiet smoking like that.


    ¡°By the by, when does Aldous wanna see us?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°He wishes to meet with us after we have dinner with Lady Renea,¡± Kylian said.


    Ailn made a face, presumably thinking about the upcoming dinner. Truth be told, Kylian wasn¡¯t raring to attend either.


    But he had many thoughts last night, as he restlessly considered the case. And he decided it would be best to see for himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s your gauge on Sophie?¡± Ailn suddenly asked.


    ¡°...Quiet is the only word that comes to mind. But I suppose that simply means I don¡¯t know much about her. Tonight should be an opportunity to learn more.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? We¡¯re supposed to be so close, we meet regularly for one on one time¡ªeven though it starts rumors. But she cared more about me hurting Renea¡¯s feelings than the fact I was alive.¡±


    ¡°Renea¡¯s her sister, too,¡± Kylian pointed out. ¡°That alone isn¡¯t too odd of a reaction. A mediating sibling¡¯s apt to choose the younger, more vulnerable one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the vulnerable one,¡± Ailn said, chuckling. He coughed a bit, from accidentally inhaling smoke. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m older. But I was just dead.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Kylian frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s reaction is going to be natural under the gaze of so many onlookers. Yours certainly wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°The problem was that my reaction was too natural, Kylian. When my head¡¯s in the game I can put on a show as good as anyone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not something to take pride in.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to Renea.¡±


    ¡°...Are you implying she has an inauthentic personality?¡± Kylian asked. It was a sincere question.


    He¡¯d never given the matter much consideration. Certainly, she seemed to pander to the crowd; Kylian had always found it charming.


    But with all he¡¯d learned about the duchy these last two days, he felt as if the carpet had been pulled from under him. Discovering that the passage had led to the bestowal chamber had genuinely shook him. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    And knowing that the bestowal ceremony was moved there by Renea¡­


    He didn¡¯t know what to think, or who to trust anymore. Observing her through that suspicious frame of mind, Renea¡¯s saintly mannerisms certainly did appear more saccharine than sweet.


    ¡°I¡¯m implying she knows how to play a role, at least. ¡®Oh dear,¡¯ and ¡®goodness me,¡¯ and all that.¡± Ailn imitated a chirpy frolic with two of his fingers. ¡°¡®Oh, my darling dear baby boy, let me heal your boo boo.¡¯¡±


    This was an extraordinarily uncharitable portrayal of Renea¡¯s selfless act of healing, but Kylian didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Ailn took a moment to put his words together. ¡°Her concern for me seemed like it could¡¯ve been real. Who knows? I was out of it, and couldn¡¯t get a good read on her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit cynical?¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°When you believe she¡¯s faking her compassionate persona, you¡¯re certain of it. When her concern seems genuine, you doubt your own judgment.¡±


    Ailn didn¡¯t respond for a while, seemingly struck by this. He stayed quiet and enjoyed his pipe. And when he finally spoke¡­


    ¡°You could be right,¡± Ailn admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to that.¡±


    Kylian had expected a retort, at least clever if not profound. But Ailn seemed to think his words over.


    The snow was starting to fall again, landing wet on both their faces and bringing along a sky of dismal gray. If nothing else, though, Ailn seemed to take it with a better mood.


    <hr>


    Every man and woman in the barracks had certainly heard of Ailn''s revival by now, and perhaps half of the knights had actually seen him. The polite bows and strained silence spoke their true fears: no one wanted to be reprimanded.


    Kylian almost felt like a fool, having wasted so much time on worries of heresy.


    ¡°...I would¡¯ve liked to talk to Aldous before tonight,¡± Ailn said. He sounded concerned.


    ¡°Lady Renea and Aldous will likely spend the afternoon reviewing the state of the city-wide barrier, and discussing Varant¡¯s security writ-large,¡± Kylian replied. ¡°A discussion with Sir Fontaine would perhaps be more fruitful, at any rate.¡±


    ¡°And he is?¡±


    ¡°Sir Fontaine is the sergeant-prior, as well as the oldest knight in the Order. He most directly monitors the activities of the knights, including the master of the hounds. For Renea, who never met Duke Aaron or her paternal grandfather, he has been something of a grandfatherly figure.¡±


    Surprisingly, Fontaine took a room adjacent to the gathering hall, a communal space. The knights socialized there, and it could get quite loud.


    Despite the prohibition of drinking in the barracks, those recently returned from the northern wall were often inebriated with relief¡ª which was enough to fill the gathering hall with poor singing and unruly shouts over games turned sour.


    The gathering hall had but a single long table through the center of the room, though there were extra benches for seating scattered throughout.


    At the far end of the table, near the entrance to Fontaine¡¯s office, Kylian caught sight of Sir Dartune. Dartune, the master-at-arms, was staring at a chess board of leather, moving the painted stone pieces on top of it back and forth as he considered his moves.


    Kylian hoped he would be too preoccupied with his game to notice his surroundings. Alas¡ª


    ¡°Sir Kylian!¡± Dartune¡¯s head rose with such suddenness, his sloppy beard flopped upward. ¡°When will we have our rematch?!¡±


    ¡°Not now, certainly,¡± Kylian said, irritated. ¡°I¡¯ve no obligation to keep indulging you.¡±


    Dartune was a good player and a sore loser who imagined himself the finest of strategic minds. Unfortunately, the Azure Knights fought shadow beasts instead of armies, a task that took more sensible administration than strokes of military brilliance.


    Whether Dartune could¡¯ve been a great general, Kylian truly didn¡¯t know. But he was good at his job, and a friendly man¡ªjust very prickly when it came to this particular board game.


    ¡°How about a game with me sometime?¡± Ailn asked genially.


    ¡°...Certainly, Your Grace,¡± Dartune replied.


    He said yes. But he looked extremely put off by the idea of wasting his time with a player he assumed was beneath him.


    Before the offended Ailn could say anything, Kylian took the chance to escape the conversation, proceeding onward into Fontaine¡¯s office.


    Fontaine¡¯s office looked much like Aldous¡¯s¡ªjust smaller, and with a much more reasonable stack of parchment on top of his desk. At this point past middle-aged, the older knight did his work slow and steady.


    ¡°Sir Kylian, Your Grace,¡± Fontaine said, ¡°what brings the two of you here?¡±


    He spoke with the kind smile of a man who had just enough to do to not get bored.


    ¡°We¡¯re still looking into the details of the attack the night before last,¡± Kylian gestured towards Ailn. ¡°The attack on His Grace in the courtyard, and the appearance of the shadow beasts. Yesterday, I heard some rather unfortunate news about the kennel master.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes well,¡± Fontaine grimaced and clasped his hands together in a slow gesture, ¡°it¡¯s a terrible thing what happened to Sir Envont.¡±


    ¡°The knights believe he was eaten by the shadow beasts?¡± Kylian frowned.


    ¡°It must be so,¡± Fontaine said, ¡°as a body was nowhere to be found. Or perhaps¡­¡±


    He trailed off looking thoughtful.


    ¡°Perhaps?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°He was not the most diligent of knights,¡± Fontaine said, looking quite sad about it. ¡°A drunkard, really. If I were to speculate, I¡¯d say it¡¯s as likely he absconded or met bad company, than that he was attacked.¡±


    ¡°But he only disappeared two days ago,¡± Kylian said skeptically.


    ¡°We received his mandatory report as recently as then, yes,¡± Fontaine sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a real shame no matter what,¡± Ailn said wistfully.


    ¡°It truly is,¡± Fontaine said.


    ¡°For a change to a cheerier topic,¡± Ailn started, ¡°I was hoping you could help me remember a little more about my sister.¡±


    Ailn¡¯s smile was bright and inquisitive in a way that frankly left Kylian at least a bit unnerved. He was the perfect picture of fresh-faced naivete and brotherly love. If Kylian didn¡¯t know any better, he really would believe Ailn¡¯s desire to dote on his little sister was what produced the twinkle in his eye.


    Nevertheless, Fontaine took the bait that had been laid out.


    ¡°Young master! Why, I thought you would never ask,¡± Fontaine said. And his smile was cheery indeed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Ailn¡¯s face turned overcast like the clouds outside. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember our childhood. What was she like?¡±


    Kylian wasn¡¯t quite sure what relevance their childhood would have to the case, but he didn¡¯t question it; after all, the seeming larks Ailn often stepped out on seemed to always pay off. It was remarkable how often what appeared to be wild goose chases would hit their mark and bag the quarry.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a shame Your Grace! If only you could remember how she used to follow you around like a duckling.¡± Now Fontaine¡¯s eyes were twinkling, but his with the fondness of memory. ¡°When you were sent out of the castle she cried and cried all day.¡±


    ¡°Really now.¡± Ailn tilted his head. ¡°I suppose she never was one to care about status?¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± Fontaine said.


    ¡°Sounds like she was a smart kid, then,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°The brightest child I¡¯ve ever seen! My Lord, I remember how shocked I was to hear her speak before she was even a year in age! She had naught the teeth for proper speech, so she toddled around babbling ¡®Va¡¯unt¡¯ and ¡®Suh-wuh Fah-te!¡¯¡±


    ¡°... That young, huh?¡± Ailn said. ¡°Did she ever talk about anything strange growing up?¡±


    ¡°Strange?¡± Fontaine¡¯s lips pursed in thoughtfulness. ¡°Nothing comes to mind. I suppose¡­¡±


    ¡°You suppose?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°She was always a very introspective child. I¡­¡± Fontaine''s eyes were downcast. ¡°I suppose you of all people should be aware.¡±


    ¡°I understand it¡¯s hard, Sir Fontaine,¡± Ailn¡¯s body language seemed to mimic Fontaine¡¯s at every turn. ¡°But you can trust me. I only want to know about her because I care.¡±


    ¡°That child¡­ ¡° Fontaine¡¯s eyes met Ailn¡¯s with earnest. ¡°Lady Renea even from the youngest of ages had difficulty opening up to people. Even her own family.¡±


    ¡°... What about our mother?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Lady Renea and Lady Celine¡­¡± Fontaine¡¯s brows furrowed, and his eyes looked a little pained. ¡°You were the first to bring her out of her world, Your Grace.¡±


    Fontaine gracefully avoided directly answering the question.


    ¡°... I see.¡±


    ¡°Even now, that child needs love, Your Grace. I hope you can understand how much you mean to her.¡± Fontaine bowed his head slightly in request. ¡°Please take care of her, as you always have. I¡¯m sure your heart remembers what your mind does not.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Fontaine,¡± Ailn said. He was clearly hiding some discomfort. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. I probably needn¡¯t have asked,¡± Fontaine smiled warmly. ¡°You have never failed to be a wonderful brother to her. And I¡¯m grateful for that from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    Ailn gave a polite smile and nod. He motioned with his head towards the door, and Kylian understood it was time, for Ailn¡¯s sake, to take their leave.

 Chapter 16: Filth in the Kennel

    The kennel was an ugly sight, but not in any of the ways Kylian had expected. The dogs were cowering and emaciated, whimpering helplessly instead of barking when he approached.


    Dead man or not, there was no excuse for the kennel to be in this state. He¡¯d have to talk to Aldous later about someone taking over the master of the hounds¡¯ duties even temporarily.


    Someone had stopped by to fill their food; what they hadn¡¯t done was clean the place.


    The whole kennel had a fetid stench; animal excrement had built up in the pens, and was filthily mixed with the hay that made their beddings. It had clearly been neglected for some time.


    Hadn¡¯t Sir Envont gone missing two days prior? How could someone do such a terrible job?


    It almost felt worse that the dogs were actually alive. Kylian could understand someone who ignored their duties entirely. It would be gross and wicked to leave dogs to starve to death; but to actually come in and ¡®care¡¯ for the dogs like this was the mark of a sick man.


    A sick man who had disappeared completely, apparently.


    Kylian found himself lamenting the mandatory knights¡¯ reports. It certainly took gall to write ¡®all¡¯s well.¡¯ Before they¡¯d left Fontaine¡¯s office, Kylian asked to glance through the reports himself, and sure enough they¡¯d been turned in as recently as two days ago.


    The reports were collected daily from chancery safes, by a herald who makes his rounds through the entire castle. If the report were forged, it would have to be by someone who¡¯d stolen his seal.


    Kylian did not believe it beyond the pale.


    ¡°Isn''t it a little strange for a place this unimportant to be built into the keep?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°I would¡¯ve thought a kennel would¡¯ve been built into the outer walls.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mostly on the mark. Rather, it wasn¡¯t important enough to warrant any new construction. You¡¯ll notice how many flights down we had to take¡ªit¡¯s simply a repurposed dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Well, that certainly explains the look of it,¡± Ailn mumbled.


    Built into the former dungeons deep below the west end of the keep, the kennel was a dreary and unpleasant place long before any dog waste had made it even worse.


    All in all, the kennel gave off an impression that was just as sinister as it was disgusting. Part of what made it feel so insidious was the stark contrast: between its innocuous entrance and the disquieting, lengthy descent that followed.


    It was hard to ignore the undertones of going down and down into a dark, godforsaken place that smelled of excrement and hinted at death. Kylian found himself wondering if the environment had simply made Envont go mad.


    Ailn scanned the length of the kennel, peering occasionally into the pens which lined its sides. No matter which pen he came near, the dogs within whimpered pathetically.


    ¡°How many dogs were supposed to be in this kennel?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Twenty-four,¡± Kylian replied.


    ¡°Hm. I count fourteen.¡± Ailn furrowed his brow. ¡°The knights¡¯ going theory is that they were eaten? Is that a thing shadow beasts do?¡±


    ¡°Wolf-types have been known to do so,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Ailn said. ¡°So, if I really had been attacked by shadow beasts, they should have tried to eat me.¡±


    ¡°From what I understand, yes,¡± Kylian said. It had bothered him too, that Ailn lacked bite marks entirely.


    Ailn reached out to one of hounds, trying to coax it over. But all it did was push back further into its corner and yelp.


    ¡°They¡¯re still this scared two days after?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°That¡¯s a little surprising.¡±


    Now that he mentioned it, Kylian also found it odd. He¡¯d heard of hunting hounds attacked by wolves that were sprightly the next day. Shadow beasts were certainly terrifying, but¡­


    Ailn stayed silent as he watched the dogs for a while. Calloused as he could be, even he looked a little sad about it.


    ¡°It takes a lot to make a dog act that helplessly¡ªespecially hunting dogs like these. More than anything, it takes time¡­¡± His words slowed as he got to the end of his sentence, and his eyes seemed to sharpen.


    For a second, there was something more there. Something simmering beneath all his indifference. Kylian felt like he¡¯d barely caught sight of it, but Ailn had already wordlessly shifted to his usual easygoing attitude.


    Blue eyes, with a seemingly clear surface, amiable as ever. Back to business.


    ¡°These are the pens that were attacked?¡± Ailn asked, coming to the very back corner of the kennel. Three of the pens were open.


    Their fences showed no damage. Rather than an attack, it seemed more like the kennel master had simply been irresponsible; the sensible presumption was that the dogs had escaped.


    ¡°Allegedly,¡± Kylian said, looking for any sign of violence. ¡°Though¡­ it certainly doesn¡¯t look like it.¡±


    ¡°Odd, indeed.¡± Ailn glanced all around the kennel¡¯s floor¡ªin the pen, and outside of it.


    Kylian was certain they were struck by the same oddity. There was no blood. Not in the pens of the dogs that had allegedly been attacked, nor anywhere outside of them. For the kennel master to be killed and not leave a drop of blood was one thing. But near a dozen dogs?


    ¡°No one mentioned any escaped dogs on the day of the attack?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Or even in the past few weeks?¡± Ailn walked over to one of the pens that still had dogs, and his face scrunched up as he got closer to the smell. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°There are no reports of such a thing, no.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ve got the curious incident of the dog who didn¡¯t bark in the middle of the night,¡± Ailn said.  He stared at the whimpering, penned up dogs who weren¡¯t barking in the day either.


    ¡°The attack was around sundown, Ailn,¡± Kylian said.


    Something about the way Ailn spoke seemed suspiciously plagiarized.


    ¡°... Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too pedantic?¡± Ailn scowled. ¡°The point is, we¡¯ve got dogs who disappeared without so much as a bark. And a kennel master who disappeared, too.¡±


    ¡°The most sensible explanation is that he ran away,¡± Kylian said, musing to himself. ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one sensible explanation. Just one,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Do you have another one?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Ailn admitted. ¡°Not yet. Say, can¡¯t we just dig up the shadow beasts'' corpses and look through their stomachs?¡±


    ¡°A shadow beast¡¯s body fades away when it¡¯s killed,¡± Kylian replied. ¡°...You wouldn¡¯t make us dig up actual corpses, would you?¡±


    ¡°If the situation called for it, I would.¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kylian felt his stomach churn at the thought. ¡°I suppose there¡¯d be no justification for avoiding it.¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved he wouldn¡¯t have to cut through a rotting creatures¡¯ stomach to look for the bones of Sir Envont.


    <hr>


    Sir Envont¡¯s room was just adjacent to the kennel. Rather, it was an appropriation of the warden¡¯s room, the same way the kennel was an appropriation of old dungeons.


    Hence, it didn¡¯t have a door; it had a gate of wrought iron. That made it feel rather like a dungeon cell itself, though unlike a cell the mechanism for locking it was from the inside.


    The gate looked worn down¡ªbattered even. If the shadow beasts truly had attacked and killed the kennel master, then this was the closest thing to physical evidence he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Ailn said, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s worn down from the inside¡­¡±


    Kylian also found this perplexing. And that wasn¡¯t the only odd item at the scene.


    Rope was half tied around its latch, one of its ends blackened and frayed. Ailn examined it for a moment, before swinging the gate back and forth a few times.


    Presumably he was checking for an innocuous explanation. Certainly, the only halfway plausible one Kylian could think of was that the wrought iron gate would swing freely and make noise.


    He didn¡¯t find that theory particularly convincing.


    ¡°A bit weird to have rope here¡­ don¡¯t you think?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to make of it,¡± Kylian said honestly.


    ¡°Could the burnt ends on the rope be from holy aura?¡± Ailn looked at Kylian.


    ¡°Nothing disqualifies that explanation, certainly,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Though¡­ I can¡¯t imagine a reason to do so.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Ailn sighed. He gave a shrug. ¡°Doesn¡¯t do us any good to treat everything like nails just because we found a hammer.¡±


    They entered the room.


    Considering most of the knights slept in a common room including Kylian himself, there was much to be said about having a place to oneself. The room was probably larger than most of the barracks¡¯ private chambers even.


    That said, it was musty, damp, and seemed to Kylian quite unliveable. The mattress was simply left on the floor, and the hay inside looked lumpy. On top of it, and all over the room really, were bottles and bottles of wine.


    The knights¡¯ salary wasn¡¯t meager, but the sheer number of bottles meant it must have been where he spent all of his money.


    The room lacked a desk. Instead, a trestle table that would typically be used for dining was stuffed in the corner. Kylian would have thought he¡¯d used it for meals alone, except that he could spot splotches of ink atop it.


    ¡°Looks like Fontaine wasn¡¯t lying. Sir Envont really was incorrigible,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°It would appear so,¡± Kylian said, frowning. He shifted the mattress to the side, which released dust from underneath. It filled both of their lungs, leading to coughing fits.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful. Damn,¡± Ailn said, still coughing a bit. ¡°What were you trying to find?¡±


    Kylian cleared his throat a few times, and gathered himself.


    ¡°I wondered if whatever parchment he must have been writing was left under the bed. They¡¯re certainly nowhere else in the room,¡± Kylian said, eyeing all the bottles rolling around on the floor.


    ¡°No, they¡¯re not,¡± Ailn said thoughtfully. He walked over to the trestle table.


    As it was pushed into the corner, the area underneath it was fairly shadowed. It wasn¡¯t dark enough that it would conceal an entire stack of parchment, or even a single scroll, but Ailn found a small object underneath.


    ¡°Is this the seal stamp for the master of hounds?¡± Ailn asked.


    Kylian peered at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same seal on the reports, yes,¡± Kylian said. The seal was a simple paw print over a shield.


    A minor position in the Order wouldn¡¯t need the elaborate designs that could be expected from the seals of the knight officers. That said, he recognized the design of the shield on the stamp: a thin kite shield with a three-pointed top.


    This was definitely of the Azure Knights¡¯.


    ¡°How hard would it have been to forge this seal on the knight reports?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°The simpler design would certainly be easier to duplicate fraudulently,¡± Kylian frowned. ¡°However, I¡¯d be surprised if any craftsmen in Varant would be willing to attempt it. Forgery of that kind is a capital punishment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty strict,¡± Ailn said with a whistle.


    ¡°The need to rein in craftsmen to ensure authenticity is the same for any knight order,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Perhaps the need is even more dire for those nearer the capital, where political gamesmanship abounds.¡±


    ¡°...Makes sense.¡± Ailn started making his way out. He scrunched his nose as the fetid stench from the kennel over yonder hit the both of them. ¡°Hard to say how helpful this was, just yet.¡±


    ¡°I had hoped it would be more fruitful as well,¡± Kylian admitted.


    The timing of Envont¡¯s disappearance was hard to dismiss as coincidental. But he had a difficult time reconciling its relevance to the attack.


    ¡°Sir Fontaine did mention he kept poor company,¡± Kylian muttered, thinking to himself. ¡°Perhaps, he was an internal saboteur. He neglected the kennel because he¡¯d never intended to stay, and absconded immediately after the attack.¡±


    The two of them trudged up the long series of stairwells. Soon enough, they emerged from the kennel¡¯s nondescript entrance, which had been tucked away into a subtle recess at the very west end of the keep.


    Stepping out, they found themselves in the west arc of the bailey. The air was cold, but at least it was fresh.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost as eerie leaving as it was going in,¡± Ailn said. He glanced around. ¡°There¡¯s just something about coming out from a creepy place into the normal world outside.¡±


    Then he looked back at the keep.


    ¡°...Thinking about it, we¡¯re not too far from the Great Hall,¡± Ailn said, thoughtfully.


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine the kinds of prisoners who occupied that dungeon were political,¡± Kylian noted.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Ailn said. ¡°If I were a noble, I¡¯d probably like to keep the enemies of state close at hand.¡±


    ¡°You are a noble, Your Grace,¡± Kylian reminded him.


    ¡°In name, sure,¡± Ailn muttered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to mean much if I don¡¯t even live in the castle.¡±


    That, Kylian agreed with.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go check out my cottage, actually,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a gut feeling.¡±


    ¡°A gut feeling?¡± Kylian asked. The two of them took a turn, exiting the keep into the west bailey. ¡°It¡¯s understandable you¡¯d wish to see your abode with your own eyes. But I¡¯m curious what you¡¯re hoping to find.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Ailn said. ¡°It¡¯s a strong feeling, but not that specific.¡±


    Ailn fiddled with his wrist, and his eyes knitted together in his usual pensive wince.


    ¡°Something tells me I¡¯m gonna need to understand myself a little better, if I¡¯m ever gonna solve this case,¡± he said.

 Chapter 17: The Cottage

    It was a short trek to Ailn¡¯s cottage.


    Located in the woods in front of the castle, it was in a sense right in-between the castle and the city of Varant proper. It wasn¡¯t necessary to go through the woods to get to town, but it was possible, and the original Ailn clearly had an easy path to get there whenever he worked the fields with the commoners.


    In a sense, its location¡ª relative to everything else¡ªwas a mirror of the original Ailn¡¯s place in the world. Not part of the castle, and not part of the town. Just stuck in-between. And while the original Ailn had lived there for the better half of a decade, the new Ailn had never seen it.


    Now, he was looking up at it.


    It was a little thing of wattle and daub, and ¡®cottage¡¯ was a kind word for it; it was really more of a hovel. Covered in snow, and sitting on a barren and ice-slick hill, it struck an impression as lonely as it was cold.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about its size¡­¡± Ailn grimaced, taking care not to slip as they took careful steps up the hill. ¡°Was this built just for me?¡±


    ¡°I believe it was originally a groundskeepers¡¯ lodgings,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Nominally, the woods in front of the castle are meant for hunting. But in practice, they¡¯ve only been loosely managed.¡±


    That made sense. It wasn¡¯t some awful jungle to traverse, but the woods definitely suffered from overgrowth.


    ¡°This looks miserable,¡± Ailn said unhappily, as they came right up to it. ¡°Huh.¡±


    Round the back, there was a wooden pell¡ªlike could be seen at the knights¡¯ yard. The pell was old and splintering. Varant¡¯s poor weather had probably contributed, but it was easy enough to see that for a long time now someone had been diligently using it to train.


    Ailn found it a bit curious, but they¡¯d get to it later. For now, the knight and the nominal young master entered the cottage completely unbefitting nobility.


    ¡°Home sweet home?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Why are you asking it like a question?¡± Kylian looked at him.


    There wasn¡¯t much inside. A shoddy table of elm, surrounded by shoddy stools¡ªand a firepit in the middle.


    A hook drooped by chain from the rafters, and over the firepit a small cauldron hung from it. The place had a bit of a sour, acrid stench, and it was clear why: whatever stew had been simmering in the cauldron had spoiled over the last couple of days since its owner had been out.


    ¡°I¡¯m questioning if I want to come back,¡± Ailn said, peering into the mess of vegetables in murky brown. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not questioning it at all. I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You seem a great deal more materialistic ever since you¡¯ve ¡®come back,¡¯ Your Grace,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°I hate the cold, you know? Must¡¯ve just remembered,¡± Ailn said. The blanket on his mattress looked awfully thin.


    The cottage didn¡¯t have much in the way of personal possessions. For the most part, that squared with Ailn¡¯s impressions of the original owner of his body, but it was striking seeing the asceticism first-hand. He¡¯d expected to at least see a few keepsakes of nobility laying around.


    Everything here was functional, if not necessary. Farming tools hung from pegs on the walls, secured by cheap leather straps, but the tools themselves looked pretty high quality: they weren¡¯t rusting and the joints between wood and wrought iron were all well-fitted.


    A hoe, a sickle, and a plow all hung on the wall. Ailn picked the sickle up. The balance was good.


    Notably, there was an empty peg on the wall and a small chest below it.


    ¡°That peg was probably¡­¡± Ailn opened the chest. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Among other things, there was a whetstone. Which made it likely that the empty peg was where the original Ailn had hung his sword.


    ¡°I guess the shattered sword really was mine,¡± Ailn said, scratching the back of his head while he tilted it. ¡°But would I really buy a sword with orichalcum I couldn¡¯t make use of, when I don¡¯t even have meat in my stew?¡±


    He thought back to the wooden pell outside. Maybe the original Ailn had tried to train his holy aura, just like he trained with the sword.


    ¡°Kylian, can you strengthen your holy aura through training?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s debated,¡± Kylian gave a small shrug. ¡°Some swear by it. But there¡¯s never been any sort of exceptional improvement.¡±


    Then it was certainly possible the real Ailn had at least tried. The current Ailn¡¯s gaze floated over to the corner of his cottage. A cylindrical stand held a number of wooden swords, many of them rather worn.


    ¡°Did you know me as a swordsman, Kylian?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Not much of one,¡± Kylian said, apparently also struck.


    Ailn found himself distracted by them.


    It had been a lark to visit the cottage at all¡ªjust his instincts telling him he¡¯d find something of worth, even when his intellect said there shouldn¡¯t be anything to find. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Now he found himself wondering if it was actually this bundle of swords which drew him back to the cottage.


    His hands were grasping for one.


    In a lot of ways, he¡¯d felt the same yesterday, when he wanted to reach for a pack of smokes that just weren¡¯t there. But unlike those cigs, these practice swords were right in front of him. And the quality of the feeling was a bit different.


    He¡¯d craved a smoke. But what he felt now was more like yearning.


    So, he walked over and grabbed one. Then he turned to Kylian.


    ¡°Wanna try sparring?¡±


    <hr>


    With blows of surprising heft, and footwork of surprising alacrity, Ailn had Kylian on the backfoot. He gave the wooden sword a sharp thrust forward; he hadn¡¯t planned it, or even expected it. His body just did it.


    Kylian responded with a subtle turn of his shoulder, a sliding parry that ended with his sword at Ailn¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Damn,¡± Ailn said, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°I thought I might actually win for a moment there.¡±


    ¡°At many points, I feared you might,¡± Kylian said, not bothering to hide the frustration in his voice. ¡°I suspect you could best most of the knights.¡±


    The spar was hard-fought, and both of them were out of breath. Ailn had taken Kylian to the brink¡ªsomething that, in recent years, none of the other knights had managed to do.


    ¡°Come on, man. No need to flatter me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m one of the Azure Knights¡¯ best swordsmen.¡±


    ¡°Do they say that or do you say that?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°I know that,¡± Kylian said, irritatedly. He spat at the ground next to him. ¡°You must have trained diligently.¡±


    ¡°I guess I must have,¡± Ailn said, looking at his hands. ¡°And here I thought these calluses just came from picking potatoes.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t grow potatoes here,¡± Kylian said.


    Ailn had wondered exactly what advantages¡ªor disadvantages¡ªmight come with his new body. When he brought his smoking addiction along from his past life, he started to think there¡¯d be nothing left from the ¡®original Ailn¡¯ at all.


    But he hadn¡¯t known anything like swordplay in his old life. He knew how to fight, and he felt that experience aiding his swordsmanship, too; but fundamentally, skill with the sword was clearly ingrained into this body before he ever came along and inhabited it.


    So, it felt like a fair trade. On one hand, he brought along his vices. On the other hand, he got to keep the original Ailn¡¯s hard-earned skill with the sword. Skill he¡¯d honed in secret, apparently, if none of the knights knew about it.


    He respected that. There was virtue in secret effort. It hadn¡¯t been enough to save his life, but it was still worth admiring.


    More than that, the new Ailn felt like he understood the original Ailn a little better now.


    There was a strong sense of desperation still lingering in those splintering practice swords. Just seeing them had brought it out. But when the detective actually used one to spar, he found himself caught up in the emotion.


    There was one thing all the people in Ailn¡¯s life seemed to share in common. They all at least implicitly treated him like a pushover.


    Kylian thought highly of his moral character, but never said a word about his capabilities. Aldous and Ennieux each had their brand of condescending down to him.


    And Renea... her behavior was hard for Ailn to pin down from their brief meeting. He couldn''t tell if she was walking on pins and needles, or treating him like a child. It made some sense that she''d be overprotective. From her perspective, her older brother had miraculously survived.


    But he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that, if he were the original Ailn, it would sting¡ªbeing so profoundly underestimated. And it got the new Ailn wondering about what else this body could do.


    ¡°You said I had no holy power, right?¡± Ailn asked, resting against his wooden sword.


    ¡°Hardly any,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°How do I conjure it?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you unable to?¡± Kylian asked in return.


    ¡°I have no idea how to do it. Probably because of my amnesia. Can¡¯t you teach me?¡± Ailn gestured, turning his palm upward to ask for a small demonstration.


    Kylian thought for a long while, presumably pondering the pedagogical challenge. Then he shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s like asking me to teach you how to breathe, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said. He manifested holy aura into the tip of his finger. ¡°Once I could do it, I simply could. I never had to be taught, nor did any other knight. You can¡¯t conjure it at all?¡±


    Ailn attempted to manifest it, but unfortunately nothing happened, no matter how much he concentrated. Not seeing any results, he crossed his arms and gave his pensive, thinking wince.


    ¡°Should I be able to feel it?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t have much?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Kylian said. ¡°All the more because of it. A balding man would have an acute awareness of what little hair he has left, wouldn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an awful metaphor to try and console someone, you know,¡± Ailn opened his eyes with a frown.


    ¡°You truly can¡¯t feel anything?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ ¡± Ailn closed his eyes again and focused.


    Not for nothing, but Ailn knew his senses were sharp. So, he figured if he pushed his awareness to its limit, he might be able to feel the divine blessing flowing through him, the same way someone with a good sense of tactility can feel their own pulse.


    Unfortunately, he still felt nothing. He relaxed and shrugged.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯m even worse than before,¡± Ailn said.


    He didn¡¯t really care, frankly. Whatever hopes and dreams the original Ailn might have had, the detective now in his place was completely unfettered by them. Nonetheless, Kylian gave him a sympathetic look.


    Ailn¡¯s offhand flippant remark must have sounded like masked disappointment to the honest knight.


    ¡°You should be proud of your efforts,¡± Kylian said, with a voice so somber Ailn felt guilty. ¡°There is no shame in facing one¡¯s weakness head-on. It is far more gallant to master the blade through hard work, than to rest on the laurels of a divine gift.¡±


    Now Ailn felt really guilty.


    ¡°Right. Thank you. I appreciate that,¡± Ailn said. He didn¡¯t know what to say, and hoped his guilt looked like shy embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s uh¡­ too much for me.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Kylian said, none the wiser.


    Still, Kylian¡¯s sincere kudos on the virtues of effort got Ailn thinking about the shattered sword again.


    Maybe the original Ailn really had been trying to strengthen his divine blessing. He¡¯d been determined enough to become a good swordsman, after all. It made sense to hope his efforts could rectify the weakness of his holy aura too.


    Determination that¡¯s succeeded once tends to think it can always defeat futility.


    There were people who tried to grow taller by force of will, weren¡¯t there? The orichalcum dense sword could¡¯ve been aspirational¡ªhanging in his cottage every day like a picture of a Lamborghini.


    "Say, Kylian," Ailn started, "could you take me to the northern wall?"

 Chapter 18: The Miasma at the Northern Wall

    Ailn wanted to see the northern wall.


    Once they¡¯d returned to the castle from Ailn¡¯s cottage, they checked out the four main gates. They hoped close investigation would shed light on how the shadow beasts managed to find their way in.


    Instead, they were treated to a classic case of the right hand blaming it on the left¡ªand if it wasn¡¯t the left hand then it must have been one of the feet. The knights at each gate all had strong opinions on how the other gates were managed.


    No one had a good opinion of anyone except themselves, and their mutual accusations of careless drinking, falling asleep on the job, or even simple cowardice left a poor taste in Kylian¡¯s mouth.


    Now, the two of them were on horseback, headed toward the nearest part of the northern wall. After failing to get anything useful out of the gatekeepers, Ailn asked to visit the stables, whereupon he made his request to visit the north wall.


    ¡°Visiting the wall now of all times seems a bit.. eccentric, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said.


    The duration of the visit wasn¡¯t actually an issue. They were headed toward the nearest part of the wall, just a few kilometers away from Varant and less than an hour¡¯s ride.


    It was also the section of the northern wall that was furthest away from the miasma that spawned the shadow beasts. That meant it was the safest part of the wall. But Kylian still felt uncomfortable.


    They¡¯d left the holy barrier, after all. And while Ailn was weak in holy aura before, apparently now he couldn¡¯t manifest it at all. It felt like they were tempting fate.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get a handle on who I am, Kylian,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I figured if I got a look at this wall that people think I¡¯m a coward for not defending, I might understand myself a little better. See myself through their eyes.¡±


    For Ailn, this was mostly a literal statement. It was an act of empathy that was part and parcel of a proper investigation.


    But to Kylian, it seemed to be an expression of hurt, perhaps even self-loathing. However stoic Ailn seemed, and however much he took his negative emotions and used them to better himself, there was no doubt that seeing the cottage he¡¯d essentially been banished to stirred something painful in him.


    ¡°So, who sent me to live in that hut in the first place? My dad?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Saintess Celine, most likely,¡± Kylian said. ¡°If she didn¡¯t wish it, then it would never have happened. After her death, Sigurd¡¯s influence would¡¯ve prevented your return to the castle. Though I don¡¯t believe you wished for it, at any rate.¡±


    ¡°...And no one finds this harsh?¡±


    ¡°Duty is important in the duchy.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Ennieux?¡±


    ¡°She lived without reproach under the auspices of your grandfather, the late Duke Aaron. Saintess Celine continued to respect that after his death, and it¡¯s continued till now.¡±


    ¡°Grandfathered in, huh? Well, good for her,¡± Ailn said. Then, seeing the wall come into view up in the distance, he gave an impressed whistle.


    The section of wall nearest Varant was sensibly made into its most elaborate watchtower. As its fortifications were reinforced over time, as well as its amenities for rest, recuperation, and strategic discussion, the watchtower became something closer to a citadel.


    Ailn gently pulled on the reins of his horse. They¡¯d arrived.


    There were over a hundred knights around¡ªprobably as many as Ailn had seen his entire time at the castle. Given that this was the safest part of the wall, most were milling about, presumably resting before they took on more serious duties.


    A few knights were cutting out roots on the inner part of the wall.


    The largest single group of knights inspected a caravan to be sent out to one of the settlements along the wall. Besides being the center of fortifications, the citadel was the central resupply hub.


    The majority of knights, however, were mounting horses and checking their personal provisions, ready to head out to the next watchtower as part of their patrol.


    ¡°There¡¯s a constant rotation of knights that patrols from one tower to the next, till they reach the end and round back to the citadel,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Ideally we¡¯d have enough knights to have eyes on the entire length of the wall at once, but even being able to receive the divine blessing is rare.¡±


    Ailn glanced in both directions.


    Twenty high in most parts, the granite wall stretched on past the vanishing points in each direction. The citadel rose to about forty-five feet¡ªa box with slitted observation windows all around it. Tying their horses to some picket lines, they proceeded up the steep steps of the citadel.


    The inside was functional; just a passing space to the ramparts, really. The brick corridors would occasionally open up in arches, with stairs to go up or down to different levels of the citadel. Ailn guessed the lower floors housed a small barracks, and armory.


    More than a few knights gave him a peculiar look as he passed by, but he paid them no mind.


    The ramparts themselves lacked battlements, surprisingly¡ªthen again, it didn¡¯t make much sense to have them if they weren¡¯t fighting the shadow beasts with bows. Presumably orichalcum was too expensive to use in an arrow, hence the straightforward chest high barriers.


    ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll see an actual shadow beast today.¡± Kylian trudged up the stairs and gestured through the observation windows, towards the mountains in the distance. ¡°But you can see the miasma that¡¯s taken the lands up north.¡±


    ¡°Almost looks like a thunderstorm,¡± Ailn said, peering out.


    He¡¯d expected to see something more like fog or mist, but the dark clouds that huddled around the mountains were thick. Unlike a storm, though, they descended all the way to the mountain¡¯s base, and even stretched onto the plains approaching.


    ¡°How do shadow beasts form, anyway?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...We don¡¯t know, truthfully. Because it¡¯s such a suicidal task to enter the miasma itself, no one has ever observed the birth of a shadow beast,¡± Kylian said. ¡°And because they disintegrate upon death, we¡¯ve never managed to meaningfully examine them, either.¡±


    ¡°No one¡¯s ever seen one born, huh?¡± Ailn muttered to himself. Then he peered down the wall. ¡°With a wall this tall, is there really that much worry of them getting through?¡±


    ¡°Shadow beasts come in many forms. Some can scale these walls, and a few can even leap its height,¡± Kylian said. ¡°I¡¯ve read reports of shadow beasts that smashed through the wall, and I¡¯ve seen for myself some that slithered through its cracks.¡± Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a lot of things to watch out for.¡±


    ¡°The Azure Knights must always be vigilant, yes.¡±


    Ailn looked all around.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding about bringing knights to the wall young,¡± Ailn said. Looking back, he caught sight of the patrol that had just left, noticing a nervous teenaged knight riding in the middle of the pack.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the way of this duchy. She¡¯ll ease up when she¡¯s had her first few kills,¡± Kylian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Hopefully.¡±


    Kylian squinted, seeing who else was riding with her. ¡°There are good men there, like Sir Ivan. She¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    He had a look of guilt on his face. Perhaps he was thinking he should be out here too, fighting shadow beasts, rather than performing his relatively safer duties as a peacekeeper.


    ¡°Do you miss protecting the northern wall?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Certainly not. No one would,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°And yet you don¡¯t look too happy watching them ride off,¡± Ailn gave Kylian a sideways glance. ¡°What made you decide to become a peacekeeper?¡±


    Kylian¡¯s gaze met Ailn¡¯s for a moment, before he looked back towards the mountains covered in miasma. He had the distant look of memory in his eyes.


    ¡°It was when the duchy was attacked. The same attack that killed your mother, Your Grace. Are you sure you want to hear this story from me?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell it.¡±


    ¡°Seven years ago marked the twentieth year of your mother¡¯s rule of the duchy. There was to be a commemoration event at the capital, where she was to be honored not only as Saintess Celine, but as Duchess eum-Creid.¡± Kylian paused. ¡°On their way to the capital, the carriage which carried your mother and sister was ambushed. And¡­ your mother was killed.¡±


    Kylian still remembered the proclamation vividly: ¡®The Saintess Celine is dead.¡¯


    The knights had learned of her death first, but the shocked whispers and despairing mood had traveled nearly as fast as the herald¡¯s missive.


    No one could believe it. Least of all the knights. To them, Celine was invincible. They had all seen their Saintess¡¯s holy aura crash upon shadow beasts like thunder. They had seen their fellow knights regrow leg and arm, and knew she¡¯d been surrounded by at least a small cadre of knights. It seemed impossible that mere bandits could have killed her.


    But of course, they weren¡¯t truly bandits.


    Kylian shifted uneasily, continuing: ¡°Whoever attacked had disguised themselves as bandits. It was clear they had intended to erase the eum-Creid lineage.¡±


    The proclamation, however, did not end with declaring Celine¡¯s death. The most terrible day in the duchy had still carried within it a glimmer of hope.


    ¡®Lady Renea still lives.¡¯


    Renea had survived. And with her hope. Though their sorrow was great, the common people¡¯s sincere belief was that even this dark day would in time reveal itself merely as a long shadow¡ªone that was cast by the bright light ahead.


    But¡­ questions had arisen. With the knights most pointedly, but even with the laymen.


    ¡°My mother was killed, but not my sister?¡± Ailn asked puzzled.


    ¡°Your mother had apparently died protecting Lady Renea to her last breath. When we arrived she had¡ªshe¡¯d just expired from blood loss,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°A Saintess can¡¯t heal themselves?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Saintess¡¯s one weakness,¡± Kylian said. ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s meant to be shadowed perpetually by her successor. Her successor, once able to heal, is given the task of protecting the Saintess herself.¡±


    Ailn was getting worryingly close to a topic that many in the Order had pondered themselves.


    In many ways it was built into the institution of the Saintess itself. Mother would protect daughter, while the daughter learned to protect. Renea had known the battlefield from a tender age. By the time of Celine¡¯s death, she had a prodigious command of her holy aura.


    And yet, Renea had been by Celine¡¯s side when she died.


    Many citizens of the duchy had asked it. The knights had asked it. The only plausible explanation anyone could think of was this: Lady Renea had simply failed to manifest her aura in the most stressful of moments¡ª her inexperience betraying her talent.


    It was tacitly understood that in times of crisis, tragedy must oft remain unspoken. But the questions unasked were difficult ones. If the edge of one¡¯s sword was sharpened on the whetstone of prayer, then what did that mean for the young girl who could not save her mother?


    Their future Saintess¡¯s faith must have wavered when it mattered most.


    Even still, this could not douse the fire in the people¡¯s hearts. There was no such thing as faith without trial, true grace cultivated without sorrow.


    Thus, the people had faith. Just as the loss of her father and brothers to the shadows had made Celine into the most renowned Saintess in the duchy¡¯s history, Renea¡¯s loss of her mother would push her even closer to God, further into the realm of divinity¡¯s will manifest.


    The knights, however¡­


    As Kylian got lost for a moment in his own memories, he noticed Ailn had been silent for a while.


    ¡°It must have been a lot of people to kill the Saintess.¡± Ailn broke his silence. ¡°Especially while her successor was there right beside her.¡±


    ¡°They were as numerous as a small troop,¡± Kylian said, meeting Ailn¡¯s eyes. ¡°And they were strong, as they all had orichalcum in their swords. It was widely believed that the bandits were simply knights of the Blanc family in disguise.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The Blanc family was a rival to the eum-Creids, the only other family with the divine blessing.¡±


    Now Ailn was really puzzled.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s a whole other family with holy aura, and a clear motive for wanting to kill a eum-Creid. Couldn¡¯t they have been the ones to try to kill me?¡±


    ¡°That would be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because after the attack, the young master Sigurd led the Azure Knights to the Blanc family¡¯s domain. We¡­ wiped the entire family out.¡± Kylian¡¯s gaze turned away.


    Kylian¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t quite filled with shame, but it had more than a note of remorse. Clearly the incident had shaken him.


    ¡°I battled into their estate with my comrades when we defeated their knights. But the slaughter¡­ I did not take part,¡± Kylian said. ¡°I questioned if we were rash in pinning the Blanc family as the masterminds of the conspiracy. I felt the truth had been obscured. That¡¯s when I came to my decision to become a peacekeeper.¡±


    The unfortunate truth was, every knight in the Order had been left with darkened hearts. They could not wholeheartedly share in the common peoples¡¯ faith that everything, even tragedy, happened for a reason.


    It wasn¡¯t as if the common people had been misled by cloying sentiments. It was simply a difference in perspective¡ªbetween those who only faced strife, and those forced to perform necessary evils.


    The sky was turning dark.


    It was simply the transition from day into night, but standing atop the northern wall could have fooled you into thinking the miasma in the distance was spreading its sinister influence outwards.


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Ailn said thoughtfully. ¡°Sounds like it was a turning point for you.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s the hope, at least,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s an indulgent form of repentance.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a good guy, Kylian,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Trust me. The world needs more good people like you.¡±


    ¡°Good people like myself¡­ and yourself.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Lemme grab a smoke and then we¡¯ll head back.¡±


    Kylian winced. ¡°Do you really intend to smoke out here in front of all the knights?¡±


    ¡°If someone politely asks me to stop, l¡¯ll stop.¡±


    ¡°Does that include myself?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Ailn struck a match while he gazed at the miasma in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s an ugly, evil looking thing. But it makes for decent smoking ambience, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°If any other knight riding by heard you, they may very well push you off this wall.¡±


    ¡°At least that¡¯d be an easier murder to solve,¡± Ailn took a few puffs of his pipe. ¡°I appreciate you telling me how my mom died, Kylian. I know I put you on the spot there.¡±


    ¡°...Certainly, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ll admit I find it a bit confusing.¡± Ailn said. Enjoying the smoke, he let out a sigh of relief, into the cold air.


    ¡°What about it?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°My sister, Renea¡ªshe could¡¯ve healed at that point, correct? She was a prodigy,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But my mother, Celine¡­ she died from blood loss, right?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...That¡¯s correct. After protecting your sister, she expired from the wounds she sustained,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Then, what I don¡¯t get is,¡± Ailn continued, ¡°why didn¡¯t my sister heal my mom?¡±

 Chapter 19: A Family Dinner

    If the eum-Creids took one page from their noble peers in the art of decadence, it was this: the highest ranking members of the family each had their own private parlor.


    Ennieux had insisted, and though Sigurd and Renea doubted the necessity, they acquiesced to their aunt. She was already stubborn, and she seemed ready to die on the hill of true nobles needing parlors, eum-Creid pragmatism be damned.


    Despite both siblings¡¯ initial resistance, they quickly learned how to enjoy their personal parlors once they had them¡ªeach in their own unique way.


    Whenever Sigurd was actually in Varant, he usually had someone of importance in tow; entertaining them in a more private setting than the Great Hall was his way of securing bonds, and letting them into his inner circle.


    Renea simply liked having a place she could dine in solace, sometimes with only her lady-in-waiting, Sophie, to keep her company. Now knowing they were half-siblings, Kylian understood why the two were so attached at the hip.


    Ennieux, ironically, probably got the least usage out of her own parlor. Having no affairs of state to take care of, nor anyone to call ¡®her people,¡¯ Ennieux¡¯s only regular guest was Renea. Averse to the niceties of high nobility, her children often found excuses not to join her.


    Today, dinner was at Renea¡¯s parlor. Kylian had not exactly been invited.


    ¡°S-Sir Kylian? Of course, the more the merrier, as they say!¡± Renea stammered, eager to accommodate her brother in any way. ¡°Come in!¡±


    But the more was not the merrier. The least merry of all was Sophie, it seemed, who was giving Kylian a rather icy look for reasons he couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom.


    And as he entered the parlor, he could feel Sophie¡¯s stare trained on him, even as Renea seemed to be whispering something to her.


    It occurred to Kylian that he had no idea how the two of them interacted when out of public view. To what degree was Sophie treated like a true member of the family, when they were only amongst themselves?


    Was she perhaps¡­ presently forced to act like a maid in his presence?


    As it was now, the table was set for four: Renea, Ennieux, Ailn, and Kylian. But the table already had four sets of dinnerware the moment they arrived, even though Renea hadn¡¯t known Kylian was coming.


    Was he eating Sophie¡¯s dinner?


    ¡°How nice of you to join us, Sir Kylian. I¡¯m overjoyed to see that my incorrigible nephew has finally found a friend who can reform his errant ways!¡± The water had not even been poured, and Ennieux was already swooning, while Renea looked a little upset at her aunt¡¯s tactless comment.


    ¡°Yes. How kind of you.¡± Sophie, reduced to cupbearer, filled silver goblets around the table, bringing Kylian¡¯s to only a quarter full.


    ¡°...Thank you,¡± Kylian grimaced. He was rather thirsty, so this rude gesture was achieving its intended effect.


    The tablecloth may have been plain white, but here was such a tapestry of emotions. Ennieux with that dreamy look in her eye pressuring Kylian, Renea quietly upset at Ennieux¡¯s thoughtless criticisms of her dear and currently vulnerable brother, and Sophie¡ªhungry enough to be vindictive.


    And now Kylian was part of that tapestry, because he felt immensely burdened by all of it.


    ¡°Say, this water¡¯s pretty tasty. Is it from a natural spring?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°It is!¡± Renea clapped her hands together. ¡°I thought it would be nice to drink something finer than well water for tonight.¡±


    It was Ailn¡¯s fault he was even here. Why was Ailn allowed a full goblet? Kylian sipped delicately from his own goblet as if it were the most precious of wines¡ªotherwise there was no way it would last him the full meal.


    Still, as much as Kylian hated to admit it, finding that pipe was the right call. Ailn seemed much more relaxed in his conversation with Renea.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Kylian coughed. His throat really was parched. He gave a bowing nod to his lord and ladies. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to dine with Your Graces. His Grace¡¯s survival is a joyous occasion, and I¡¯m thrilled to celebrate it with the esteemed members of the noble household I serve.¡±


    ¡°...Mmhm! Uhuh.¡± Renea looked at Kylian with a graceful smile that failed to reach her eyes. If she was going to say something, she must have held her tongue.


    Kylian held back his sigh and tried very hard not to glare at Ailn, who¡¯d already drank more water than was in Kylian¡¯s entire goblet.


    ¡°Of course, Sir Kylian, we¡¯re all family here aren¡¯t we?¡± Ennieux asked.


    ¡°... I wouldn¡¯t dare make such a claim,¡± Kylian forced an awkward smile.


    Over the last couple of days, Kylian¡¯s behavior around Ailn had become quite casual, but that didn¡¯t mean he lacked awareness of the proper way to act around the family he swore fealty to. Being here went against his every instinct as a knight.


    Still, a setting this intimate was his best chance to try and understand the dynamics of the eum-Creid family. He wished to be as prepared as he could for the inquest tomorrow.


    As such, he glanced as discreetly as he could at Sophie to see how she responded to the word family. Judging by how bored she looked, she hardly seemed to notice it was even said.


    Then again, when didn¡¯t she look bored?


    Another maidservant came in with a basket of bread. It looked quite soft compared to the dark rye bread he typically had a chance to eat. He wished he would have had the chance to enjoy it under less stomach churning circumstances.


    ¡°Do you fancy this parlor, Kylian?¡± Ennieux asked. ¡°If you do, it would not be out of the question for you to become a more regular guest at mine¡­¡±


    ¡°That sort of intimacy should be reserved for family, but I¡¯m honored to be invited.¡± Kylian rebuffed her as politely as he could.


    ¡°Then it wouldn¡¯t be a problem if you became part of the family¡­ would it?¡± Ennieux looked shyly away.


    ¡°That would¡­ be quite something, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Kylian¡¯s forced smile faltered.


    He genuinely could not think of a response to a comment that forward. Thus, he grabbed a piece of bread, strategically occupying himself with chewing if he couldn¡¯t rely on his savoir-faire.


    And now salads were being served. Kylian¡¯s did not come with a fork. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Sophie,¡± Ennieux scowled. ¡°That¡¯s incredibly rude. Go fetch him a proper salad fork.¡±


    ¡°This will be fine,¡± Kylian said, holding a hand up to let Sophie know he was fine with his cutlery. ¡°What a wonderful exercise for developing my dexterity.¡±


    Kylian pretended to be intensely interested in his salad, and the difficult task of eating lettuce with a spoon.


    ¡°O-oh, is it really?¡± Ennieux put her salad fork down to mimic Kylian. She too would develop her dexterity.


    Ailn hoped that for Sophie¡¯s next act, she¡¯d bring Kylian¡¯s soup with another fork. But he kept most of his attention on Renea.


    ¡°Have you been alright with your amnesia?¡±  Renea fidgeted, looking like she wanted to hug her brother. She was clearly restraining herself. ¡°It must be awful for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve managed well thanks to everyone¡¯s kindness,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Sir Kylian¡¯s been taking care of me, actually.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Kylian looked up from his salad. ¡°Right. I¡¯ve been assisting His Grace.¡±


    ¡°Always so dedicated, Sir Kylian. It¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re not yet high marshal yourself. I do believe Aldous has become a bit doddering at his age, don¡¯t you?¡± Ennieux asked, her spoon dangling coyly from her hand.


    Despite it simply being Kylian¡¯s ridiculous attempt to deflect attention, Ennieux had managed to turn her spooning of the salad into a dainty-looking activity. It was even a little charming.


    Renea glanced at Kylian and Ennieux¡¯s odd activity, and though she tilted her head a bit quizzically, kept her smile and said nothing. Then she turned back to Ailn.


    ¡°Ailn, before we came back to the castle, we stopped by the merchant quarter so we could celebrate with a feast,¡± Renea said, with a hopeful and excited smile. ¡°An exotic game dealer was selling verdant cula?s.¡±


    ¡°Cula?s?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Is that perhaps similar to venison?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Oh, I¡¯ve been insensitive, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Renea¡¯s smile took on an embarrassed note. ¡°It¡¯s poultry that¡¯s like¡ªer, what birds do you remember?¡±


    ¡°...Chicken, definitely,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Do you remember what pigeons are?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s akin to a fatty pigeon, with lush green plumage,¡± Renea said. ¡°It¡­ was your favorite meal.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll remember just how much I loved it the moment I taste it,¡± Ailn said, reassuring her.


    There was a small glimmer in her eyes.


    ¡°We can take our time to help you recover the memories you¡¯ve lost,¡± Renea said gently. ¡°Perhaps items of sentimental value might¡­ oh! The pendant you gave me before.¡±


    Renea lightly touched her collar, before turning a bit pale. She clearly wasn¡¯t wearing any sort of necklace.


    ¡°I must have misplaced it somewhere,¡± she said, sounding defeated. ¡°It usually turns up at some point¡­¡±


    From behind her, Sophie gave Renea a chiding look. ¡°Lady Renea, if you truly cherish it, you need to overcome your absentmindedness.¡±


    ¡°Look at me, talking about helping you with your memory when I¡¯m so forgetful myself,¡± Renea sighed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take it one step at a time,¡± Ailn smiled brightly, turning to Sophie. ¡°I want to remember my relationship with each and every one of you.¡±


    Sophie peered back at Ailn with narrowed eyes, while Renea seemed to pale a bit. Ennieux, in particular, stiffened at the sight.


    ¡°Must you always speak so glibly, Ailn eum-Creid?¡± Ennieux scowled. ¡°You¡¯re making Sophie uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Uncomfortable?¡± Ailn frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ since I lost all my memories, it¡¯s almost like meeting my family again for the first time. And I¡­¡±


    Ailn simply trailed off, giving Sophie a curious gaze, and enough space at the end of his sentence for everyone at the table to finish it themselves.


    ¡®...was happy to meet both my sisters.¡¯


    ¡®...heard Sophie and I were quite close.¡¯


    ¡®...got so excited, I was going to ask Sophie to bring me more water.¡¯


    All of these were reasonable ways to finish his statement, and Kylian realized none of the family members in the parlor could be sure what Ailn did or did not know.


    ¡°It¡¯s rude to stare, Ailn,¡± Ennieux said coldly. ¡°If you have something to say, then speak forthright.¡±


    Of course, Ennieux would be the type to assume the worst. The spoon was doing angry twirls in her hand now.


    ¡°Sorry, I just wanted to ask for more water,¡± Ailn was as amiable as ever, and Ennieux could only simmer in response.


    ¡°Yes, Sophie, why don¡¯t you get him some more water?¡± Renea asked.


    Sophie seemed slightly displeased as she retreated into the parlor¡¯s prep room. Kylian wasn¡¯t sure if Sophie was suspicious of Ailn¡¯s intentions or if she simply didn¡¯t wish to act as a serving maid.


    She returned with the pitcher, having walked a decent distance to retrieve it; then she made a point of pouring a mere thimbleful of water into Ailn¡¯s goblet. Kylian couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied seeing Ailn¡¯s genial facade momentarily falter.


    ¡°I must say, the sung praises have understated it.¡± Kylian took the lull as a chance to direct the conversation. He spoke into the room rather than at any specific person. ¡°Lady Renea truly cherishes her brother.¡±


    ¡°To a fault, really,¡± Ennieux said. Her face was sour, but her voice was quiet enough that Renea simply ignored her.


    ¡°W-well yes,¡± Renea seemed a bit bashful to have it brought up so openly. She glanced at Ailn. ¡°Ailn took care of me. It¡¯s only right that I do the same.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you don¡¯t have more time to spend with His Grace,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Your duties keep you busier than Aldous. And Sigurd seems to discourage interaction.¡±


    Renea flinched, then sighed.


    ¡°Sigurd can be quite the tyrant of an older brother,¡± Renea said, surprisingly open with her bitterness. ¡°Insecure about being a mere regent, he never misses an opportunity to flex his authority.¡±


    She chewed what must have been an exceptionally crunchy piece of cabbage quite loudly, and her face was now as sour as Ennieux¡¯s. Then her expression turned regretful.


    ¡°He¡¯s otherwise exceptional and acts the way a proper duke should,¡± Renea said. ¡°I¡¯d even consider ceding my future family headship to him. Except.¡±


    ¡°Except?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Except he¡¯s a jerk,¡± she replied flatly.


    ¡°Sigurd is a pompous brute,¡± Ennieux said. Then her voice turned sweet. ¡°He knows not of chivalry like yourself, Sir Kylian.¡±


    ¡°The castle¡¯s nicer when he¡¯s not around,¡± Sophie said nonchalantly.


    By the look on his face, Kylian could tell Ailn found this contempt for his older brother quite funny. But rather than wanting to hear about Sigurd¡¯s dubious reputation with his own family, Kylian¡¯s true intention was to prod indirectly at Renea¡¯s relationship to Ailn. Oftentimes, the masks people prepared cracked more from glancing blows than direct attacks.


    ¡°With no rudeness meant toward our regent Sigurd, the duchy waits in great expectation for Lady Renea to officially take the headship of the family,¡± Kylian said, diplomatically. ¡°Many yearn once again to be led by the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Sir Kylian,¡± Renea said. She smiled and looked away, her eyes training in on her salad.


    If Kylian wasn¡¯t watching closely, he might¡¯ve interpreted it as her being bashful. But her fork moved rather languidly as it poked at leafy greens.


    ¡°The knights are nothing without the bestowal, Lady Renea,¡± Kylian continued. ¡°And I can only imagine how it taxes you, physically and mentally. Being alone in the chamber, lacking even your lady-in-waiting, and listening to knights confess for hours.¡±


    Kylian wasn¡¯t one for loquaciousness, but hiding probing remarks in-between fully innocuous ones was a tactic he¡¯d found effective as a peacekeeper.


    Renea gave a dry chuckle and her gaze turned somewhat distant. Meanwhile, Sophie looked as if she desperately wished to say something but was forced to hold it in. It was the most eager she¡¯d looked all night.


    ¡°Yes, it can certainly¡­ challenge the emotions to hear of the knights¡¯ curious misdeeds,¡± Renea said.


    Kylian had hoped she¡¯d comment on hers and Sophie¡¯s separation during the ceremony, so he missed his mark. And now he couldn¡¯t stop his mind from pondering what manner of ¡®misdeeds¡¯ his fellow knights were performing.


    He didn¡¯t believe it relevant to the case. He mostly just wished it hadn¡¯t been brought to his attention.


    At any rate, Kylian realized¡ªwith a little bit of a start¡ªthat their multi-course meal had barely progressed past serving salads. They had plenty of time to tactfully draw out honest reactions, and perhaps even glean some unwitting information.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± Ailn sounded as if he genuinely just remembered something. ¡°I heard something from the knights of the castle that I was curious about.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Renea asked with a smile. She took a polite sip from her goblet.


    ¡°The knights told me that Sophie and I were meeting quite frequently,¡± Ailn said.  ¡°What were we meeting about?¡±


    Renea choked on her water.

 Chapter 20: It’s Dinner AND a Show

    Ailn scanned the reactions in the room with as much subtlety as he could. Kylian was wincing¡ªprobably because Ailn been so direct. Sophie had a squint in her eye that was definitely not happy. Ennieux was trembling¡ªanger, not fear¡ªand Renea seemed a little upset.


    ¡°Well, I¡­ am not one to pry into people¡¯s private meetings,¡± Renea spoke quietly. ¡°Though Sophie has mentioned some of your interactions I believe.¡±


    ¡°We would simply meet for conversation, Ailn,¡± Sophie said. ¡°We are acquaintances.¡±


    Ailn was a little surprised to hear his name called casually without any title. Especially since Kylian was here.


    ¡°Acquaintances that arranged to meet so frequently?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°We are friends,¡± Sophie said, her increasing displeasure evident in her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it,¡± Ailn said, putting on his most grateful smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to know I¡¯m close to someone who¡¯s so important to my sister.¡±


    Renea, who had previously been gazing at the table a little sadly, peered over at him. She seemed touched by the sentiment.


    ¡°And I¡¯m certain it was a rather frightful experience to¡­ see me in such a state,¡± Ailn¡¯s eyes cast downward. ¡°Strange though it may be for me to say it, I hate that I indirectly put you through such an experience.¡±


    This statement, however, seemed to make Renea¡¯s brows furrow. She said nothing, and even started to purse her lips tightly.


    Her shoulders slouched ever so slightly.


    Sophie meanwhile, stood tall as ever. Maybe even a little taller than usual, at least in how she carried herself. She was bristling so intently it looked like she had her hackles raised.


    ¡°...Yes. It was very scary,¡± Sophie said, unconsciously taking a half¡ªno, quarter¡ªstep back. ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Ailn gave her a sad and weak smile, the sight of which made her turn her eyes away. ¡°On a cheerier topic, what would we talk about?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Sophie seemed surprised by the question. She craned her head back toward Ailn quite slowly, while echoing his words. ¡°What would we¡­ talk about?¡±


    ¡°I wish to replace the unpleasant things with happier memories,¡± Ailn said, his hand clenched lightly with gentle determination. ¡°What did the two of us talk about? We were good enough friends to meet often weren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ we talked about many things,¡± Sophie said. ¡°We met frequently, and discussed many topics. Too many to name.¡±


    ¡°Then it should be a simple task to name one, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...Life and somesuch,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°And somesuch? That¡¯s rather vague,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°We would chat regarding the events of our day and other such philosophical inquiries,¡± Sophie groaned.


    ¡°What did you enjoy the most about my company?¡± Ailn asked.


    Sophie¡¯s lips were a very thin line.


    ¡°... Your free spirit. Your devil-may-care attitude made me smile,¡± Sophie said, not smiling. ¡°It was a great deal of fun, if only you could remember it. Excuse me while I go and refill the basket of bread.¡±


    Sophie trudged out of the room, not bothering to grab the basket of bread she was allegedly going to refill.


    ¡°Ailn eum-Creid, what is wrong with you?¡± Ennieux whispered furiously. ¡°And here I was kind enough to stay quiet!¡±


    She gave a little slam to the table that made the plates and silverware clatter lightly. It was hardly an action meant to intimidate; rather, it was a feeble release of her pent-up nerves.


    ¡°Ennieux, I know for a fact their meetings are perfectly innocent,¡± Renea sighed heavily. ¡°There is nothing to stay quiet about.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then why does Sophie speak with such obscurity when I confront her? And why would she act so spurned?¡± Ennieux asked, her tone growing increasingly incredulous. She glared at Ailn. ¡°Is your memory truly vanished? You seem rather eager to resume prior business.¡±


    ¡°Ennieux!¡± Renea tried to hush her aunt.


    ¡°Goodness, how am I the unreasonable one?¡± Ennieux muttered. Snatching the last piece of bread, she began furiously yet politely chewing, her hand raised to hide her dainty bites. ¡°He is the one who seems obsessed!¡±


    ¡°You do¡­ you do seem quite interested in Sophie,¡± Renea muttered.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Ennieux pointed with her bread, before letting it rest on her plate. ¡°People see! And then they speak! Why give them more to whisper about?¡±


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s much to whisper about today,¡± Sophie said, reappearing suddenly behind Ennieux, who gave a surprised squeak and nearly fell out of her seat. ¡°Though I would hardly call the present volume whispering.¡±


    Sophie¡¯s voice sounded terribly cold. She pulled right up to Ennieux¡¯s shoulder, and loomed imperiously over her poor aunt.


    ¡°Perhaps all of you would be so forthright as to tell me what you were discussing,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°We were still on the topic of those meetings between the two of us,¡± Ailn said, helpfully. ¡°Ennieux had some thoughts. She had a lot to say, actually.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Ennieux stared flabbergasted at Ailn, her hand still hanging limply over her frail heart.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°In spite of my numerous assurances there was nothing interesting to discuss about those meetings?¡±


    ¡°That seems like a cold way of putting it,¡± Ailn frowned.


    Ennieux turned her eyes away from Sophie¡¯s icy stare.


    ¡°I was merely expressing mild concern,¡± Ennieux said, waving her hand in a gesture of resignation. ¡°There is no need to act so sensitively, Sophie. Heavens.¡±


    Sophie said nothing, but she continued to peer suspiciously at Ennieux, who attempted to ignore it. Ennieux, turning her attention to her goblet of water, sipped quietly at it, enduring Sophie¡¯s stare until she could no longer stand it.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to get bread?!¡± Ennieux snapped.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Sophie had apparently forgotten. She stared blankly at the table, who stared back at her.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± Kylian lightly coughed. ¡°I¡¯m rather famished, and I wouldn¡¯t mind a refill of bread. If it pleases you.¡±


    ¡°...Would you, Sophie?¡± Renea asked, pleadingly. She picked up the bread basket, and held it out for Sophie with a gentle dangle.


    Sophie stiffly approached the table, not even looking at Renea as she took the basket from her. Instead, her gaze was fixed on Kylian; she squinted at him wordlessly before making her way out of the parlor.


    ¡°Bad move, Kylian,¡± Ailn said, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have a rough dinner.¡±


    ¡°Merely from that?¡± Kylian muttered.


    ¡°Ailn eum-Creid,¡± Ennieux broke in with a harsh whisper¡ªthis time making sure to watch for Sophie behind her shoulder¡ª¡°I will ask you to act with self-awareness as it pertains to your station! Consider how you appear to others!¡±


    She gave an angry sigh, and momentarily regained her composure. Then, clasping her hands together sweetly, she turned to Kylian.


    ¡°Now, did you enjoy that salad, Sir Kylian?¡± Ennieux asked with a honeyed tone. ¡°If the herbs were to your taste, perhaps come Spring the two of us could take a stroll through the garden pavilion.¡±


    ¡°... The garden pavilion that is clearly visible from half the windows in the keep, Lady Ennieux?¡± Kylian asked, keeping his tone mild.


    ¡°Yes? Pray, does it trouble you?¡± Ennieux tilted her head. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    <hr>


    The meal continued on, and before long the conversation had progressed¡ªor stalled¡ªinto stilted silence.


    As poorly as the dinner itself was going, Kylian realized that the evening thus far had been fruitful for their actual purpose: to learn as much as they could about Renea and Sophie before the inquest tomorrow.


    Ailn¡¯s needling had been quite effective.


    It was remarkable, really, how often brusque manners got them what they needed. Even if Kylian wasn¡¯t convinced it was always the best way to do things, he could hardly complain.


    Sophie¡¯s vague answers and generally cagey behavior certainly gave Kylian much to consider¡ªto say nothing of her almost ostentatious lack of affection.


    Her standoffish demeanor could of course be the result of a fight between the two, but would she really keep up such pretenses after he was nearly killed? When he was an amnesiac on top of that?


    As for Renea, Ailn¡¯s tactlessness was also drawing out what seemed like an honest reaction. Right now, she looked rather depressed.


    Ailn, since talking to Sophie, had retreated into his own thoughts. Instead of paying attention to his sister who¡¯d so looked forward to dinner with him, he was most likely contemplating the case. Renea, meanwhile, fretted over bothering him.


    It was easy to see she was being considerate of her brother and his condition. What was that if not care?


    His sudden quiet turn¡ªafter spending so much time asking only about Sophie¡ªhad clearly hurt her feelings. The table''s atmosphere strained as a result, more than it had at any other point in the evening.


    If nothing else, at least the parlor had been lively earlier.


    Sophie came back into the room with four bowls of soup on a serving tray.


    What was noticeably absent from the serving tray was a bread basket. But at least she actually brought him a spoon.


    He sighed with relief. Kylian thought the entire dinner might be a culinary siege against him, but it seemed there was a limit to her pettiness.


    Taking a sip of it, however, he frowned.


    Nevermind. His was cold.


    Ennieux scowled. Hers was clearly cold too, but she said nothing as she took her small sips of soup very nobly.


    Ailn¡¯s soup looked cold as well. But that wasn¡¯t much of a surprise.


    Rather, only one bowl at the table had steam rising from the top, and its owner averted her eyes with much embarrassment.


    Sophie looked as impassive as usual as she left the parlor, not a hint of guilt on her face.


    Kylian couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished. He realized now he had little basis for thinking so, but the taciturn attitude Sophie carried herself with had always convinced him she was an exemplary lady-in-waiting. He certainly hadn¡¯t expected her to be¡ªthere was no kind way to say this¡ªsuch a brat.


    Renea cleared her throat awkwardly, as she took a sip of her appropriately-heated soup.


    ¡°Sophie can have her vindictive moments,¡± Renea whispered once she was out of earshot. ¡°Please, look past it this once.¡±


    She turned a sheepish smile toward Ailn, the main target of her concern, even as Ennieux rolled her eyes.


    Ailn, however, did not respond.


    ¡°Ailn?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°Hm? The soup¡¯s delicious,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Dinner¡¯s been wonderful so far.¡±


    ¡°...Excellent.¡± Renea¡¯s smile stayed on, but her gaze drooped softly down to her steaming bowl of soup.


    Ennieux again said nothing. Instead she clicked her tongue loud enough that everyone in the room should notice.


    Ailn, however, did not notice, and simply kept absentmindedly eating his soup.


    ¡°I-It seems Ailn¡¯s been recuperating in his own way, Sir Kylian,¡± Renea said. ¡°Has this been his manner of behavior since he woke up?¡±


    ¡°His Grace has¡­ given off a different impression to many since the attack,¡± Kylian said honestly.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Renea said. She looked crestfallen.


    Actually, this was the first time he¡¯d been like this. As Kylian knew him now, Ailn was more attentive than anyone he¡¯d ever known. And that attention typically extended far past just his surroundings; at the very least, he certainly knew how to read a room.


    But it didn¡¯t take a seasoned socialite to notice the fury with which Ennieux was currently gnashing her teeth. In fact, someone would have to be exceptionally hard of hearing not to notice, considering how loudly she was doing it.


    Suddenly, Ailn¡¯s eyes seemed to focus. He¡¯d been so distant, that even this subtle change was striking¡ªhis presence in the room increased dramatically, and it was almost as if he¡¯d physically re-entered the parlor.


    ¡°Say, when¡¯s the main course coming, anyway?¡± Ailn asked.


    And of course, since he¡¯d been mentally absent from the parlor, he was oblivious to everyone else¡¯s mood.


    ¡°It should be here momentarily,¡± Renea said. She sounded quite gloomy.


    ¡°It will arrive when it arrives, Ailn eum-Creid,¡± Ennieux said icily.


    Actually, Kylian had been wondering the same thing for a while now. Just when was that cula?s coming?


    Ailn silently took a moment to presumably read the air.


    Suddenly, Kylian felt an instinctual feeling of dread. It was true Ailn had the quick wit to quickly discern the emotions at the table. But that wit didn¡¯t always translate to the corresponding consideration and sensitivity.


    Sometimes, for whatever reason, he simply didn''t care.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Ailn said, holding up his hand and showing a subtle knick across the base of his thumb. ¡°Earlier today, I seemed to have cut myself without realizing it. I was hoping you could heal this for me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? O-oh. Certainly. Why, it does look like a nasty scratch,¡± Renea said. She fidgeted for a moment, and looked around the room. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do to have you eat your meal like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Your sister¡¯s healing power is not a parlor trick, Ailn eum-Creid,¡± Ennieux¡¯s voice was even icier than before. Ailn just gave a polite smile back, which galled her further.


    ¡°Ennieux.¡± Renea spoke firmly, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just, um, give me a moment.¡±


    The main course arrived. No one talked, as each guest was served an entire verdant cula?s, with roasted turnips. Except Kylian¡¯s of course, whose cornish hen clearly was clearly missing a drumstick, sliced cleanly off.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but the almost imperceptible upturn at the corners of Sophie¡¯s mouth suggested contentment. If anything, she actually looked a little sleepy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just pretend I shared it with her of my own accord,¡± Kylian muttered. If that¡¯s what it took to mollify the tyrant maid, so be it.


    Renea, presumably not wanting to hold up dinner, gathered her focus.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get that fixed up shall we?¡± Renea held her shaking hands over Ailn¡¯s. ¡°Sorry, I got distracted for a moment¡­¡±


    A white glow hovered over Ailn¡¯s cut. Within a moment, it was healed, leaving not so much as a scar.


    ¡°There!¡± Renea clapped her hands together and smiled brightly. ¡°As good as new.¡±


    ¡°It really is,¡± Ailn whistled. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a soothing drip of cold water.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the feeling can be quite pleasant,¡± Renea looked pleased.


    Things were cheery between the two siblings, but Ennieux was clearly not happy. She was presumably disinclined to see Ailn¡¯s boorish behavior swept under the rug, and as such she gave a sigh¡ª long, angry, and dramatic.


    ¡°Is something wrong, Ennieux?¡± Renea asked. Her smile strained.


    Ennieux glowered at Ailn. ¡°Nothing is wrong. I simply find my nephew¡¯s behavior lately to be in even poorer taste than usual.¡±


    It seemed to Kylian that meant something was wrong, but he kept that to himself.


    The modicum of pleasantness that Renea¡¯s act of healing had returned to the parlor was swiftly expelled. Both Ailn and Renea¡¯s smiles strained. Sophie, who looked like she¡¯d been dozing off in the corner, seemed bad-tempered after being roused out of it.


    ¡°Please stop, Ennieux,¡± Renea finally said. ¡°Why do we need to ruin this?¡±


    Ennieux simply rolled her eyes in response, while Kylian wondered how dinner had not been ruined already.


    Spoon still in hand, Ennieux rubbed her temple with the back of her palm and sighed yet again.


    ¡°I apologize if I¡¯ve done anything to hurt the atmosphere of this dinner,¡± Ailn said earnestly.


    ¡°You should be sorry!¡± Ennieux jumped on her chance to continue the bone she had to pick. She shook her spoon fiercely at Ailn. ¡°You¡¯ve been treating your sister with an abominably calloused attitude¡ª!¡±


    Her credentials as family mediator were rather dubious, but her tone was right and just. She only stopped herself at Renea¡¯s glare.


    In reality, Ennieux was the last woman who should lecture anyone about being considerate¡ªespecially since it was Ailn she was lecturing. She had not exactly extended him the same kindness.


    But it was true that Ailn¡¯s thoughtlessness had hurt Renea¡¯s feelings more than once today. And Ennieux, hypocrite or not, was not wrong to point that out.


    Ailn gave a plaintive sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s just been tough for me ever since the attack,¡± he said. He paused as if the next thing he said would take courage and vulnerability. ¡°My head is not always in the right place. I find myself rediscovering my old emotions.¡±


    ¡°No, of course,¡± Renea nodded very earnestly. ¡°I understand. Truly.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt your feelings, Renea. I¡¯m sorry about that. I truly am.¡±


    Hand over his heart, Ailn¡¯s eyes were dewy with tears and his voice was choked with emotion. So choked with it, in fact, that Kylian couldn¡¯t help but remember what Ailn himself had said earlier in the day:


    ¡®When my head¡¯s in the game, I can put on as good a show as anyone.¡¯


    ¡°I never took it badly,¡± Renea said, though her voice shook a bit. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alive, I¡¯m happy Ailn. I mean it.¡±


    Quick to forgive, this small apology from her brother was evidently enough to restore her optimism. She blinked a bit more than usual, but her smile looked genuinely cheerful despite the wetness in her eyes.


    ¡°We can take our time getting back your memories,¡± she said softly. ¡°And even if¡­ even if they never come back, we can simply build new memories.¡±


    ¡°...Of course.¡± Ailn smiled warmly.


    Ennieux smiled with smug satisfaction at her own superior emotional intelligence. She seemed convinced that Ailn¡¯s extremely conspicuous display of ¡®feelings¡¯ was indicative of the sincerity of his apology.


    ¡°There. Does that not lighten your heart, Renea?¡± She daintily forked a turnip. ¡°Why don¡¯t you embrace your sister, Ailn?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he doesn¡¯t have to,¡± Renea waved her hand awkwardly. ¡°It seems¡­ he¡¯s still uncomfortable with it.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. He clearly wishes to embrace his sister too,¡± Ennieux said confidently.


    ¡°... Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Ailn¡¯s warm smile continued.


    He didn¡¯t refuse, but Kylian could see the awkwardness in his movements as he stood from his chair.


    Renea shyly held her arms open, finally able to hug the brother she thought she¡¯d lost. Ailn approached her, kneeling to hug her, and she hugged him happily.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Still embracing Ailn, Renea¡¯s smile began to quiver.


    And all at once it crumpled and vanished, and the young girl pulled away from her brother, pushing him into the table so forcefully it clattered.


    There wasn¡¯t any anger on her face. Just a cold, miserable stare.


    ¡°Why do you smell like smoke?¡±

 Chapter 21: Sibling Shorthand

    The table clattered, and all eyes in the room turned toward the siblings in alarm. But no one was quite as stunned as Ennieux.


    Most certainly not at the revelation that her cad of a nephew had picked up the vice of tobacco¡ªreally, was that such a surprise?¡ªbut that Renea would react with such intensity. It was abominable behavior, no matter the reason, and even the Saintess deserved admonishment.


    When she saw Renea¡¯s eyes, though, she stopped. Her chest tightened.


    Just moments prior, they were so wide and happy. Now they were utterly stricken, hollow for reasons that Ennieux couldn¡¯t fathom.


    It had taken her many years to read the shades of emotion in her niece¡¯s eyes. She¡¯d always been jealous of their pure blue¡ªthe quintessential eum-Creid eyes, just like Celine had, just like her father Aaron had. And she fooled herself into believing Renea had simply inherited their irreproachably noble countenance.


    To Ennieux, those blue eyes meant invincibility. So, it took her time to notice when they shallowed or rippled, the subtle proof that even a prodigy loved by God could wear at the seams.


    No. Truthfully, it was never subtle at all. For most of Renea¡¯s life, Ennieux had simply chosen not to acknowledge it.


    Now Renea¡¯s eyes were terribly bleak, worse than she¡¯d ever seen them before. Her heart ached, as it crossed her mind that she must have looked this miserable just two nights before¡ªEnnieux would never know for sure.


    Even after the attack, Ennieux stayed in the lord¡¯s chamber, too frightened to leave. Unable to compose herself, she failed to console her grieving niece. She never caught her before she left the castle, never let her know she was always praying for her safety.


    Instead, Ennieux had huddled in her bed, cowering alone.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I just¡­ want to know why you smelled like smoke, Ailn.¡± Renea¡¯s voice was steady, even though her eyes were cloudy. Her gaze was firm, save for the way she blinked fast.


    Ennieux couldn¡¯t understand it. Here was her brother, alive and well. Was his new vice simply agitating her trauma, reminding her of his mortality?


    ¡°Renea, perhaps Ailn inched himself childishly close to the hearth. You saw he had a terrible time with the cold,¡± Ennieux said. It was a weak defense of someone she had derided all day.


    ¡°I know what tobacco smells like, Ennieux,¡± Renea said softly. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid.¡±


    ¡°Renea eum-Creid, I nev-¡±


    ¡°Please stay out of this.¡±


    ¡°You refuse to even ¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Ennieux.¡± Renea never even looked her way.


    ¡°...So be it, then.¡± Ennieux quieted down.


    Gone was her usual glare, so fierce like sun reflected on snow. All she could do was return to her own meal in defiance of her niece¡¯s unconscionable behavior. Why should she let a perfectly good cula?s go to waste? She¡¯d already let it grow cold, wasting breath rebuking Renea.


    Suffice to say, Sophie and Sir Kylian had also been shocked speechless by Renea¡¯s behavior, and Sophie looked particularly perplexed by it. But if there was ever a moment to intervene, it had fast passed them by. Their presence in the conversation had been crowded out by the sheer intensity in Renea¡¯s silent demand for answer.


    Ailn tousled his hair in frustration. It seemed there wasn¡¯t much to say except the truth. ¡°It¡¯s the smell of tobacco. You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea, if I may, His Grace was suffering from cravings that gave him issues of concentration,¡± Kylian tried to defuse the situation. ¡°Perhaps he has been trying to quit, but wished to have full faculty of mind during dinner today.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s having¡­ withdrawals?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard such a term,¡± Kylian said, a bit confused, ¡°but if you¡¯re referring to cravings, then yes.¡±


    Renea¡¯s eyes dwindled and shook, even as her rapid blinking continued. ¡°Ailn, when did you start smoking?"


    ¡°...I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I lost my memory.¡±


    ¡°Sir Kylian,¡± Renea demanded. ¡°When and where did Ailn get a pipe?¡±


    ¡°I certainly¡­¡± Kylian hesitated. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know what happened to his previous one. We did retrieve a clay pipe from the quartermaster today.¡±


    Ailn groaned, and smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand.


    ¡°Why would you¡ª¡± Renea trembled. ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find my old pipe,¡± Ailn sounded exasperated. ¡°I lost my memory, so I didn¡¯t know where it was. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Then why would smoking even cross your mind?!¡± Renea shouted.


    The parlor went silent. It seemed like half a minute before Ennieux ventured to say something.


    ¡°Renea,¡± Ennieux said in a weak voice, ¡°can you not forgive your brother this one time? I¡¯ll make sure he never smokes again.¡±


    She could hear the clattering of her knife and fork against her plate; her hands were shaking, no matter how she tried to still them.


    Against her better sense, she found herself trying to mend the situation even yet¡ªso why was her tactless and selfish nephew raising his hand to speak with that contentious look in his eye? She wanted to strike him.


    ¡°Just to be clear,¡± Ailn¡¯s tone was as mild as possible, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to stop. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°You ¡ª!¡± Ennieux started.


    ¡°Ailn wouldn¡¯t smoke in the first place,¡± Renea said quietly. She stared at the floor between them, rather than look him in the face.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know what I can say,¡± Ailn said.


    Their conversation made absolutely no sense to Ennieux. And Renea¡¯s next words were largely inaudible:


    ¡°... not yours.¡±


    That was all Ennieux could make out. Yet somehow, Ailn seemed to understand her, as he averted his eyes.


    In that moment, to Ennieux, Renea¡¯s anguish seemed greater than her anger. And the softness with which she raised her head to look at Ailn, her eyes luminous with tears, were so obviously a pleading look.


    ¡°Am I¡­ wrong?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°Ailn, dear,¡± Ennieux called him with a term of endearment she hadn¡¯t used since he was a child. She kept the trembling out of her voice. ¡°Please¡­ Whatever it is that pains Renea, won¡¯t you allay her fears?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Ailn let his gaze meet hers again, and the sight of Renea¡¯s eyes made him flinch. Then, making that obnoxious expression where he clamps his eyes shut as if the sun¡¯s too bright, he gave a tiresome sigh, before finally properly returning her gaze back. ¡°Renea¡­ I¡ª¡± Ailn stopped himself.


    His expression changed to one of utmost seriousness.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Renea¡¯s eyes widened. She looked plainly betrayed, and her lips momentarily twisted rather viciously at the corners.


    Ailn sighed.


    ¡°Renea, we¡ª¡° Ailn started.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say my name!¡± Renea shouted.


    She pushed him again, and a glass at the back of the table fell to the ground and crashed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear¡­¡± Renea trailed off, and while her glare remained, it fell to the ground as if matching her faltering words. Clasping her hands fitfully in front of her, she seemed distressed by her own volatile behavior.


    Ailn waited patiently, letting the air calm after she trailed off. Then he started speaking again, weighing each word carefully.


    ¡°I¡¯m on your side. We came from the same place,¡± Ailn said. ¡°We¡¯re kin.¡±


    ¡°...We¡¯re not,¡± Renea spat bitterly. ¡°We¡¯re nothing. You are¡­ nothing to me.¡±


    The parlor was so silent, Ennieux could hear her heart squeeze. The moderate and apologetic look on her nephew¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem to match his sister¡¯s harsh words. Was this simply how siblings fought? At least, was this how siblings who cared about each other fought?


    Trying to glean anything of worth from her relationship with Celine was a futile idea. And her own children¡­ They¡¯d never fought like this. They were always perfectly respectable growing up¡ªtoo respectable, even.


    They were already adults, in practice, yet Ennieux felt like she hardly knew them. On the other hand, she thought she understood Renea, but that had evidently been a sham of a belief.


    ¡°Can we talk in private later?¡± Ailn sighed.


    ¡°...No,¡± Renea said quietly. ¡°Please refrain from speaking to me again.¡±


    Sophie, who knew Renea better than anyone else, couldn¡¯t hold her worry any longer.


    ¡°Renea, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you acting like this?¡± Sophie asked.


    But Renea didn¡¯t respond. Eyes downcast, she sluggishly walked back over to her chair. Rather than sit down, however, she pushed it in.


    ¡°I¡¯ve acted rudely today,¡± she said, not meeting anyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that. But I¡¯m going to excuse myself from dinner. Don¡¯t worry about cleaning¡ªI¡¯ll have it taken care of tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªRenea! Renea eum-Creid!¡± Ennieux called after her niece. ¡°What is wrong with you today?!¡±


    ¡°Renea, please tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± Sophie pleaded, following after Renea as she made her way to the leave.


    Renea continued to ignore Sophie and Ennieux. But just as she was about to close the parlor door behind her, Renea stopped to say one last thing.


    ¡°¡®Ailn¡¯,¡± she said, seeming to choke on his name for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way tomorrow.¡±


    With that, she left, Sophie anxiously following behind, quietly shutting the door. It was just Ailn, Kylian, and Ennieux left in the quiet parlor.


    There was obviously little reason to continue the dinner at this point, and Kylian sighed and rose to join the already standing Ailn.


    ¡°I¡¯m bewildered by what just happened,¡± Kylian said with some hesitation. ¡°But I still feel you could have handled that better.¡±


    ¡°Would you have preferred I lied?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°...If that was the alternative, I suppose not.¡± Kylian took a deep breath, and looked terribly exhausted. Then he turned to Ennieux. ¡°Lady Ennieux, we¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Ennieux. I really am.¡± Ailn sounded like he meant it. ¡°We have to prepare for the inquest tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Go on, then. Just leave.¡±


    She gave no angry outburst. She didn¡¯t move her eyes from her plate, as she kept eating her cold dinner. In fact, if someone were to come into the room right now, unaware of what just happened, she¡¯d look like any other refined noble, dining politely.


    ¡°Before the night¡¯s over, I¡¯ll stop by the Great Hall and make sure everything¡¯s alright,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I mean it, Ennieux.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound wise to me. But since when could I stop you?¡±


    Ailn and Kylian glanced at each other. Then, seeming to think it was best to let her be, they both took their leave, Kylian giving a polite bow as he did so.


    When they¡¯d gone, Ennieux finished her dinner in the parlor alone, like she was used to.


    <hr>


    Aldous¡¯s quarters were not actually in the barracks, but in the keep. Kylian and Ailn made their way through the dimly lit keep, to meet with him one last time before the inquest tomorrow. They wanted to be as certain as possible about their preparations.


    ¡°The end of your conversation with Lady Renea seemed rather acrimonious, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Ailn sighed. ¡°That¡¯s gonna be an issue.¡±


    That seemed like a profound understatement.


    ¡°I¡¯m not certain that I could follow the implications of the quarrel, near its end,¡± Kylian said cautiously. He was trying to be graceful. ¡°Your speech and hers seemed rather¡­ abbreviated.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say Renea and I can speak our own language.¡± Ailn averted his gaze.


    ¡°...Despite your amnesia?¡± Kylian frowned. ¡°Did the ¡®intimate¡¯ family atmosphere prod something within your memories?¡±


    It seemed barely plausible. Habits may come to an amnesiac faster than static facts¡ªAiln had remembered how to use a sword right away, after all. And an intimate, even cryptic way of speaking that only siblings would understand could plausibly be ingrained deeply into someone¡¯s habits.


    But that still didn¡¯t feel like it quite described what he¡¯d witnessed.


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Ailn finally said. His curtness, rather than emotional, seemed evasive.


    Near the end of the siblings¡¯ exchange, Ailn had asked Renea if they could speak privately. That had stood out to Kylian. Even though it made sense that Ailn might have simply wished for a less chaotic session to apologize properly, for that the two¡¯s behavior seemed slightly inapt.


    If Kylian were being completely forthright, it seemed to him that the eum-Creid family may suffer from madness or mania that was inheritable. It wasn¡¯t simply Renea¡¯s shocking swiftness to anger that made him think this. Once she¡¯d turned furious, there was a certain ¡®offness¡¯ to her statements that reminded Kylian of Ailn in many ways.


    Perhaps the strangest part is how their ailments seemed to exacerbate each other. The more detached Ailn became, the more Renea seemed to come undone¡ªand vice-versa.


    Ailn, in the present, addressed Kylian directly and broke him out of his thoughts.


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it,¡± Ailn said, his words carefully chosen. ¡°But there are just some ways that my sister and I are the only ones who can understand each other.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°Does that apply to Sophie as well?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ailn said. ¡°It¡¯s just Renea. She¡¯s¡­ a special case.¡±


    Ailn stopped for a moment, turning to Kylian.


    ¡°Out of curiosity,¡± Ailn started, ¡°how far away can my sister heal someone from?¡±


    Kylian also halted in his tracks. He was puzzled at the swerve in topic.


    ¡°A fair distance. I don¡¯t know how far exactly. Why?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°No reason,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Just thinking about something. Trying to be less cynical.¡±


    ¡°...Are you? It¡¯s a good change,¡± Kylian mused, as the both of them began walking again. ¡°Or perhaps not. I¡¯ve pondered many times today if I could stand to be more cynical.¡±


    Kylian thought of all the cases that had slipped away from him, his heart aching as the families of victims mourned without even the solace of the truth.


    But how seriously had he ever considered that a husband or wife¡¯s tears could be false? Perhaps the truth was right there, and he¡¯d refused to look it in the face¡ªsimply because he wasn¡¯t prepared to handle it.


    Renea¡¯s behavior at the end of dinner was more than just strange and startling. Calling it violent would be an unjust hyperbole, but her erraticism certainly didn¡¯t preclude violence.


    Rapid swings of temperament were difficult to deal with. Kylian certainly didn¡¯t envy those who put in the care and labor required to attend to loved ones who suffered from temperamental difficulties. However, Renea differed in a greatly specific way from most individuals.


    She had the divine blessing. Her holy aura was more powerful than anyone¡¯s in the duchy¡ªperhaps in history.


    The control of one¡¯s emotions was pivotal to the use of holy aura. From his experience at the northern wall, Kylian knew that desperation in the heat of battle had saved him many times by magnifying his aura. The context differed, but the feeling could be likened to anger.


    The sheer strength of Renea¡¯s holy aura would mean that a rash and passionate act that, in any other case would have meant a black eye, could feasibly kill a man. If she had been in a rage and attacked Ailn on that day, she could have been entirely unaware of how much force she was producing until it was too late.


    Kylian grimaced as he pondered the unpleasant topic.


    ¡°Something on your mind, Kylian?¡± Ailn looked at him curiously.


    ¡°Your Grace, during the inquest¡ªwhat do you intend to do tomorrow?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I intend to catch the culprit,¡± Ailn said. ¡°The truth¡¯ll come out at the inquest. We just need to make sure the net is in place.¡±


    Kylian stayed quiet, simply giving a nod of affirmation as they reached Aldous¡¯s quarters.

 Chapter 22: The Only Chance

    ¡°Your Grace¡­ and Sir Kylian, as well.¡± Aldous opened the door to his quarters, bowing in Ailn¡¯s direction. ¡°I hope my current appearance doesn¡¯t offend you. Please, take a seat.¡±


    A doublet over his tunic for warmth, Aldous gave off a respectable impression, considering it was the nighttime.


    His room, meanwhile, was quite spacious. Sturdy oak furniture all around, with multiple lanterns on the wall for effective lighting. The room was warm from the lit hearth.


    Paperwork was neatly organized on his desk.


    ¡°The job never stops for you, does it Aldous?¡± Ailn asked, sitting down. Two chairs in the middle of the room faced a larger one, and all three came with the luxury of cushions and armrests. A low table sat between them.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t take care of any of it in the nighttime, my office in the barracks would flood with parchment,¡± Aldous chuckled. ¡°Unfortunately, right now I¡¯m going over compensation claims.¡±


    Kylian stiffened. He should be used to it, but it had been a long time since he¡¯d served at the northern wall.


    ¡°Was it the young knight I saw this morning?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°She seemed to be on one of her first patrols.¡±


    ¡°Ah, are you referring to Dame Colette? No. But, it was someone within that troop. Sir Ivan.¡± Aldous sighed.


    ¡°...I see.¡± Kylian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That¡¯s a shame to hear.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible loss. He¡¯d been in the knights for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ivan was a good friend of mine. Please give his family my regards.¡± Kylian¡¯s gaze fell to the ground.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Aldous gave Kylian a moment to compose himself, before they got down to the urgent matter at hand. ¡°I trust that the two of you have continued your investigation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a mixed bag,¡± Ailn said. ¡°At least in terms of concrete evidence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing my best, as well. I¡¯ve collected affidavits from all knights who were out in the bailey that day. I hope it¡¯ll be of use during the inquest tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°More than anything, Aldous, we need your support.¡± Ailn leaned in. ¡°Can you guarantee that if we prove who the culprit is, we can guarantee justice¡ªno matter who they are, and how important they might be to the duchy?¡±


    Aldous took a deep breath and let out a weary sigh. He closed his eyes. ¡°Of course, Your Grace. You have my word. The Azure Knights are bound under justice as would be any chivalric order. For matters such as this, no one is untouchable.¡±


    ¡°I mean it, Aldous. No matter who they are. I trust you understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do not fail to grasp your meaning, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said with a regretful tone. ¡°The Azure Knights will be informed duly. I will make sure every knight in attendance tomorrow understands that the very honor of our order is at stake¡ªand with it, the soul of Varant.¡±


    ¡°... I can¡¯t imagine it going that simply,¡± Kylian said, somewhere between doubt and astonishment. He hadn¡¯t expected Aldous to be this decisive. ¡°Who¡¯s to say they¡¯ll even side with us?¡±


    ¡°The knights will be reminded of their duties, in principle. Not told outright our intentions, or who we suspect.¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°I¡­ see. Then it¡¯s a sort of ambush,¡± Kylian said plaintively. ¡°Before they even realize what¡¯s happening, we must present irrefutable evidence.¡±


    It was more than just a daunting task. Frankly, Kylian questioned whether it would work at all¡ªthe only reason he gave it any credence was due to Aldous¡¯s decisive support.


    He tried to rub the tiredness out of his eyes. His headache was coming on again, and the exhaustion was coming all at once. Doubts about the soundness of the plan were creeping in, but it wasn¡¯t as if there was any alternative.


    Were they all even on the same page?


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave it at that,¡± Ailn said, getting up.


    ¡°Your Grace?¡± Kylian looked at Ailn, utterly confused. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to discuss further?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got my reasons.¡± Ailn once again averted his eyes. ¡°We all saw the same evidence, didn¡¯t we? It could be problematic if the three of us went into the inquest with the blinders on, just because we¡¯ve already decided the truth here.¡±


    Kylian arched an eyebrow. That almost made sense, but it still sounded like he was making an excuse.


    ¡°That seems wise, Your Grace,¡± Aldous nodded. ¡°Then let us hope for the best for tomorrow, so that we may discover the truth. Ah, Kylian. Would you mind staying a moment?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Is there something you wish to discuss?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°There is. Of course, you¡¯re free to listen if you wish, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said.


    Ailn furrowed his brow, and thought it over before shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead. I have a private conversation of my own I need to have tonight.¡±


    Ailn turned and left the room with a backward wave of his hand. Kylian and Aldous could hear his footsteps echoing down the castle corridor as he left.


    Aldous stood up from his chair and walked over to his desk. He¡¯d always been a strong knight, whose steadfast presence gave confidence to the knights he led in battle. But watching him now, he looked defeated. His shoulders had the slightest sag, and there was a stiffness in his gait.


    ¡°Kylian, tell me honestly. Who do you believe attacked His Grace?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t have a certain suspect,¡± Kylian said. ¡°I have my suspicious. But as of yet ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Be clear with me Kylian.¡±


    Kylian flinched.


    It was difficult to say out loud. And he still didn¡¯t feel fully convinced of it, but the circumstances more than justified making a case. If any other individual were found in her shoes, it would have been enough to pursue.


    ¡°As it stands, the evidence points most strongly to Lady Renea,¡± Kylian finally said.


    ¡°...I see,¡± Aldous replied. His tone was sad.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised by it,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Should I be? The evidence was difficult to contend with,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I had hoped your investigation today would prove my instincts as mere paranoia.¡±


    Kylian had been suspicious of Renea since the moment they¡¯d emerged from the passage into the bestowal chamber.


    The one sticking point he couldn¡¯t reckon with was her motive. While Ailn had seemed suspicious of her affection, Kylian could never find any particular justification for doubt. He certainly never saw her as someone who would try to kill her brother.


    But her maddened behavior at dinner had changed things. The explanation that she¡¯d struck Ailn in an act of passion, and her holy aura had produced unintentionally lethal force, was quite plausible. And the manner in which she seemed mildly ungrounded from reality at the end of their dinner only furthered its plausibility. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Still, Aldous hadn¡¯t been present in the parlor. Without that context, Kylian wasn¡¯t sure what made him more suspicious of Renea than Sophie.


    ¡°What of your feelings on Sophie?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°I was not sure what to think of her. And yet¡­¡± Aldous started then trailed. His tone was both regretful and thoughtful. ¡°Unfortunately, I have had my reasons for a long while now to see the other sides of Lady Renea.¡±


    Kylian¡¯s stomach dropped. Given what he¡¯d just witnessed in the parlor, Aldous¡¯s statement struck Kylian. ¡°But I will influence your thoughts no further,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I simply ask, how convinced are you in the truth of your case?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ am not so certain in my conclusions, that I would glibly declare her guilty,¡± Kylian said. ¡°However¡­ I would be remiss if I did not point out there is more than enough evidence to accuse her.¡±


    Frankly, Kylian had not thought this far.


    On the very first night he¡¯d talked to Ailn, he¡¯d assured them that none in Varant were above justice. At the time, he¡¯d put so little stock in the possibility of the culprit being Lady Renea, that he¡¯d believed his words to be true.


    She was the exception of exceptions.


    The idea of accusing the future Saintess was so unbelievable that he¡¯d failed to seriously consider how it might be done. Even now it seemed like a distant abstraction, and yet Aldous and Ailn seemed to have the full intention of bringing this case to a close tomorrow.


    But even still, he had no idea how.


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Aldous sighed, ¡°my plan is to have the inquest progressed to an inquisition.¡±


    ¡°...An inquisition?¡± Kylian¡¯s tone was disbelieving of what he¡¯d just heard. ¡°Against the future Saintess?¡±


    The difficulty of accusing Renea eum-Creid under the empire¡¯s laws actually had less to do with her standing within Varant, and more to do with her status as high nobility.


    Nobility could not be accused lightly. An arbiter chosen by the imperial family would have to travel the long distance from the capital, during which time they could only twiddle their thumbs and wait.


    Suffice to say, Kylian was not optimistic about their chances of trying her fairly. The imperial family could care less about a noble¡¯s violent crime, especially if that noble was as exceptionally powerful as Renea, and in such an important position.


    But worse than that might be the resistance from those in the Order themselves. Renea would be able to walk freely during the limbo period in which they waited for an arbiter. Given time to stew, it was likely the knights would be persuaded back to her side, whether she was guilty or not.


    An inquisition, however, would mean that they¡¯d try her not under the laws of the empire, but under the authority of the church. The Azure Knights were a holy order as much as they were a chivalric one, and carrying out an inquisition was well within their rights¡ªso long as they could formally initiate it.


    ¡°You may not realize this, Kylian, but I trust your skills more than anyone else,¡± Aldous said, breaking Kylian out of his thoughts.


    "My skills. Which do you refer to, Sir Aldous?" Kylian asked cautiously.


    ¡°In the execution of justice.¡± Aldous sat back in his chair, and tossed the parchment onto the low table between them. Kylian took it, and upon reading it immediately paled.


    <hr>


    Out in the castle¡¯s corridor, just a few halls down from the Great Hall, Ailn waited by torchlight. It was a cold and lonely place to wait¡ªhe¡¯d have to get used to that in Varant¡ªbut sure enough, a silver haired woman in wool robe and leather slippers came, carrying a lantern.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d come check on everyone.¡±


    ¡°I do not want you to check on me Ailn eum-Creid,¡± she huffed, ¡°and I won¡¯t praise you for keeping your word. That¡¯s the least a noble can be expected to do.¡±


    ¡°Sophie isn¡¯t coming?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t wish to speak to you.¡±


    ¡°I figured,¡± Ailn sighed. ¡°Forget it. How¡¯s Renea doing?¡±


    Ennieux looked conflicted; angry, but thoughtful, her countenance like simmering water.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking how my sister is,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Is she doing alright?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sat on her bed quietly refusing to talk to even Sophie,¡± Ennieux marched up, shoving her lantern angrily in Ailn¡¯s face. ¡°The girl is catatonic¡ªall because you couldn¡¯t stop one of your filthy vices!¡±


    Ailn raised his hands up, and averted her eyes.


    ¡°I had no way of knowing she¡¯d care that much, okay?¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Oh? Then you¡¯re willing to stop for your sister¡¯s sake?¡±


    ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re not. I knew it. Selfish as ever,¡± Ennieux glared. ¡°Is that the only reason you called me down here? To learn about how miserable you¡¯ve made your sister?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got other reasons,¡± Ailn lightly pushed the lantern away from his face. Now Ennieux tapped her foot impatiently, arms crossed as she stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand things. So, I¡¯ve come to ask a few¡­ family questions.¡±


    Ennieux tilted her head.


    ¡°About my mother.¡±


    Ennieux froze.


    ¡°...About Celine?¡± she asked, finally. Rather than crossing her arms in defiance, she was now more or less hugging herself, the lantern drooping lazily from her left hand. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Ailn closed his eyes, and started fiddling with his wrist, ¡°let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve come up on the facts of the case, but not the emotions.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Ennieux squinted through the glow of the lantern in confusion.


    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is, that I more or less understand what happened, but I want to know why,¡± Ailn said, opening his eyes. ¡°I want to understand, deeply, the motives of every person involved so I can be sure.¡±


    ¡°Ailn eum-Creid, don¡¯t expect me to decipher whatever nonsense you¡¯re on about. If you wish to keep speaking in riddles, then I shall return to bed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying our family¡¯s in danger, Ennieux,¡± Ailn threw his hands up in exasperation. ¡°The inquest is tomorrow, and depending on how it goes, this whole family could fall apart.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Ennieux started to tremble.


    <hr>


    ¡®To all ye present, by the authority vested in I as high marshal of the Azure Knights, I Sir Aldous Ferme, Baronet under the auspices of the duchy eum-Creid, hereby give my sign and seal in recognition that in today¡¯s proceedings, on the fourth day of the eleventh month in the hundred and ninth year of the imperial calendar, Sir Kylian shall act as bailiff on behalf of the Azure Knights.¡¯


    Kylian stared at the parchment in shock.


    Bailiff?


    If he were appointed bailiff, he would lead the knights¡¯ case. Specifically, the onus would be on him to prove the guilt of the accused.


    ¡°Aldous,¡± Kylian looked at him stunned, even forgetting to use formal address, ¡°this must be some kind of mistake.¡±


    ¡°It is not. I¡¯ve made my decision, Kylian,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°This is lunacy,¡± Kylian vainly looked for mirth in Aldous¡¯s eyes, hoping this was a joke. ¡°I lack the competence to perform this role. Surely there¡¯s someone better.¡±


    Aldous snorted. ¡°In this castle? Go on. Give me a name. I¡¯ll appoint that knight instead.¡±


    Kylian racked his brain for a long time, before giving up and hanging his head. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to do this, Aldous.¡±


    ¡°I have no ability nor desire to force you. Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Aldous said. ¡°You will be given full control of the Azure Knights¡¯ case. You will not be chained to whatever His Grace may believe, or what I believe.¡±


    Aldous was steadfast in his words and gaze, pausing a moment before he continued. ¡°I am giving you the chance to pursue the truth yourself. I trust in your ability to discern it, and to prove it meticulously at the inquest tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I shall take this duty upon myself,¡± Kylian said wearily. ¡°I shall take my leave in preparation.¡±


    ¡°Remember, Kylian. The knights believe in your abilities.¡± Aldous nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kylian stood up, giving a short bow. It was with heavy steps he walked to the doorway, when he heard Aldous¡¯s pained voice.


    ¡°I know how much I am asking of you, Sir Kylian. The difficulty and anguish of it. It is¡­ harder for me than anyone else,¡± Aldous said quietly.


    Kylian stood there, listening without saying anything back.


    ¡°Did you know, Kylian? We always considered her a child of miracles. At the moment of birth, we thought she was a stillborn¡­ but by some miracle, the quiet and stillness of her body turned to breath.¡± Aldous recounted the story sadly, with fading warmth. ¡°And yet¡­¡±


    ¡°... I will perform my duties with everything I have, Aldous. I promise you that,¡± Kylian said.


    Aldous said nothing, as he left. As Kylian began his way through the keep to return to the barracks¡ªhe realized, yet again, he and Ailn had not set a meeting place¡ªthe complications of his thoughts felt as if they were swerving together, as labyrinthine and shadowed as the dimly lit halls of the keep.


    Fortunately, when he¡¯d descended the staircase nearest Aldous¡¯s quarters, there was Ailn waiting for him, apparently done with his business.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go with Aldous?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°We¡­ had matters to discuss, regarding tomorrow¡¯s inquest,¡± Kylian replied.


    ¡°What, specifically?¡±


    Kylian hesitated to tell Ailn the Azure Knights¡¯ exact intentions.


    He was wracked with guilt. But he also wasn¡¯t certain if Ailn was truly prepared to see his sister through the process of inquisition, with threat of exile, imprisonment, and even death.


    It was possible he¡¯d warn her before tomorrow¡¯s proceedings, casting stones into the path of the carriage of justice, and giving her a chance to escape before she could even be questioned.


    She¡¯d summoned the inquest herself. Hence, if she truly was behind Ailn¡¯s attempted murder, this was the only way she could ever be caught¡ªwithin her own net.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­ thrust into a position of consequence, that I¡¯m not happy to take,¡± Kylian admitted, with some omission.


    ¡°I see,¡± Ailn gave him a probing glance. ¡°Well, I trust you Kylian. You¡¯ll do the right thing, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Kylian muttered.


    Trust was a difficult burden to bear. But in a way, he felt relieved. He¡¯d pursue the truth as best he could¡ªthat was all he could do.

 Chapter 23: The Inquest Begins

    By the early morning, the knights had gathered within the Great Hall, sat upon benches which had been brought in for the inquest. At the back of the Great Hall sat Lady Renea, upon the throne, her appearance stately and her visage frigid.


    It was a striking change from her usual overly conspicuous warmth. She kept a fierce glare, holding her left hand over right tensely even as she rested both in her lap. She needed a footstool to properly reach the throne¡¯s height, but nonetheless she kept her legs stockstill.


    Meanwhile, the knights all seemed nervous, though Ailn couldn¡¯t quite get a read on what they were worried about. Maybe they just didn¡¯t want to be accosted for doing a poor job of guarding the castle, but he suspected it had something to do with whatever Kylian and Aldous had discussed last night.


    Ennieux was not in attendance.


    ¡°Well, at least she¡¯s consistent,¡± Ailn muttered. He didn¡¯t particularly care about having her moral support, but in the worst case scenario her testimony might be needed to give weight to some of his claims.


    Hopefully it wouldn¡¯t come to that.


    At any rate, Ennieux¡¯s absence ended up highlighting Ailn¡¯s awkward presence on the dais as a member of the family. He was up there with Renea and Sophie, but his wood chair was situated at the far corner of the platform.


    So he was sort of right there for everyone to look at. He wasn¡¯t one to suffer from stage fright, but it was definitely uncomfortable. And after a few minutes of sitting in conspicuous isolation, it hit him that this was the first time since he¡¯d come to this world that he felt truly alone.


    The thought was sobering, to say the least.


    The Great Hall suddenly went silent, pulling him from his thoughts. Judging by the parchment now in her hands, it seemed Renea was about to give her opening remarks.


    She took a deep breath.


    ¡°Three nights prior, this castle was attacked,¡± Renea said. ¡°Varant the holy city was sullied by the presence of shadow beasts, and a member of the noble eum-Creid family was nearly killed. This is unacceptable.¡±


    Her voice was icy, and the knights were caught off guard.


    It was clear that her mood was poor from the start, but given her warmth just yesterday, on her arrival, they hadn¡¯t expected the inquest to start on such an accusatory note.


    ¡°Three items call for attention. The first is the question of how shadow beasts were able to break through the holy barrier, and enter the castle. As it is my role to maintain the barrier¡­ I am of course, not without blame,¡± Renea said. ¡°But our most serious failure is that we don¡¯t even understand how it happened. The knights have failed to pinpoint where they even entered the castle.¡±


    She swept a cold gaze over the Great Hall.


    But as she continued her opening remarks, her voice took on a strangely monotone quality. Just moments ago she seemed like she was on a warpath. Now, it felt as if she didn¡¯t wish to be here at all.


    ¡°This, of course,¡± she sighed, ¡°ties heavily with the next item of the inquest. Though it pains me to say it, we must properly examine the possibility of internal sabotage.¡±


    Renea looked around the Great Hall, trying to read if she had provoked any of the knights to offense.


    Though none of the knights looked happy, they didn¡¯t seem to take any particular umbrage. From the beginning, some form of sabotage had been suspected. Sensing no disgruntlement, she continued speaking.


    ¡°I bring this up with the utmost care because I don¡¯t wish to insult the loyalty of the Order of the Azure Knights, but I believe not even they can be fully exempt from scrutiny. Which brings us to the final item¡­¡±


    She stopped mid-speech, staring at her parchment. She seemed to blank out for a moment. Then, closing her eyes, and taking in a ragged breath, she let out a shuddering sigh before speaking again.


    ¡°The death of my brother.¡±


    Murmurs started to spread through the Great Hall, not to mention confused looks. Her brother was right there.


    Renea glanced at her brother and flinched.


    ¡°... I apologize. I meant the attempted murder of my brother.¡± Though she was still looking in Ailn¡¯s direction, her gaze seemed distant.


    She turned back to the knights, now glaring.


    ¡°The knights have continually refused to properly investigate. Someone killed¡­ tried to kill my brother, and yet the Azure Knights simply seem to not care.¡± Her voice was starting to shake. ¡°Have you forgotten your oath to the eum-Creid family? Do you think because he lived like a commoner he deserved less respect?¡±


    This, more than even the accusation of sabotage, seemed to evoke the knights¡¯ discontent¡ªespecially since her brother was sitting right there, quite alive.


    The way her speech would stumble, it almost seemed like she¡¯d forgotten this. That was too bizarre to believe, but still¡ªwhen it came to her brother, and the attack upon his person, she seemed to swiftly lose her bearings.


    Even now, her voice was getting louder and louder.


    ¡°It should never have come to this! If you had treated him like a eum-Creid from the start¡ªwhich he is, no matter how insolently you act toward him¡ªthen! My brother wouldn¡¯t¡­!¡± Renea¡¯s voice cracked. ¡°It¡¯s because all of you treated him like ¡ª!¡±


    Then she went silent once again, trembling. And her emotions seemed to leave even more quickly than they came, as her gaze turned weary, and her voice listless. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s¡­ pointless to dwell,¡± she said. ¡°What matters is that I¡¯m certain there was a premeditated attempt on the life of my brother. The matter will be given proper inquiry, as befits the name eum-Creid.¡±


    Aldous stood up. He¡¯d been sitting silently near the front of the Great Hall while Renea gave her opening remarks. If anyone would speak up for the knights to voice their misgivings, it would be him.


    Surprisingly, Aldous did not voice dissent.


    ¡°The Order of the Azure Knights agrees with your judgment, Lady Renea,¡± Aldous responded. ¡°We have reason to believe that a foul hand was involved.¡±


    Renea looked at Aldous. Her expression was muted, but she stared wordlessly for a long time, and it was clear she had expected more pushback.


    ¡°... Very well, then,¡± Renea said. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with testimony from the gatekeepers.¡±


    <hr>


    What followed was a rather cyclical debate between the gatekeepers. Clearly someone had messed up, they argued, or how else would the shadow beasts have entered the castle?


    Accusations flew about the room without catching a single admission of fault, much less a confession of guilt.


    The debate did little but convince everyone present that all the gatekeepers must be incompetent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move the discussion forward,¡± Aldous said through gritted teeth. It was an embarrassing display by the knights, to say the least. ¡°Wagging tongues and pointing fingers without concrete evidence do little to bring clarity to the issue. Perhaps interrogation of an extraordinary nature is in order.¡±


    The gatekeepers trembled in their seats, but the actual arbiter of the meeting didn¡¯t acknowledge the comment. Instead, she seemed to be staring blankly ahead.


    ¡°Lady Renea?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± she turned toward Aldous. ¡°Of course. The state of our gate management is abominable. And the quickness of each gatekeeper to castigate their colleagues does little to inspire confidence.¡±


    She breathed deeply, clearly trying to bring her focus to the fore.


    ¡°What say you, Aldous? Is it simply a matter of their capability, or is their loyalty in question as well?¡±


    ¡°Though their testimony has brought me great alarm, and convinced all here that the state of security within the castle must be earnestly and painstakingly re-evaluated,¡± Aldous growled, glaring at the gatekeepers, ¡°I do not believe any among them are treacherous.¡±


    ¡°And your reasoning as for why?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°Enough men are stationed at each gate and throughout the bailey, that there¡¯s simply no way shadow beasts could have entered through, whether by force or guile,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°Then how, Aldous?¡± Renea¡¯s voice was taking on an edge of irritation. ¡°Did they appear from thin air?¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea, the most probable explanation is that the castle has secret entrances that not even the Azure Knights are aware of,¡± Aldous said. ¡°In such a scenario, there would be many opportunities for treachery¡ªwhether by knight, or servant.¡±


    ¡°... Are you joking right now, Aldous? A secret passage?¡± Renea could hardly hide the scorn in her voice. ¡°Do you have a shred of evidence?¡±


    ¡°I do not currently have proof of a hidden passage¡­ to the outside of the castle,¡± Aldous said honestly.


    Renea stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Then why are you wasting our time?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Lady Renea, you are aware where your brother was found unconscious, correct?¡± Aldous maintained a steady gaze.


    ¡°...Of course I know that.¡± Her voice had a slight quiver, and she was clearly fighting to keep it as steady as possible. ¡°He was found in the courtyard at the north end of the castle.¡±


    ¡°Over the last two days, Lady Renea, a hidden passage was discovered that leads from that very courtyard to the inner keep,¡± Aldous continued. ¡°A passage that has, shamefully, completely escaped the notice of the Azure Knights till now. Though I¡¯m certain you¡¯re aware of it, Lady Renea.¡±


    The room had already been silent, but now the tension was palpable. Though the inquest had started with agitation on all sides, the dullness of rote procedure had lulled the knights into a false sense of complacency.


    Apparently the effect had been much the same on Renea.


    ¡°You discovered a passage?¡± She seemed to be choking on her words.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Lady Renea. While it doesn¡¯t lead to the outside of the castle, the nature of the passage is highly suggestive,¡± Aldous sighed, not seeming to enjoy what he had to do. ¡°It was a passage that led from the courtyard to the bestowal chamber.¡±


    By this point, Renea was clutching the parchment so tightly it was stretching. The fibers straining, it looked to tear at any moment.


    ¡°If¡ªif it doesn¡¯t lead outside, then it has nothing to do with shadow beasts,¡± Renea said. ¡°What of it, Aldous?¡±


    ¡°That is correct, Lady Renea. We believe instead that it¡¯s highly pertinent to the attempted murder of your brother.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The future Saintess didn¡¯t just look nervous. She looked afraid, and that filled the knights who¡¯d served her for seven long years with dread. Already stunned by the revelation of the hidden passage, they had little time to process the implications. Aldous was leading the discussion in a dangerous direction. His reasoning was unclear, but there was little to veil the accusatory nature of his words.


    None in the room could believe what was happening. Yet Aldous, perhaps the most respected man in the entire duchy, was not one to speak rashly, nor make a judgment ill-considered. He stood tall, his gaze solemn if regretful.


    ¡°Sir Kylian, step forward,¡± Aldous said. ¡°From henceforth, as acting bailiff, you represent the Azure Knights.¡±


    ¡°A bailiff?!¡± Renea nearly tripped over her own footstool in her haste to stand up. ¡°W-what possible use is there for a bailiff in an inquest?!¡±


    ¡®Aldous, what are you thinking?!¡±


    ¡®This is nigh treason!¡±


    ¡®These accusations are completely nonsensical! Our Lady was in the midst of her ceremony!¡¯


    The Great Hall broke out into a roar, but Kylian paid it no mind as he stood up and stepped forward. A parchment in his own hand showed the formal proof of his temporary appointment, and a scroll case attached to his belt suggested there were more leaves of parchment still to be shown.


    Kylian seemed content to simply wait for the din to die down as he collected his thoughts, but Aldous was not so patient.


    The white glow of holy aura surrounded Aldous, its manifestation alone enough to emit a humming, sizzling resonance. So bright was it, that the Great Hall even seemed to dim at its most distant corners.


    And all at once it dispersed, swelling and thinning for just a moment, before it twisted and seemed to whip back into his body. It was like a gavel, the crack in the air silencing the knights with its might, the echo of his aura asserting his authority.


    No one dared to reply. It had been a long time since Aldous¡¯s back had looked so wide.


    He¡¯d always exhibited such dignity on the battlefield, and as a baronet and true vassal, the adornment of the silver wolf of the eum-Creid¡¯s family crest upon his cloak had always magnified that presence.


    Now, that same crest seemed to lend him legitimacy as the family¡¯s trusted adjudicator¡ªeven if it meant casting judgment on those members of the family itself that failed to live up to the eum-Creid values.


    Aldous had passed that legitimacy to Kylian by making him bailiff. Everything was now in his hands, including the sword of justice.


    All attention turned now to him, it was Renea who finally broke the quiet.


    ¡°Sir Kylian,¡± she said weakly, ¡°please explain to me what¡¯s going on.¡±

 Chapter 24: Pursue the Truth

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the heart of the matter,¡± Kylian said. ¡°The Azure Knights will move to progress this inquest to the stage of inquisition.¡±


    He didn¡¯t slouch, and his shoulders were square, but the slightest downward tilt of his head showed his deference to his liege.


    ¡°An inquisition?! Have you lost your mind? That authority belongs to the acting lord!¡± Renea raised her voice again in a fluster.


    ¡°The Azure Knights have the sovereign right to inquisition so long as we have a quorum, Lady Renea.¡± Kylian pulled out a piece of parchment from his scroll case. ¡°This is a precise transcription from the Azure Knights¡¯ founding chivalric charter, authorized by Neifflor eum-Creid¡­ this city¡¯s founding ancestor.¡±


    ¡°But¡ªthat¡¯s¡ªthere¡¯s not enough knights here for a quorum!¡± she stammered.


    ¡°In times of crisis, the highest ranking knights of the order are sufficient to act as quorum. And as you know, Varant is considered to be in a perpetual state of crisis,¡± Kylian retrieved another parchment yet from his scroll case. ¡°Before I take a vote of confidence, I shall present the three key pieces of evidence.¡±


    He gestured at the parchment he just brought out: ¡°This is an affidavit from Physician Cairn, regarding Ailn eum-Creid¡¯s injuries on the knight of the attack. It is his scholarly opinion that lesions present on his head, neck, and shoulder, combined with trauma to his head, could only have been produced by holy aura.¡±


    Kylian turned his head, glancing to the back corner of the room, where a restless squire was sitting. He was, in fact, the only squire in attendance, and at Kylian¡¯s glance he nervously came up, placing two pieces of wood on the desk.


    One was a freshly sawn block, unblemished. The other was half-destroyed, burn marks permeating it, the entire piece in a state of mild rot.


    Kylian unhooked a knife from his belt and grasped the clean block. Summoning his holy aura, he slashed at it with as much might as the awkward action would let him muster.


    A knight in the room gasped, and all stared in shock.


    With the exception of the difference in rot, the two pieces of wood now looked nearly the same.


    ¡°The rotten wood serves as my second piece of evidence. It comes from the shed in the courtyard, which looks to have been destroyed in one powerful blow¡ªwith holy aura.¡±


    ¡°S-so what?! This is absurd!¡± Renea flinched. She had watched the demonstration in silence and shock like the rest, but the implication hit her swift and hard. ¡°I was at the bestowal ceremony! It must have been one of the guards!¡±


    ¡°Every guard on duty that day has an alibi, by testimony given from their colleagues.¡± Kylian shook his head. ¡°The last person seen with Ailn eum-Creid on the day of his death was wearing a maid uniform.¡±


    It was an odd wording. Not simply ¡®a maid.¡¯ But someone who was ¡®wearing a maid uniform.¡¯


    ¡°Then why would you¡­ how would ¡­?¡± Renea stuttered in broken sentences, her voice gradually weakening until it was almost a whisper. ¡°They didn¡¯t have any holy aura. None.¡±


    Her shrinking behavior was strange to the knights. Frankly, Kylian seemed to be suggesting a paradox. Puzzling, but hardly decisive. And yet their lady looked completely at a loss.


    ¡°This brings me to the third piece of decisive evidence, also within Cairn¡¯s affidavit. It has gone unquestioned that the maid in question was Sophie, Lady Renea¡¯s lady-in-waiting,¡± Kylian said.


    Kylian looked at that very lady-in-waiting, trying to read her eyes. At first he thought them stoic as usual, but he noticed a tinge of anger in the tightness of her lips.


    He continued: ¡°If she lacked holy aura, hidden passage or not, then neither she nor Lady Renea could have any relation to the attack. However¡ª¡±


    ¡°How dare you?¡± Sophie, who had been silent the entire inquest, had stepped forward to the front of the platform. She was hardly taller than Renea, but at this moment she seemed infinitely fiercer. ¡°Stop speaking, Sir Kylian. Don¡¯t say another word.¡±


    She looked like she wanted to kill him. Somehow, there was something compelling in her stance and demeanor, an air of confidence that suggested that she could.


    But rather than respond to her provocation, Kylian simply kept speaking. He didn¡¯t feel threatened, because he wasn¡¯t acting in impudence. Rather, this whole time he¡¯d been forced by his sense of justice to do something he desperately didn¡¯t want to.


    ¡°However, by the testimony of Physician Cairn¡­ Sophie is the child of Celine eum-Creid.¡± Kylian braced for the uproar that would follow.


    But it never came. Instead, a dreadful silence remained.


    The knights were still. The natural fidgeting of the crowd had ceased entirely, and many of the knights held their breath.


    The natural reaction was to object, even in blustering denial. The Saintess was truly beloved in Varant, and by the Order of the Azure Knights most of all. Nearly flawless in life, she had become immaculate in death¡ªbeatified the way only a memory can be.


    And that was exactly why they couldn¡¯t deny Sophie. In stark contrast to her typical quietness in the shadows, she was now staring fiercely down upon Kylian, her gaze imbued with noble dignity. They recognized that pride. Her irises were gray, and her attitude was immature and bellicose. But in that moment, Sophie resembled her mother.


    Perhaps even more than Renea.


    ¡°Both could have performed the bestowal ceremony. Both could have met Ailn eum-Creid the night of the attack. And both could produce the holy aura that nearly killed him.¡± Kylian said dryly. ¡°Only one of them, dressed as a maid, had the opportunity to do so¡ªwhen no one else in the castle could have attacked him. Therefore¡­¡±


    He looked up at the two girls on the dais. One looked stunned, and the other hateful. Something in his chest ached at the sight.


    ¡°Therefore the Azure Knights will now take a vote of confidence to formally progress to the inquisition of Lady Renea eum-Creid, and Sophie, her lady-in-waiting, to determine which of the two attacked and tried to kill Ailn eum-Creid. What say you, high marshal Sir Aldous?¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°What say you, master-at-arms Sir Dartune?¡±


    ¡°...Aye,¡± a heavier set knight with a sloppy beard nodded in resignation.


    ¡°And what say you, sergeant-prior Sir Fontaine?¡±


    After a moment¡¯s silence, all eyes turned toward Sir Fontaine, the most elderly knight in the room. His hands trembled, and the look on his face was pained.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Renea,¡± Fontaine said in a croaking voice. ¡°Permit us foolish knights to pursue the truth. And if we are wrong, punish us in proportion to our impudence.¡± If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Sir Fontaine¡­ please,¡± Renea pleaded. But he looked away.


    ¡°Aye.¡± He said it with anguish, but it was the deciding vote nonetheless, and Renea fell to her knees.


    Thus, the inquisition was formalized, due to take part in an hour as it was a matter of existential importance. It had all happened so fast, no one saw it coming¡ªincluding Ailn.


    The throng of knights slowly rose, and began to prepare for the inquisition. The defendants were escorted away. Kylian was already out of sight.


    Stepping off the dais mindlessly, Ailn watched the knights leave, still stunned.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    <hr>


    Ailn was more than a little dazed as he walked out of the Great Hall.


    The inquest went horribly.


    He¡¯d assumed as the literal victim, he¡¯d naturally have a chance to speak, but unfortunately that didn¡¯t happen. Both sides were so intent on forcing the direction of the inquest, they¡¯d left no room for his involvement.


    Really, who was he to talk? He was just the victim. Kind of.


    The inquest had been a matter of state. The inquisition, apparently, was considered a matter of justice and holiness.


    Hence, its proper location was the abbey, where inquisitions had always been performed¡ªthough it was ages ago that the castle had last seen one. Given the extraordinary nature of putting the should-be future Saintess to trial, the godly setting was especially paramount.


    Ailn had a gut feeling the set change to abbey would be less of a boon and more of an obstacle.


    More importantly, he hadn¡¯t expected Kylian¡¯s sudden appointment as bailiff¡ªhe was essentially acting as the knights¡¯ prosecutor. That wasn¡¯t a wholly bad thing. This could be used to their advantage, so long as the two of them touched base before the start of proceedings.


    He still could, probably. He wouldn¡¯t have a chance to explain all of his reasoning, but Kylian was quick on the uptake. As long as he could¡ª


    ¡°No one is to enter the abbey until the beginning of the inquisition,¡± a knight said gruffly. ¡°Right now, only the bailiff and defendants are in there.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ailn asked. About three other knights blocked his way. ¡°I¡¯m the victim. The guy who got conked on the head.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace suffers from amnesia, does he not?¡± the knight asked. It was a seemingly reasonable question. ¡°What influence do you hope to bear on the case?¡±


    ¡°I just want to talk to the bailiff.¡±


    ¡°...As you are both the sibling of the two defendants, and your friendship with the bailiff is well-known, it¡¯s been determined that letting you in on internal proceedings is a conflict of interest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace. I do not wish to be this blunt with you,¡± the knight smirked, ¡°but as you¡¯ve been recently injured, we have strong questions about your fitness of mind. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying,¡± Ailn sighed, ¡°that the Order of the Azure Knights is treating me as a legal incompetent.¡±


    ¡°I have not heard the term. As a word of advice, your consistent usage of bizarre and seemingly meaningless phrases was a factor in our consideration.¡±


    ¡°...Okay, that one¡¯s actually my fault.¡±


    Ailn kept himself in check, but made sure to memorize the knight¡¯s face.


    <hr>


    Upstairs in the lord¡¯s chamber, Ennieux hid under her covers shivering.


    Inquests weren¡¯t supposed to sound like that. This wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d slept through a meeting in the Great Hall; living right above it, she couldn¡¯t escape it. So many early mornings, she¡¯d found herself tortured by the rumbling of people that often accompanies tedious, bureaucratic work.


    That was not what she¡¯d just heard.


    ¡°Just w-what in the world is going on down there?¡± she murmured. ¡°Surely not another attack¡­?¡±


    Ennieux tried to will herself out of the covers, to at least check what was going on. It had quieted down now; she heard the sounds of boots thudding away. She was deathly curious¡ªyet even more deathly afraid.


    ¡°Is t-this perchance what Ailn spoke of?¡± Ennieux¡¯s quiet trembling intensified. ¡°No¡­¡±


    Her nephew¡¯s words came back to her from the night prior.


    ¡®I¡¯m saying our family¡¯s in danger, Ennieux.¡¯


    Actually, she had intended to attend the inquest. It was the kind of half-hearted intention that was more aspirational than it was sincere, but it was still more consideration than she¡¯d hitherto given Ailn.


    Unfortunately, she had too much difficulty getting up in the morning.


    She¡¯d already gotten up excruciatingly early the day prior, to greet Renea. Two days in a row was a bit much to ask for, wasn¡¯t it? Especially for a proceeding that shouldn¡¯t have been much more than a formality.


    The inquest had started before she¡¯d even been half-awake. And Ennieux, realizing that lateness would be more indecorous than absence, did the sensible thing and covered her ears with her pillow, annoyed that she couldn¡¯t lazily enjoy the warmth of her bed on a cold morning.


    Then there was a horrendous clamor downstairs. Though she couldn¡¯t discern the words, the fact that the knights were yelling so fiercely at all was terrifying. And why ever would they unleash holy aura within the Great Hall? The great crack and boom of a knight¡¯s aura had nearly thrown her from her bed.


    ¡°If it truly is something important, then I really must¡­¡± Ennieux murmured to bolster her courage. ¡°I-I¡¯ll venture forth in a few moments.¡±


    The tension stayed with her for the better half of an hour, and left her drowsy when it finally subsided.


    So, she fell asleep again.


    <hr>


    The abbey was grand but dusty.


    With its vaulted ceiling and interior of rich gray slate, it looked dignified even in its disuse. Both a site for inquisition, and a place of worship, it had been built with that dual purpose in mind.


    The front of the abbey became the front of the court, and the lectern became a witness stand. The chancel¡ªthe elevated platform with the altar¡ªwas populated with desks and tables to make it the center of proceedings, while the pews were re-utilized as a court gallery.


    Kylian was laying out evidence and parchment atop the bailiff¡¯s table¡ªincluding the writ of appointment that had made him bailiff temporarily.


    He consciously ignored the two sisters sitting in the choir box, which had been repurposed as a space for the defendants.


    Renea looked devastated. And Sophie was trying to console her, intermittently stealing glares at Kylian all the while.


    He didn¡¯t exactly blame her. But in actuality, as the subjects of an inquisition, they were receiving rather lenient treatment.


    Traditionally, a kneeler was brought in front of the altar and called the sinner¡¯s spot. Anyone under inquisition would be forced to their knees, with swords at their neck, for the entire duration of the procedures.


    This custom was actually outlined in the dictums of the Order.


    That said, Kylian had no desire to enforce it. He was not so naive to believe that justice could always be performed with clemency, but he felt strongly that physical coercion was a tool to be used judiciously.


    If the subjects of inquisition were cooperative, he was perfectly content to let them sit. To say nothing of the fact that the subjects in question were Miss Sophie and Lady Renea.


    Having prepared himself as best he could, and with time to spare, Kylian took a moment to simply sit and close his eyes.


    To outside observers¡ªespecially the knights who knew his fastidious personality¡ªhe might¡¯ve been presumed deep in thought. Meditating on the case, perhaps.


    Surely he wouldn¡¯t sleep at such a bizarre moment.


    He wasn¡¯t, of course. But he wasn¡¯t contemplating anything of importance either. He closed his eyes, because he was resting. He¡¯d learned a long time ago to rest when he could, when worry and paralytic thought spirals would do him no good.


    It took practice to remain vigilant on the brink of somnolence. The growing din of the abbey kept him rightly tethered to consciousness, even as he relaxed his thoughts and let himself drift into memory.


    He¡¯d always been even-keeled. Moderate in all things, he lived a life that was sensible but never fully considered.


    And one day, that sensible lifestyle led him to the gates of the west, marching through a city of people who had never known fear, slashing through knights who had scarcely faced battle.


    When he was finally pushed to his moral limits, standing outside that palace where his fellow knights would slaughter the Blancs without trial, moderation finally sheathed his sword. But what good did it do? It was a meaningless form of dissent.


    He turned back alone, and the hollowness of the action made him wonder what he believed at all.


    He didn¡¯t know what he wished to fight for, because he¡¯d always been willing to lay down his life as a matter of course.


    He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d be willing to sacrifice, because he didn¡¯t even know what he treasured in the first place.


    So many years later, Kylian¡¯s time as a peacekeeper had inculcated just one powerful conviction: if nothing else, pursue the truth. Justice may not be possible. It may not even exist. But truth would never be its enemy.


    He opened his eyes.


    The abbey was beginning to quiet as every spectator had finally seated. The desolate look on Lady Renea¡¯s face gave him pause, but he had to keep moving forward.


    ¡°Let us begin the proceedings,¡± Kylian said, rising to his feet.

 Chapter 25: Children of Divinity

    Cairn was not happy.


    Didn¡¯t he ask Ailn not to get him caught up in anything?


    Or was this Kylian¡¯s fault? The knight had a penchant for bothering him at awful hours. The worst part is last night, Kylian had brought Sir Aldous of all men to his door¡ªand so at midnight he found himself putting to parchment a secret he¡¯d planned to take to his grave: the truth of Sophie¡¯s birth.


    Cairn thought that was the end of it.


    But now he was in the abbey standing at the lectern turned witness stand.


    He¡¯d been called in to provide expert testimony about a very specific thing: Kylian, scrupulous as usual, did not want the nature of the attack to be in any doubt.


    Kylian wanted to establish two things. First: that Ailn eum-Creid had been severely injured, and in a state that was essentially left for dead. Second: that the Saintess had nothing to do with his recovery.


    The original Ailn had died, and a reincarnator had taken his place. Cairn doubted it had anything to do with holy aura, because Ailn hadn¡¯t been ¡®healed¡¯, he¡¯d literally been brought back to life. But he couldn¡¯t testify as such.


    Instead, he¡¯d have to stand up here and dance around the truth, while desperately not trying to garner a reputation as a quack physician.


    Basically, Kylian had unintentionally screwed Cairn over.


    ¡°Physician Cairn,¡± Kylian started, ¡°what was the state of Ailn eum-Creid after the attack?¡±


    ¡°He was covered in lacerations. He had lesions to his neck. And he had seemingly died from blunt force trauma,¡± Cairn replied.


    ¡°Was he dead?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°... He was in a state that I could not distinguish from death,¡± Cairn said honestly. ¡°That¡¯s my answer.¡±


    Murmurs of confusion spread throughout the room. The young master Ailn was alive in this very room. In fact, he was sitting in the pews among the knights, apparently being protected by two who watched his every movement.


    But it was true that he seemed dead when they had examined his body.


    ¡°Cairn, answer honestly. Was Ailn eum-Creid¡¯s miraculous recovery the result of holy aura? Did the Saintess heal him of his wounds from a near death state?¡±


    ¡°If that were the case, then he would¡¯ve been healed before she had left the castle,¡± Cairn shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t speak to what the divine blessing can or can¡¯t do. But I¡¯ll state for the record Ailn¡¯s recovery happened well after she left.¡±


    He furrowed his brow in annoyance.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you ask the young master himself?¡± Cairn asked.


    He looked toward Ailn sitting in the pews. Cairn was not going to bear this onus alone. The brash reincarnator who¡¯d made a mess of things should sit in the hot seat too, shouldn¡¯t he?


    Especially if they were trying to catch Lady Renea.


    The knights began to talk among themselves quietly. It seemed that more than a few of them had their grievances with him.


    ¡®Could this be¡­ a demonic possession?¡¯


    ¡®Is that why he¡¯s been so insufferable?¡¯


    ¡°What did I even do to y¡ªagh!¡± Ailn flinched. It was almost like something hit him in the back. ¡°Look. I have no memory before waking up.¡±


    With that, a knight¡¯s hand grabbed Ailn¡¯s collar and yanked him back into the seat. Cairn didn¡¯t know what was going on there.


    ¡®He truly could be a demon¡­¡¯


    ¡®No. A demon should be cleverer than he.¡¯


    ¡°Enough,¡± Kylian said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to speculate about realms we don¡¯t understand. I just wish for your expert opinion as a physician, Cairn. Is Ailn healed right now because of the work of Lady Renea?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Cairn couldn¡¯t help but glance toward the defendants. The future Saintess looked dejected and miserable. He sighed. ¡°I cannot in good conscience say she healed him. Nothing in my learnings would corroborate that. But¡­¡±


    Cairn¡¯s expression softened, and took on a hint of pity.


    ¡°But I remember she prayed for her brother when she thought he had died,¡± he said. ¡°Who¡¯s to say her prayer wasn¡¯t heard? That¡¯s all I¡¯ll speak of the matter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Cairn. Your testimony is appreciated,¡± Kylian said, nodding to him as Cairn returned to the pews. Kylian turned his attention to the pews. ¡°My fellows in the Order of the Azure Knights. This inquisition is intimately tied to faith and holiness.¡±


    He closed his eyes, thinking over his next words, trying to take care.


    ¡°I will not make an appeal to your faith,¡± Kylian said, opening his eyes. ¡°But I will not ask you to dispense of it, either. However you must, I only ask that you listen with open eyes and keen ears, and determine the truth yourself. Whether that truth be godly or not.¡±


    When it came to the Azure Knights, Kylian did not merely have to worry about the receptivity of those who were fervently devout.


    More than a few knights felt extreme antipathy for their own religion. And it was not his goal to convict Lady Renea at all costs. It was to find the truth.


    Now, as before, the Azure Knights would determine the life or death of children of divinity.


    And they would need to ask themselves now the question they¡¯d ignored then: What did it mean to kill an owner of the divine blessing?


    When the knights had been led in retaliation against the Blancs, they were presented with a theological contradiction that many of them never comfortably resolved.


    Killing the Blancs was an act of revenge, justified by a need for security. It did not disillusion the knights of their duchy, but it did disenchant them with their faith. The questions they faced today were much the same.


    What did it mean if either Lady Renea or Miss Sophie had tried to murder Ailn, using the divine blessing?


    They were siblings, all three, but one was illegitimate, and the other was so scorned by his family that he was all but disowned.


    Questions of holiness were further wrapped up in complicated webs of lineage and blood. And before they could even decide what was just, they still had to determine what was true¡ªit was Kylian who carried that burden. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He detested this hand he was dealt, but he had chosen to keep it.


    Luck or misfortune may have made him bailiff, but it was the earnest desire to do the right thing that brought him to this abbey today.


    Standing to address both the knights and the two defendants, Kylian gestured to the two children of divinity.


    ¡°The case of the Azure Knights is simple,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Firstly, it bears repeating: that both Lady Renea and Miss Sophie are daughters of Celine eum-Creid.¡±


    Sitting side-by-side, the familial resemblance between the two sisters was now readily apparent. Both possessed noble features: oval-shaped faces with high cheekbones, unblemished skin, and an inherent grace in manner.


    Yet, it had gone unnoticed as Sophie¡ªwith her ashen brown hair and steely gray eyes¡ªfaded into Renea¡¯s shadow.


    "With the eum-Creid blood coursing through their veins, both may have inherited the divine blessing. Consequently, both were also capable of the attempted murder of Ailn eum-Creid, whose assault was executed using holy aura," Kylian concluded.


    Renea had a resigned look on her face, but Sophie openly glared at the knight.


    ¡°And what of it?¡± Sophie retorted sharply. ¡°This entire abbey is filled with knights skilled in the use of holy aura. Anyone here was capable of the crime!¡±


    As Sophie glared daggers at Kylian, it became evident that the two sisters had split the difference, when it came to their eyes.


    Renea may have inherited her mother and grandfather¡¯s blue irises, but her rounded eyes lent her a soft and disarming expression. It was Sophie, instead, with her noble and piercing gaze who seemed to embody their regal countenance.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not the case,¡± Kylian shook his head. ¡°The attack occurred simultaneously with both the bestowal ceremony, and the shadow beast attack. The only individual who was with Ailn at that time was the maid.¡±


    ¡°And how are you so certain about the timing of the attack?¡± Sophie¡¯s gaze hardened.


    ¡°The testimony of those who were in the mess hall. Three blasts were heard. Loud concussive sounds, compared to the launching of a catapult,¡± Kylian said. ¡°The attack could only have occurred during the ceremony.


    A hiccuping sound could be heard in the audience, to the annoyance of everyone focused on the inquisition.


    ¡°That¡ªthat can¡¯t be the case¡­¡± Sophie tensed.


    ¡°Why is it not?¡±


    ¡°Ailn was on the ground before the shadow beasts ever came,¡± Sophie said. She kept her voice mostly firm, but the slightest tremor was still there, and her eyes darted to her sister just once.


    ¡°Can I take that as an admission that you were with Ailn eum-Creid that day, and not Lady Renea?¡±


    ¡°How could that possibly be in question?¡± Sophie inquired coolly. ¡°Renea was bestowing the divine blessing. Regardless of our lineage, there¡¯s nothing to suggest otherwise.¡±


    In response, Kylian pulled a bottle off of his belt. Within it were two shreds of fabric, and small shards of glass. He pulled out the blue piece of fabric.


    ¡°This fabric, belonging to a maid¡¯s kirtle just the same as Miss Sophie currently wears, was found in the courtyard,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Alone, this is an unremarkable fact. Rather, the salient point is that it was found, torn by one of the broken decorations of the fountain.¡±


    Kylian turned to the knights in the audience: ¡°That fountain, meanwhile, contains the mechanism to open the secret passage. As the fountain itself is no longer functional, it in fact bears no other use.¡±


    From the small jar on the desk, he pulled out the second scrap of clothing¡ªwhite, with an in-line of fur. Though incomplete, it bore an insignia recognizable to all the knights present.


    ¡°Within the secret passage, this cloth from the Saintess¡¯s robe was recovered,¡± Kylian said, taking the jar and letting the shards of glass within fall gently into his hand. ¡°As well as these fragments of broken lantern.¡±


    Their use fulfilled, Kylian carefully placed the pieces of evidence back into the jar and rolled closed the scroll. Then he turned to address the knights.


    ¡°What we have is undeniable proof of is this: an individual wearing the Saintess¡¯s robe traversed the hidden passage between the courtyard and the bestowal chamber,¡± Kylian said. ¡°And we have strong proof that an individual wearing a blue maid¡¯s kirtle traversed this passage as well.¡±


    ¡°Consider this,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Prior to the bestowal ceremony, it is undeniably Lady Renea who enters the bestowal chamber from the keep. She is in clear view of the knights, and she enters about an hour prior.¡±


    Kylian turned to Sophie, whose eyes narrowed.


    ¡°By testimony of Sir Reynard, Miss Sophie heads toward the courtyard approximately one hour before the bestowal ceremony as well,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Then, it is a simple matter. As no knights enter the bestowal chamber until the ceremony properly begins, Lady Renea and Miss Sophie have an hour to enter the hidden passage and switch their garb.¡±


    ¡°This is a farce,¡± Sophie interrupted him loudly, her patience snapping. ¡°You mean to say your case amounts to two pieces of cloth, which could have been left at any time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly true,¡± Kylian said. ¡°There is some difficulty in proving the passage was traversed the day of the attack. But, let it be clear for the knights present: the maid was the only individual who could have attacked Ailn.¡±


    Very pointedly, Kylian made sure his remark was not lost on Sophie: ¡°Our question is not whether the maid killed him. Our question is who the maid was.¡±


    Sophie¡¯s expression seemed to clear. Any agitation that had appeared on her normally unperturbed face relaxed, and she soon reclaimed her usual stoic demeanor.


    ¡°Then, let me make it abundantly clear, Sir Kylian,¡± Sophie stated firmly. ¡°I was with Ailn that day, just as I am every month, during the bestowal ceremony. There was no fantastical switch. Nor has there ever been one.¡±


    But Renea shook her head in denial. Forlorn as she was, she didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in pinning the blame on Sophie.


    ¡°She¡¯s lying,¡± Renea said. ¡°Sophie¡¯s just¡­ protecting me. I was with Ailn that day.¡±


    ¡°It seems both of you are insistent on protecting the other,¡± Kylian said.


    The inquisition was at a seeming standstill. Kylian¡¯s expression softened just for a moment, but he shook his head, and steeled himself for what he needed to do.


    ¡°However,¡± Kylian continued, ¡°I have strong reason to believe it was Lady Renea who was with Ailn that day. Lady Renea, your pendant went missing recently, did it not? When was the last time you saw it?¡±


    ¡°Just a few days¡­ ago,¡± Renea said, looking a bit confused.


    ¡°This pendant was found in the courtyard,¡± Kylian said, holding it up and drawing a small gasp from Renea. ¡°I believe you treasured it because your brother gave this to you.¡±


    ¡°In the courtyard?¡± Renea flinched. ¡°You found it in the courtyard?¡±


    Renea pressed the knuckle of her thumb against her lip. Her eyes flitted from the pendant to Kylian and back. Sophie¡¯s expression, by comparison, was indifferent.


    And she said something completely unexpected.


    ¡°I stole the pendant from Renea that night,¡± Sophie said. Now there was a sharp look in her eye, and it seemed almost derisive.


    ¡°...Is that so?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°Then what say you of the washerwoman who said she spoke to you in the courtyard?¡¯¡±


    ¡°What of her?¡±


    ¡°She was certain the ¡®maid¡¯ she conversed with that day was Lady Renea. Specifically,¡± Kylian paused, ¡°she swore that she saw silver hair¡ªdespite it being largely covered with a mob cap.¡±


    A look of annoyance was starting to appear on Sophie¡¯s face.


    ¡°How daft can you be?¡± Sophie asked. ¡°I was wearing a wig.¡±


    ¡°You have a silver wig,¡± Kylian said dubiously. ¡°What possible reason could you have for that?¡±


    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Sophie said. She rolled her eyes. ¡°Does it matter why I do it?¡±


    ¡°It does. It¡¯s an absurd thing to do. And if you lack a meaningful reason, then it brings your testimony into doubt.¡±


    The knights murmured amongst each other. It certainly was absurd. But they desperately wanted to believe her. No one in this castle disliked Sophie¡ªand yet they hoped in their hearts she was the one who¡¯d tried to kill Ailn.


    Because if the culprit for such a heinous crime was actually Renea, the future Saintess they all swore themselves to, gave their lives for¡ª it would crush the very soul of the duchy.


    Sophie, stoic as usual, studied the face of every single knight in the abbey. Then, as if she found their anxiety amusing, she scoffed.


    ¡°Search the linen closet of this abbey,¡± she said. ¡°The chest with sacerdotal vestments has a false bottom where I¡¯ve hidden one of my wigs.¡±


    Kylian nodded to one of the squires, who ran to the closet in haste.


    And to everyone¡¯s surprise, he brought a silver wig back, along with its cap. Sighing like she couldn¡¯t be bothered, Sophie went through the meticulous process of flattening and tying up her hair, before donning the wig.


    ¡°Do you doubt me still?¡± she asked with a dry chuckle. Standing up to face the pews, Sophie¡¯s face twisted into something between a sneer and a smirk. ¡°Does it please you? Do the knights revere me now that I look like my sister?¡±


    ¡°Sophie¡ª¡±


    ¡°Renea. For once, it¡¯s my turn to speak,¡± Sophie turned her gaze toward her sister, hateful and unrestrained, more and more contempt slipping into her voice. ¡°Shut your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Sophie¡­?¡± Renea¡¯s voice was quiet.


    Then, turning quite grandly back to Kylian, Sophie looked him in the eye, her face settling back into stoicism and impassivity.


    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s like to be abandoned by your family, Sir Kylian?¡± Sophie asked coldly.

 Chapter 26: The Saintess’ Shadow

    There was something piteous about the sight. The silver wig truly made Sophie a dead ringer for Renea.


    Yet her expressionless face, and frigid voice gave her an entirely different kind of presence. It hurt to see Lady Renea look so sorrowful and desolate, but the vindictiveness with which Sophie now carried herself¡ªwith such a similar visage¡ªfelt tragic in its own right.


    Hers was the aloof gaze of the have-nots, her eyes gray instead of blue.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t, Miss Sophie.¡± Kylian merely shook his head. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve felt abandoned by the eum-Creid family?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Sophie turned back around to her sister in a storm, grabbing Renea¡¯s face between her hands. ¡°Because of you, I¡¯ve lived my whole life like a dog!¡±


    ¡°W-w¡­what?¡± Renea could barely speak. ¡°Sophie? I never meant to¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course. Of course you didn¡¯t. You never meant to. That¡¯s what I hated most about you.¡±


    ¡°Hate¡­?¡± Renea¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°I-I know you don¡¯t mean that. You don¡¯t¡ªjust drop the act, Sophie. Please¡­¡±


    ¡°You stole everything from me, Renea.¡±


    And to the shock of everyone in the room, she spit on her.


    Renea yelped. She wiped it off her face in a fluster, gagging in disgust all the while. Even in this very ¡®human¡¯ moment, she seemed concerned with the propriety of her position, taking pains to avoid using the sacred Saintess robe to dry her hands.


    Sophie took advantage of the frantic moment to keep blazing onward.


    ¡°Do you think I fancy my own rottenly common brown hair? That I enjoy constantly acting as if I were a commoner?¡± She gave the silver wig a flamboyant flip. ¡°I wanted to feel like a eum-Creid. To pretend for a moment I was a part of the family that spurned me.¡±


    ¡°Sophie¡­!¡± Renea had finally cleaned her hands and face with a knight¡¯s proffered handkerchief. ¡°This is crazy¡­!¡±


    Kylian gently raised a hand to stop Renea. His eyes were apologetic, but for now¡ªthis was a conversation between him and Sophie.


    ¡°And Ailn eum-Creid was aware?¡±


    ¡°Of course he was. He was my brother too, forsaken by the same family.¡± Sophie said. ¡°It was our petty revenge, and I felt thrilled stealing that pendant¡­ and stealing her brother.¡±


    ¡°So, it helped you forget your humble station in life. Can I ask why you wouldn¡¯t steal, say, the Saintess robe as well?¡±


    ¡°What use is there in committing sacrilege?¡± Sophie sounded like she was talking to a child. ¡°To don the Saintess¡¯s rob would have severe repercussions, unlike simply wearing a silver wig. I wore the wig in a puerile act of mockery toward my half-sister, who I hate. I have no intention of going to the noose for it.¡±


    Renea flinched. Sophie¡¯s nonchalant contempt toward her was evidently already upsetting her. But the moment Sophie uttered the word hate, it was clear, even from afar, that Renea¡¯s eyes were starting to glisten.


    ¡°Can you imagine? I¡¯m perpetually following my sister, as her maid and lesser. Only during the bestowal ceremony am I freed from her side!¡± Sophie closed her eyes. ¡°When I wore the wig and looked in the mirror, it was like she¡¯d become the maid. The memory of it still makes me laugh.¡±


    ¡°And do you admit to the murder of Ailn eum-Creid?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sophie said defiantly, pulling just enough of the wig upward to reveal her ¡®rotten¡¯ brown hair. ¡°Look at my hair. Look at my eyes. Do you truly think I inherited the divine blessing?¡±


    Kylian stayed silent, letting her speak.


    ¡°Tell me. Does it make sense for me to act like a maid when I have holy aura? Why should I act as the Saintess for my sister, and never reap praise?¡± Sophie asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly odd,¡± Kylian admitted.


    ¡°Hence your entire case falls to pieces,¡± she snorted. Then she sat down, crossing her arms and legs. ¡°It¡¯s true. Celine eum-Creid was my mother. But I did not inherit her holy aura.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s plausible,¡± Kylian said thoughtfully. ¡°But are you aware that if you had no holy aura, that would indirectly give your supposedly hated sister an alibi? Only Lady Renea would be capable of performing the bestowal ceremony, and would thence be exonerated.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it does,¡± Sophie scowled.  ¡°However much contempt I hold for my sister, I would hardly let myself drown just to drag her with me. If it clears her of the crime, so be it. I care more for my own skin.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s your only defense of yourself?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°That you lack the divine blessing.¡±


    ¡°Is it not sufficient?¡± Sophie put on quite the ugly smile. ¡°Go on. Prove I have it, if you can. See if you ever find an ounce of holy aura on me.¡±


    ¡°You swear to stealing the pendant?¡± Kylian asked, his eyes turning sharp. ¡°Impersonating your sister to the washerwoman?¡±


    ¡°Yes! How many times do I have to tell you?¡± Sophie snapped. ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe how stupid she was, mistaking me for my sister simply because I faked silver hair.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Kylian closed his eyes and sighed, composing himself before opening them again. ¡°It would appear, Miss Sophie, you¡¯ve been lying this whole time.¡±


    Sophie froze.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°The pendant was found in the coach of state. Not in the courtyard,¡± Kylian said wearily. ¡°And¡­ no washerwoman talked to any maid. The woman you ¡®fooled¡¯ does not exist.¡±


    ¡°What? No, I¡­ I must have had a small lapse of¡­ I mixed it up with¡ª¡± Sophie stopped and started again and again with a stutter, searching for excuses. ¡°I thought you meant¡­ ¡±


    Her face was completely flushed.


    But Kylian paid her no mind. Instead, he turned to the knights who¡¯d witnessed the entire debacle.


    ¡°As you can see, while I lack direct evidence of Miss Sophie¡¯s holy aura¡­ her contextual ignorance stands as strong circumstantial evidence that she was not in the courtyard that day,¡± Kylian spoke slowly and simply. ¡°Instead, she was in the bestowal chamber¡ªas she had switched places with Lady Renea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I was with Ailn!¡± Sophie cried out. Desperation was edging into her voice. ¡°Not Renea! I was lying because¡­ because¡­¡±


    But no matter how long Kylian waited, she couldn¡¯t furnish an explanation. And finally, Renea beside her, put both of her hands softly upon Sophie¡¯s.


    ¡°Sophie, let¡¯s stop this.¡± Renea smiled weakly at the sister who moments ago had just spit on her. ¡°Thank you¡­ for trying to protect me.¡±


    Seeing Renea¡¯s face, Sophie froze. It seemed that only now had she realized how much Renea was hurt by what she¡¯d just done¡ªeven if it was an act.


    Sophie¡¯s eyes started to blur.


    She felt so guilty she couldn¡¯t even look at her sister, and she hung her head in shame, her tears quietly dripping down onto the abbey floor.


    ¡°Sir Kylian,¡± Renea turned toward him with tired, empty eyes. ¡°I was the one with Ailn. I was the maid.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°She sure tried to sell that one,¡± Ailn muttered to himself. ¡°...And Kylian really is a sneaky bastard.¡±


    For such an honest and forthright knight, Kylian seemed to like his ambushes. It was a bit scary.


    The inquisition was going poorly, just like the inquest. Despite the knights sitting on both sides of him, he¡¯d almost stepped in a few times. But once Sophie started her little theater act, the situation just became too unpredictable¡ªespecially since he¡¯d been unfairly written into her script.


    If he had any criticism, he felt that was a bit of an oversight on her part.


    For a girl who allegedly wanted to steal her half-sister¡¯s place, and her family, and her brother, Sophie sure didn¡¯t seem to actually care about that brother.


    He¡¯d expected her to at least try and fake an angry and passionate look in his direction, but it was clear that Ailn eum-Creid just didn¡¯t have much gravity in Sophie¡¯s world.


    Really, he¡¯d been almost invisible the whole day. He was reaping the consequences of his own behavior. He was the ¡®victim¡¯ in name only, and he didn¡¯t have a personal stake¡ªand he acted like it. Over the two days prior to the inquisition, he behaved as if someone else had died.


    Now, to everyone involved, the ''victim'' of the case had become nothing more than an abstraction.


    Renea knew he wasn¡¯t the same Ailn as the one who died. Kylian had lost all sense of him as a victim, because they¡¯d been investigating the crime as fellow detectives.


    And then knights just plain didn¡¯t like him. In fact, two of them were at his side right now, intent on preventing his participation.


    At the front of the abbey, meanwhile, Renea was dazedly looking around, hardly able to focus on Kylian.


    ¡°What say you in defense of yourself, Your Grace, Lady Renea?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know. Give me a moment to think,¡± Renea mumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on anymore.¡±


    Sophie was next to Renea, holding her hand in support. Gone was the fiery maid from just a few minutes ago, replaced by a timid, shaking lady-in-waiting who couldn¡¯t seem to bring herself to speak.


    Just when she opened her mouth, Renea communicated with her eyes and a small shake of her head, and Sophie choked her words back down. One of her legs was restlessly shaking.


    ¡°Tell us what happened, in your own words. You admitted to being the maid,¡± Kylian said gently. ¡°If you¡¯re innocent, then you must have seen what happened.¡±


    Renea scrunched her face, clearly remembering something unpleasant. And yet her reaction seemed muted.


    ¡°He was on the ground when I got there.¡± Renea¡¯s tone was cold. ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°When you arrived at the courtyard?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°When would that have been?¡±


    ¡°The ceremony would¡¯ve just started. I don¡¯t know for sure. I was in the passageway,¡± Renea said.


    ¡°Can you tell me why you switched places with your sister?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Kylian was at least a little taken aback by her terse response. She didn¡¯t even take a moment to think it over. Why wouldn¡¯t she just explain herself?


    ¡°Is it an issue related to the security of the castle? Or Varant? If it is, then we can find a way to bridge the gap,¡± Kylian tried to reason with her.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with any of that,¡± Renea said listlessly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk.¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea, this inquisition is trying you for murder. Do you really have no desire to exonerate yourself?¡±


    But she said nothing, and Kylian turned toward Sophie who averted her eyes.


    ¡°She wanted to spend time with her brother, Sir Kylian. That¡¯s all,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°...Is that so?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°How often have the two of you switched places?¡±


    This question, however, Sophie did not answer. Letting her gaze drift away, she kept silent.


    Kylian sighed.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get back to the central point. Renea, you said when you arrived, your brother had already been attacked. And you believed him to be dead.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Kylian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You certainly testified to that earlier.¡±


    ¡°I never said I thought my brother was dead,¡± Renea said. ¡°When I arrived, he was still barely alive.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kylian was confused by what he¡¯d just heard. ¡°Am I¡­ Am I understanding you correctly?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I knew my brother wasn¡¯t dead when I got there. He was on the verge of dying,¡± Renea said.


    ¡°You mean that¡­ you were certain your brother was in a state he still could¡¯ve been healed,¡± Kylian spoke slowly and emphatically, making sure she understood the implications of what she was saying.


    ¡°... Yes. Ailn still could¡¯ve been healed,¡± Renea said.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you heal him?¡± Kylian was aghast.


    ¡°Why?¡± Renea gave a derisive smile and a small tilt of her head. ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡®Accidentally¡¯ slamming his elbow into the chin of the knight who was trying to keep tabs on him, Ailn stood up in a hurry.

 Chapter 27: Disgraceful

    Everything had been going wrong ever since her brother died.


    Since the attack on the castle, Renea hadn¡¯t even had the chance to stop moving. She wished so desperately for a single moment to properly mourn Ailn, but she knew that the barrier had to be inspected as swiftly as possible.


    So, she and Sophie went.


    That was only proper. The anxiety wrought by duty was what kept her going. Just like anyone else, she would¡¯ve preferred the chance to stay at the castle, just a short reprieve to pull herself together¡ªbut Renea also understood she wasn¡¯t the only one in the castle who¡¯d ever lost a loved one.


    There was no way to hack it in a land this bleak without knowing how to turn distress into determination. That¡¯s what it meant to protect the duchy.


    Even so, her feet were so heavy. Almost as heavy as her eyelids. Renea was tired from stress and grief from the very start, and simply forced herself to keep moving.


    Then she received something unbelievable. It was a missive from the knights, informing her that Ailn had survived. But how? It made no sense. She¡¯d seen Ailn¡¯s corpse herself, and even up to the moment she¡¯d left the castle, she stayed by his body, praying in her sorrow.


    And yet¡­ the knights would never joke about such a serious matter. Certainly not one so important to her.


    So Renea let the hope bubble up, right from the soles of her feet. Her head in the clouds and her heart beating fast, she believed that, maybe, God had heard her prayers.


    And there Ailn was, waiting for her when she returned to the castle. He really was alive! That was the only thing that mattered. Who cared if he¡¯d lost his memory, or that his behavior had allegedly turned strange?


    Renea knew head injuries could affect personality. She¡¯d happily work with him for as long as it took to recover what he¡¯d lost, and remember who he was¡ªand if he never did, that was just as well.


    No matter what abrasive traits he took on.


    Aldous had mentioned in his missive that Ailn had begun to antagonize the members of the Azure Knights.


    That he¡¯d been gallivanting around the castle, stirring up the rumors that involved him and Sophie.


    That he¡¯d become close to Sir Kylian, and seemed to be using him to take advantage of Ennieux¡¯s crush on the hapless knight, inveigling his way into her good graces.


    All of this bewildered her, but she banished her doubts to the back of her mind. She just wanted to be close to Ailn again. She saw these grating and perhaps even opportunistic traits on display herself at dinner, and chose to ignore them.


    Because Renea was a selfish person. She knew that. She was painfully aware of the lies she had woven and the kindnesses she had exploited.


    But that¡¯s exactly why she realized it when she caught the scent of smoke¡ªit tugged at a distant memory, and all the peculiarities surrounding Ailn suddenly started to snap into focus. They coalesced into a coherent image, like an optical illusion she¡¯d been desperately trying not to recognize.


    The image flickered. The dots came together. This wasn¡¯t someone whose better self had been marred by physical trauma. This was a liar.


    This wasn¡¯t Ailn.


    It was just some creep with no respect. It must have seemed like a game to him. A fantasy world with characters he could exploit for his own gain.


    That¡¯s why he used his fancy title to lord over Aldous and all the other knights. That¡¯s why he was so keen on probing his relationship with Sophie, and why he belittled her family at dinner and picked at their sore spots with his leading questions.


    He just wanted to gauge their weaknesses and grasp them. He didn¡¯t care that they were real people.


    Renea felt like an idiot, falling for his saccharine words and crocodile tears. She¡¯d let vain hope cloud her judgment and missed such blatantly disgraceful behavior from a fake who carried himself like scum; the man even had the gall to smoke on top of the northern wall, in plain view of all the knights.


    And because he¡¯d taken Ailn¡¯s identity, the world would just keep going while her real brother was forgotten, his memory stained by this stranger who¡¯d just keep trashing things as he pleased.


    There would never be a funeral for her dead brother. The stranger who¡¯d stolen her brother¡¯s place also stole her chance to grieve.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hold up, hey, hold up!¡± Ailn yelled out to the front of the abbey, turning everyone¡¯s heads. ¡°Oops, sorry!¡±


    The second knight who tried to grab him found their elbow twisted and hyperextended when Ailn ¡®tripped and staggered¡¯ forward. Shuffling quick and awkward through the pews, Ailn rushed up the processional aisle.


    Things really couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    ¡°Kylian, hold it,¡± Ailn ignored the look of disgust Renea was giving him. ¡°I think we need to re-examine some of the facts of the case.¡±


    He¡¯d been watching Renea slowly unravel all day, her erratic behavior seemingly justifying the knights¡¯ multiplying suspicions, and alienated all of them to boot.


    This one was definitely his fault.


    If dinner hadn¡¯t gone so disastrously last night, Renea wouldn¡¯t have figured out he was a reincarnator. She wouldn¡¯t have realized that her real brother was truly gone. And she wouldn¡¯t have been forced to lead the inquest right after she was thrown right back into grief, and her world was flipped over.


    He wanted to strangle himself from twelve hours ago. Surely he could¡¯ve played the lie a little better, even after she smelled the smoke on him. Well, he could¡¯ve just not smoked, but frankly that one was just a bad beat¡ªthere¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve known that would set her off.


    At any rate, the real problem was¡­ when he saw the pain in her eyes, Ailn couldn¡¯t bring himself to keep playing dumb. He¡¯d only communicated through subtext, but he still essentially confirmed for her that her brother was gone, and a stranger had taken his place.


    And even though he¡¯d always intended to tell her the truth, it was the absolute worst time for her to figure it out.


    Everything today had gone about as badly as it could, and it was clear from Renea¡¯s flippant, actively antagonistic apathy that she¡¯d had enough. She reached the wallowing stage of her downward spiral, and it was pointedly self-sabotaging.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Kylian seemed to sigh with relief, but he looked quite exasperated at the same time. ¡°I expected you to give your thoughts. In fact, I¡¯d expected you to come sooner.¡±


    ¡°I got held up,¡± Ailn stole a glance at his knightly escorts. ¡°...But I could¡¯ve stood to show up sooner, you¡¯re right.¡±


    He could sense the disgust floating all around the abbey like he was breathing in bad air.


    Though Kylian seemed to take Ailn¡¯s arrival rather graciously, the knights in the abbey did not. Saying the mood had soured in the last few minutes was an understatement.


    ¡°There are holes in the knights¡¯ case, and I¡¯ve come to defend my sister,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Renea snapped, to the bewilderment of all the knights watching.


    ¡°...Ignore her,¡± Ailn said. ¡°As the actual victim of the crime, I have every right to give my view of the case.¡±


    ¡°My ¡®brother¡¯ has amnesia,¡± Renea said. ¡°He¡¯s unreliable. And I¡¯m admitting my crime freely: I left him to die.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The abbey, already quiet, went utterly silent for a moment.


    Ailn took a deep breath to calm himself. He was a patient man. He understood why she was acting like this. He knew what he was getting into when he came up here.


    He just had to keep pushing through.


    ¡°The knights¡¯ case has failed to explain where the shadow beasts came from,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Don¡¯t you find your explanation of events lacking?¡±


    ¡°Surely there¡¯s another passage from somewhere in the bailey to the outside of the castle,¡± Kylian frowned. ¡°If such passages are preserved for the safety of the noble family, then it would make no sense to only pass from the keep to the bailey.¡±


    Ailn winced. That was sound reasoning; he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if further investigation of the castle did end up revealing something like that.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much at stake here,¡± Ailn said.  ¡°Incriminating the future Saintess on that kind of specul¡ª¡±


    ¡°I used a secret passage,¡± Renea said, almost sounding bored.


    Ailn clenched his fists, earnestly, very earnestly trying to calm himself.


    ¡°Where? If you used a secret passage, where was it?¡± Ailn asked, maintaining a steady tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a secret I guess,¡± Renea mumbled. She was staring at the floor.


    ¡°My sister is behaving erratically. Disregard her self-incriminating testimony,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Unless we can actually find a secret pass¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a passage from the castle¡¯s secondary storage room, right through to the outer walls at the back of the castle,¡± Renea interrupted blandly. ¡°That should suffice to explain their appearance, no?¡±


    ¡°It makes a good deal of sense,¡± Kylian said with a look of dawning realization. He paused in thought, trying to work it out. ¡°It¡¯s one of the only places you could feasibly hide them away.¡±


    ¡°The crates in the back left corner hide a false wall,¡± Renea said quietly, while Kylian gestured for a knight in the back to make haste and check. ¡°It¡¯s easy enough to find if you know it¡¯s there.¡±


    Ailn turned his head slowly toward the girl he was trying to save and stared at her in speechless astonishment.


    But she didn¡¯t even look back.


    Sophie next to her was bewildered and emotional. Every so often it seemed like she was about to speak, but it would get caught up as a lump in her throat.


    ¡°Renea!¡± Sophie finally just started shaking her sister. ¡°Renea, what are you doing? Why are you doing this?¡±


    Renea listlessly let herself be shaken, not even bothering to keep her own head from thudding back against the chair.


    For the briefest moment, the indifference on her face contorted into spite and hurt. But it was gone in a flash, her expression going right back to apathy.


    ¡°...That¡¯s weird. I thought you ¡®detested me,¡¯¡± Renea said, looking away from her sister. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired of ¡®living like a dog?¡¯¡±


    ¡°It was an act, Renea¡­¡± Sophie whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Was it fun pretending to be my family?¡± Renea asked.


    Sophie bit her lip as tears once again streaked down her face. But she said nothing.


    Unfortunately for Renea, this little bit of pettiness was all it took for the knights¡¯ impression of her to rapidly plummet.


    None of the knights enjoyed seeing their formerly beloved Saintess roll around in the mud. Wasn¡¯t her guilt evident in her behavior? Hadn¡¯t she all but admitted her crime?


    It was an ugly display, and cruel to her at the same time.


    Out in the pews, one of the knights said a single word, just underneath his breath.


    ¡®...Disgraceful.¡¯


    The word was spoken quietly. It was hard to tell who¡¯d said it, or where it came from¡ªand difficult to even hear what had been said. But up to this point, all the knights in the audience had been respectful enough of the proceedings to keep their noise to a minimum, and the utterance was barely audible.


    The biggest problem was how it had echoed. Everyone in the abbey heard it¡ªincluding Renea¡ªand the subtle amplification of what should have been a whisper gave it an almost serpentine quality.


    It was clear by the way Renea¡¯s limply clasped hands started clenching¡ªshe was about to puncture the skin, frankly, with how intensely she was digging with her nails¡ªRenea¡¯s bad mood was about to boil over into rage.


    ¡°Moving on,¡± Ailn started, glancing over at her and trying to get a march on the nascent disaster, ¡°I wasn¡¯t attacked duri ¡ª¡±


    ¡°...Who said that?¡± Renea asked coldly, interrupting him.


    She turned furiously on the knights, and all Ailn could do was groan.


    ¡°I asked who said that!¡± Renea snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re only making yourself look worse,¡± Ailn said, trying to calm her down. ¡°Renea¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you never to say my name!¡± Renea shouted even louder than before, taking just a moment to give him a vicious glare. Then turning away in anger, she bolted upright, stomping around the chancel of the abbey to shout into the void.


    ¡°Of all the asinine, witless things, you have the gall to call ME disgraceful? All of you faithless, treacherous knights act like you know everything!¡±


    Her voice started cracking, but she transfigured it into a snarl.


    ¡°To hell with all of you!¡± Renea yelled. ¡°Not a single one of you knows what loyalty is!¡±


    ¡®Celine must be weeping¡­¡±


    ¡®Does this really need to go on any longer?¡¯


    ¡®This inquisition is only tarnishing our honor.¡¯


    ¡®Shut your mouth you fool! The truth will prove our Lady¡¯s innocence!¡¯


    A single voice was yelling in dissent, but that only served to make the abbey louder. Sir Fontaine had grabbed another knight by the collar before being forcefully restrained. And unfortunately, this act of unwavering faith and fealty was entirely counterproductive.


    ¡°Renea, this isn¡¯t¡­¡± Even Sophie started nervously picking up on the sea change.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t what, Sophie?¡± Renea snapped.


    ¡°Renea, don¡¯t yell ¡ª¡± Sophie¡¯s shoulders shrank.  It was hard to imagine she was the same insensitive girl who just last night was pettily and expressionlessly hiding Kylian¡¯s fork.


    ¡°Just shut up, Sophie! You really have the cheek to act delicate now?¡± Renea¡¯s wrathful tantrum was completely directionless at this point. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your voice!¡±


    Renea looked Sophie in the eye before turning her face away in a grossed out huff. Ailn could guess what moment she was thinking about.


    ¡®The way she treats her poor sister is despicable¡­!¡¯


    ¡®Has Lady Renea always treated Sophie so poorly behind closed doors?¡¯


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe Our Lady has such a forked tongue!¡¯


    ¡°A forked to¡ª¡± Renea gawked. ¡°How dare you two-faced ¡®paladins¡¯ lecture me about duplicity? When all you vipers were convening in the barracks, scheming on how to bite my heels!¡±


    As he listened to the flowery lines Renea yelled during her fit, and compared them with the scathing, melodramatic flourishes Sophie made in her performance, the thought crossed Ailn¡¯s mind that perhaps Ennieux had not been a perfect role model for these girls.


    It got even worse. The knight who¡¯d been sent to check for Renea¡¯s secret passage came back with perfectly awful timing, and confirmed its existence just as Renea looked her worst.


    Aldous who had been seemingly content to observe this whole time, finally had enough of sitting idly by while Renea made a fool of herself.


    ¡°Sir Kylian, is it not time to end this unsightly display?¡± Aldous asked, in a solemn tone. ¡°Every moment this goes on only serves to spit on the late Saintess¡¯s grave.¡±


    Though she¡¯d been tempestuously shouting, Renea seemed to freeze in her tracks, plaintively staring at the high marshal.


    But Aldous ignored her. Turning toward Ailn, who stared back at him warily, he began to speak.


    ¡°Your Grace. There are no words for the anguish you must be going through. And yet¡ª¡±


    A loud crack echoed through the room.


    More modest than Aldous¡¯s had been, both in noise and luminescence, the resonance of Kylian¡¯s holy aura was still an act of authority.


    And impudence.


    To interrupt Aldous with his holy aura, in exactly the same fashion the high marshal used his aura to silence the Great Hall, was a challenge, a reprimand of his better¡ªand the fact that his aura was so much weaker than Aldous¡¯s merely heightened its insolence.


    It was the audacity of it, not the sound, that silenced the abbey.


    ¡°...Is there something you wish to say, Sir Kylian?¡± Aldous asked coldly.


    ¡°Sir Aldous,¡± Kylian looked his superior and mentor straight in the eye. ¡°You¡¯ve appointed me as bailiff for this inquisition, and invested me with all the corresponding power.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve not gone senile yet, Kylian. I penned your appointment yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t mince my words. I do not intend to end this inquisition until His Grace, the young master Ailn has given his thoughts.¡±


    ¡°To what end, Kylian? To soothe the feelings of His Grace?¡± Aldous spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°Are you his hound, now?¡±


    ¡°I trust His Grace. And I believe what he has to say is worth hearing,¡± Kylian¡¯s voice was clear. ¡°I¡¯m appealing to your honor as a knight that you respect the position you¡¯ve given me. And I¡¯m staking my honor on this as well. Stand down, Aldous.¡±


    Aldous stared him down. Kylian, however, did not relent.


    Finally, jaw still clenched, Aldous shook his head.


    ¡°... By your leave then, bailiff. That is within your power.¡± Aldous said. ¡°And as high marshal of the Azure Knights, I shall exercise mine. Seize Lady Renea.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Renea asked blankly. Knights came up from the pews, and forcefully restrained her arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Stop! I said STOP!¡± Sophie yelled, as the knights pulled her sister from her.


    Dragged in front of the altar to the customary sinner¡¯s spot, and forced to kneel, Renea was soon facing the pews with swords at her neck. Her breath shallowed and shook.


    Ailn couldn¡¯t recognize the other knight, but he passively noted that one of them was Sir Reynard.


    ¡°This inquisition will continue, but it shall continue by the same procedures as any other. There will be no preferential treatment given to Lady Renea,¡± Aldous said. ¡°She is a defendant. She will be treated like one.¡±

 Chapter 28: In the Air

    Renea couldn¡¯t concentrate or rein in her emotions when the time came to arbitrate the inquest. All of her joy had turned back into sorrow so suddenly and forcefully. She kept losing track of the proceedings and lashing out at the knights, making slip-ups that created questions about her lucidity.


    Since the attack, she''d still never gotten a chance to rest.


    Her already eroding self-control was crumbling. Her anger, fear, and sorrow were all in stiff competition to dominate her thoughts. The only consistent feeling was her exhaustion.


    When the knights turned on her, Renea was so tired she could barely comprehend, much less react. She was flabbergasted. It was like they¡¯d been planning her demise the entire time she was away from the castle.


    How could the knights think she killed her brother? Why would they ambush her like that?


    She was still reeling from their betrayal when Sophie put on her performance. And even though Renea saw through it, it stung. Sophie¡¯s spite felt so real in the heat of the moment.


    A small part of Renea had always been afraid that Sophie didn¡¯t actually see her as family¡ªthat she¡¯d been forced by the complications of her birth to pretend to care about Renea, the same way she had to pretend to be a maid.


    What if Renea was the only one who really saw them as sisters?


    They were close enough with their feelings, and open enough with their thoughts that Renea should have known better. But her eroding state of mind couldn¡¯t handle it. Sophie had carelessly stomped through all of her sore spots to embellish her act.


    Then, when Sophie spit on her¡ªit actually took Renea a few minutes to grasp just how mad she felt about this dumb, crass little flourish¡ªshe was convinced she was done with it all.


    She didn¡¯t care anymore. Let them hang her. Why not? No one wanted her here, anyway.


    Why not roll the dice again? She¡¯d died once, so what was there to be afraid of? She didn¡¯t belong here, anyway. Maybe next time she really could lead a life without lies.


    Maybe next time she wouldn¡¯t have hideous eyes that made everyone want to kill her. Maybe she¡¯d be born somewhere nice, without the evil monsters.


    Maybe she deserved this, since she really had let her brother die. Maybe this was God¡¯s way of punishing her.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why the fake in her brother¡¯s body was working so hard to defend her, but it was a cold consolation when the entire castle seemed content to pick at her wounds and bleed her out.


    She thought it would make her feel better to finally get a chance to act so snide. It didn¡¯t, actually, but her whole body felt like it had been pricked with needles, and she desperately wanted it to stop stinging.


    There was a pain in her chest that was squeezing so terribly, and screaming at the knights who¡¯d plotted against her, and lashing out at her insensitive older sister almost made it go away. Some stupid part of her thought she could push the pain out of her chest so long as she let all her breath out.


    Renea knew she was being pigheaded, but she couldn¡¯t help herself.


    It wasn¡¯t until she was dragged in front of the altar, with swords shoved against her neck, that she started to remember what death actually felt like.


    <hr>


    To Ailn, it felt like something had started swirling around in the abbey¡¯s air. But he genuinely had no idea what.


    Something just felt wrong.


    ¡°This inquisition will continue, but it shall continue by the same procedures as any other. There will be no preferential treatment given to Lady Renea,¡± Aldous said. ¡°She is a defendant. She will be treated like one.¡±


    Kylian warily eyed Aldous, but didn¡¯t object. He evidently had no legitimate reason to oppose.


    ¡°Very well, then.¡± Kylian gave a nod toward Ailn. ¡°The floor is yours, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°... Right.¡± Ailn fiddled anxiously with the watch not on his wrist.


    He thought of just going with the last resort, but the antipathy and resistance in the abbey had reached the point that they might not even believe the truth. Watching Sophie¡¯s act made him realize something.


    That specific truth would technically be impossible to prove.


    Frankly, now wasn¡¯t the best moment to rely on the knights¡¯ faith and good will. He¡¯d just have to wing it, even if all it did was stall for time and a better mood.


    Wincing at the thought that his next move could turn out badly, he took a deep breath. He was certain, but nothing in life was certain. Nothing in death either.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t attacked during the ceremony,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I was attacked before.¡±


    Kylian looked at Ailn dubiously.


    ¡°Are you saying this from memory? Or¡­¡±


    It was this morning that Ailn had realized one specific piece of testimony fatally contradicted his explanation of the crime¡ªat least, the way that knight¡¯s testimony had been interpreted.


    The knight in question had worded his testimony ambiguously enough that Ailn was sure the contradiction in question was actually a lie of omission.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this because that¡¯s the only way it could have happened,¡± Ailn searched the abbey¡¯s seats trying to find a certain knight. ¡°We¡¯ve been operating under false testimony.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Sir Tristan. Tristan!¡± Ailn called his name out, realizing he was actually pretty pissed at him. ¡°I hate to throw you under the horse, but can you please correct your testimony?¡±


    A hiccup came from the pews.


    <hr>


    Sir Tristan was a coward.


    He¡¯d heard so his entire life. Still, he¡¯d joined the Azure Knights because he knew it secured the prosperity of his family. This, in a sense, was its own form of bravery¡ªor so his kind mother would always tell him.


    But when he thought of going up to the northern wall, and trying to fight those terrible shadow beasts, he fell into spiraling pessimism¡ªhis mood going ever more south the more he realized he could not control his mood.


    He knew the two things that could inhibit holy aura the most were fear and doubt. What did that mean for him who, as a result, feared being afraid and doubted he¡¯d ever get over it?


    It could be said he was a bit of a follower.


    That wasn¡¯t an awful thing. Knights by their nature had to be followers. At the end of the day, they were all vassals who knelt before their liege.


    Or that¡¯s what he told himself. Just a few days into becoming a page, he recognized he lacked the brute individuality most of the other boys had come in with. The knights were wont to let their pages roam free, so they could toughen up their disposition.


    Hierarchy was decided by fist fights, and Tristan simply didn¡¯t enjoy using his fists.


    The great irony was that he¡¯d survived into squireship and knighthood despite always being at esteem¡¯s bottom rung. The older one got in the Order, the more necessary it was to be disciplined.


    Sir Tristan flourished by simple compliance. He was nothing if not a boring square.


    On the night of the attack, he¡¯d been positioned right outside the mess hall. As the knight nearest the courtyard, he was the one who¡¯d heard those loud blasts.


    He¡¯d been frozen in place.


    They were like explosions. Was an army crashing upon the castle? Were the guards enough to hold them off until the rest of the knights could cross the distance from the bestowal chamber?


    He looked around, afraid that any moment one of his superiors¡ªor even peers¡ªwould come gallivanting over from their positions and heed him go inspect.


    But what good would that do? He realized the sounds were coming from the courtyard. Surely, then an enemy must have circumvented the gates altogether. They may be pouring in already from the ramparts, having scaled the wall unnoticed on ladders.


    Why, he¡¯d just be running to his death, pierced right through by an arrow before he could even call for help.


    And who would protect all the poor servants in the mess hall?


    So, he stayed in place. It would be ghastly if enemies were to swarm in right as he left his post, and went on to massacre all those good people who prepared all their awful food. Five minutes passed. Ten minutes passed. Enough time passed that he was able to fool himself into thinking he¡¯d heard nothing at all.


    And then from the west of the bailey, a shadow beast came galloping toward him.


    Then, the rest of the attack went just as he¡¯d told His Grace and Sir Kylian. He retreated into the hall, and held the door fast. He waited for help to arrive, and for the beasts to be slaughtered, and upon checking the welfare of the servants in the kitchen, he heard a mournful wail from the walls of the kitchen.


    It wasn¡¯t until after he talked with them he realized he hadn¡¯t made a certain point of clarification.


    He had heard the blasts before the shadow beasts came. But really, the two things happened so close together, was it meaningful to consider them separate?


    He worried that he¡¯d be reprimanded for staying at his post, instead of trying to see what was going on.


    Was it not true that everything had turned out fine because he¡¯d stayed at the mess hall? He¡¯d protected the good citizens from the shadow beasts, so was there really any need to go and seek his own censure?


    So he fretted, and forgot, and before he knew it he¡¯d been caught up in all the hysteria of the inquisition. The fact that he¡¯d poisoned the well of facts had not occurred to him until well after the knights¡¯ tempers had turned strange.


    A life of fearfulness had made him keen to all things dangerous, and that included people¡¯s moods.


    Their shift in emotions had not just been swift. It had been unnatural in the way it seemed to reverse. It was as if all the affection and adoration they had for Lady Renea had been inverted into disgust of equivalent proportion.


    This was not normal.


    He¡¯d often noticed, when Lady Renea was charming crowds, that the air tasted sweet. It was such an absurd thing, he¡¯d thought it was his imagination.


    But now the air in the abbey was suffocating him, and he was certain it was not just his own panic.


    Cold sweat ran down his neck. He looked all around, and realized that none of the other knights could feel this negative energy so palpably as he.


    No. There was something even stranger.


    They were not even acting madly. The anger and scorn they expressed seemed normal, but it was almost as if he could see a red energy in the air agitating their souls. And that felt infinitely more dangerous.


    A man who¡¯s gone raving mad draws attention like fire needing extinguishment. But what about men impelled by forces so imperceptible that they fail to discern them, even with the full faculty of their reason?


    ¡°Sir Tristan. Tristan! I hate to throw you under the horse, but can you please correct your testimony?¡±


    At the sound of his name he instinctively hiccupped. And though it was a flinching and painful hiccup, it seemed to free him of the shackles cast by the oppressive energies in the room.


    This, of course, meant he simply had to contend with his usual cowardice.


    All eyes turned toward Tristan, and the knight stood up, unable to stop himself from shaking as he walked to the center of the processional aisle. The darkness that had built in the abbey could no longer bind his feet, but the animosity was enough to make them tremble terribly.


    ¡°... Is His Grace speaking truthfully, Sir Tristan?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°A-about what, Sir Kylian?¡± His throat parched and his voice rasped.


    ¡°Did you provide false testimony in the course of our investigation?¡±


    ¡°Could¡ª¡± The blood was rapidly leaving his face. ¡°¡ªcould you be more specific?¡±


    ¡°Tristan, when did you hear the blasts?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Around the t-time of the shadow beast attack.¡±


    ¡°When specifically Tristan?¡± There was an edge in Ailn¡¯s voice. ¡°Remember, a lie of omission is still a lie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly, Your Grace! It might have¡­ I guess it was¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Tristan,¡± Kylian¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°No matter how forgetful you are, this isn¡¯t a difficult question. When you heard the blasts, were you or were you not being attacked by shadow beasts?!¡±


    ¡°I- I might have heard them before,¡± Tristan admitted. ¡°No, I¡­ I definitely heard them before. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°...Are you serious?¡± Kylian¡¯s voice was quiet and cold.


    ¡°Y-yes. It was a gross failure of communication,¡± Tristan said. His head was still bowed shamefully.


    ¡°Why did you mislead us?¡±


    ¡°I never said I heard them during the attack!¡± Tristan flinched.


    ¡°Did you not think to investigate?¡±


    ¡°That area was not in my jurisdiction, sir! I t-thought that I should not leave my post undefended!¡± Tristan stammered and blabbered on. ¡°I would be remiss t-to let them fight for themselves!¡±


    ¡°You stayed quiet this entire inquisition?!¡± Kylian yelled.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Tristan had no answer.


    The cowardly knight hung his head in shame.

 Chapter 29: Right Under Our Nose

    The night prior, in the keep, Ailn had given Kylian his trust.


    ¡®I trust you Kylian. You¡¯ll do the right thing, I¡¯m sure.¡¯


    He vowed to make good on it.


    Try to do the right thing. That was all he could do. However low a standard for virtue that was, seven years ago, he¡¯d done many things he felt were wrong.


    And many times today, Kylian felt the doubt creeping up, worsening his headache, murking his thoughts.


    When the inquest had so swiftly progressed to inquisition, he was more shocked than anyone at how smoothly it went. He could not believe how thoroughly they¡¯d trapped Lady Renea. And that disturbed him.


    It disturbed him how the surging emotions in the abbey were speeding the inquisition¡¯s pace, ¡®till it was something wild and nearly unmanageable.


    And now that he¡¯d learned of Sir Tristan¡¯s lapse of judgment and honesty, he felt his own emotions surging. This entire inquisition, they¡¯d been operating under a false time frame. The stress he¡¯d built up was threatening to overtake him all at once.


    He had to stop himself from punching Tristan.


    ¡°You stayed quiet this entire inquisition?!¡± Kylian barely stopped himself from screaming.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­¡± Tristan couldn¡¯t finish his response.


    He was not one to give physical expression to rage. But it truly felt like he might crack his molars any moment now. Would Tristan have kept mum even as they sent someone to the gallows? Was he going to come shouting out only when the floor beneath the noose was about to drop?


    ¡°Easy, Kylian.¡± Ailn looked Tristan over. ¡°... It looks like this wasn¡¯t easy for him at all. I¡¯m not saying that makes it right, but just look at him.¡±


    Ailn was right. Taking a moment to calm himself, Kylian saw that Tristan was more than simply nervous, or even frightened. He was dripping with sweat, and the pallor of his face made him look like a man deathly ill.


    Aldous¡¯s voice boomed from the front of the pews.


    ¡°Sir Tristan. You dare sully this inquisition, and the name of the Azure Knights with your craven inaction?!¡±


    ¡°Sir Aldous, I¡ªack!¡±


    The older knight walked to the center of the processional aisle to grab the cowardly knight by the collar. Aldous¡¯s cloak wrinkled with his violent action, the silver wolf embroidered on its back almost seeming to snarl.


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯ve done?¡± Aldous¡¯s imposing figure loomed over Tristan. ¡°We¡¯ve been led around in circles!¡±


    Ailn seemed to smile a little bitterly at the sight.


    Aldous picked the younger knight up and threw him all the way back to his original seat in the pews, where crashed upon his fellow knights.


    It reminded those present in the abbey just how monstrously strong Aldous was, despite how long it had been since he¡¯d seen battle.


    ¡°My apologies for losing my temper so, Your Grace,¡± Aldous fell to one knee at the spot where Tristan had just been. ¡°It would seem at least some of the facts of the case need to be more fully considered.¡±


    ¡°... Sure. Much appreciated, Aldous.¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Then His Grace will give further testimony in defense of his sister,¡± Kylian said. By now his mental energy was truly flagging, and his thoughts were beginning to stretch thin.


    Right now the best thing he could do was continue the inquisition in good faith, and give Ailn as much opportunity as possible.


    Ailn must have had a plan in mind. He¡¯d gone out of his way to make sure they maintained the independence of their thoughts.


    So, Kylian would perform his role of bailiff, and let Ailn perform his.


    Kylian trusted in Ailn¡¯s dogged intuition. He knew he was being hypocritical, since he¡¯d kept him in the dark. But if there was one thing he could rely on, it was this: if Lady Renea was truly innocent, her brother would not let her down.


    Kylian just had to trust in his plan.


    <hr>


    Ailn did not have a plan.


    It was already a tall order trying to catch a criminal in a world without forensics. Then there was the fact he was fighting uphill against the friendly neighborhood Order of the Azure Knights.


    What he had was circumstantial evidence. Unfortunately, he lacked the explicit physical proof to clinch it.


    It would be great if he could grab a smoke right now, clear his thoughts. If he could just do that, he was sure he could blow the case wide open, find the smoking gun, and pin the culprit down.


    For now, he had to play it by ear.


    ¡°The shadow beasts didn¡¯t pass through any gates, or any secret passages. Nor did they have to pass through the holy barrier. In fact, they didn¡¯t come from the outside at all.¡± Ailn said, giving that usual arms-crossed, eyes closed, wincing look of his. ¡°They came from inside the castle.¡±


    ¡°...Inside the castle?¡± Kylian asked. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°They came from the castle because they were born within it,¡± Ailn said. ¡°There¡¯s one spot in the castle where they could¡¯ve come from.¡±


    Ailn counted with his hand, as he made his points: ¡°It¡¯s hidden by obscurity, a place where the shadow beasts could be kept¡ªat the very least¡ªon the night of the ceremony without being discovered. It has proximity to the locations of every attack. And most of all¡­ it has evidence, in the form of a timed release mechanism.¡±


    ¡°A timed release mechanism¡­¡± Kylian¡¯s expression shifted to one of slowly dawning realization. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly mean ¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m talking about the burnt rope we found, in Sir Envont¡¯s quarters,¡± Ailn paused for effect. ¡°The shadow beasts were born in the kennel.¡±


    ¡®This is completely absurd¡­!¡¯


    ¡®How can a shadow beast possibly be raised?¡¯


    ¡®The young master has hardly ever seen a shadow beast...¡¯¡¯


    Ailn had to manage this right.


    ¡°The rope around the gate for Sir Envont¡¯s room¡ªthe former warden¡¯s room¡ªwas lit indirectly. Ailn said. ¡°This let the culprit roughly time the release of the shadow beasts that were kept in there,¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªan odd contraption,¡± Kylian admitted. Having seen the rope himself, he readily accepted that a timed mechanism was a strongly plausible explanation. ¡°But that hardly seems to suffice as proof¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember, Kylian? The wrought iron gates were battered and worn¡ªfrom the inside,¡± Ailn said.


    Kylian¡¯s eyes widened.


    Unconsciously placing his hand to his mouth, his gaze darting back and forth across the ground in front of him, Kylian seemed in a state of rapid assessment, muttering to himself all the while.


    ¡°Then¡­ according to your theory¡­ Sir Envont would have been raising the shadow beasts?¡± Kylian prodded Ailn for clarification.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know for certain exactly what happened to Sir Envont,¡± Ailn said honestly. ¡°Not yet. But I¡¯m almost certain the real culprit killed him.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± Kylian frowned.


    ¡°Because the culprit wanted free rein over the dogs the kennel master managed. They were the most essential part of his plan,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Kylian, do you remember how many dogs were missing?¡±


    ¡°...Ten. There should¡¯ve been twenty-four in total, but there were fourteen instead,¡± Kylian¡¯s brow furrowed. He seemed to have an inkling of where Ailn was going. ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    ¡°Now count up the shadow beasts. Three attacked Sir Tristan near the mess hall. Three more entered the keep and attacked near the Great Hall. And four more met Sir Tristan in the southwest bailey,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange? Ten dogs disappeared without blood nor bark. There¡¯s not a single trace of them left, unless¡­¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Kylian wearily placed hand to forehead. Perhaps it was doubt. Or perhaps he realized what an uphill task lay ahead of them if Ailn¡¯s conjecture were true. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting that the culprit¡­ transformed the dogs into shadow beasts.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right.¡±


    Ailn swallowed hard, as he once again eyed the reactions of the knights. The abbey, at first, was silent. Unfortunately, after a few tense moments, the abbey started breaking out into a roar.


    ¡®The boy is making up tales!¡¯


    ¡®What proof has he of the dogs¡¯ transformation?!¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s clear he¡¯s just trying to protect his sister¡­¡¯


    ¡®Quiet! All of you quiet, the young master will certainly prove the innocence of Lady Renea!¡¯


    ¡°I understand it¡¯s a rather hard theory to swallow. But considering no one knows how shadow beasts are born, I¡¯d say it¡¯s as plausible as any other conjecture,¡± Ailn said. Then he paused, his tone equanimous. ¡°...In any case, I have more proof. I need something to write on.¡±


    Kylian gestured for a squire to retrieve some quills and parchment from the abbey¡¯s storeroom. He came scurrying back, but only with a quill and ink.


    ¡°Here,¡± Kylian said, turning over the writ of appointment that had been sitting on top of the bailiff¡¯s desk. ¡°Write on this.¡±


    ¡°Again, pay attention to where the shadow beasts attacked, ¡± Ailn said, drawing on the parchment, ¡°They all show up in the west side of the castle. Specifically, the northwest bailey, the southwest bailey, and the within the keep¡ªclose to its western entrance.¡±


    Kylian said nothing. It was clear the cogs in his mind were moving fast.


    ¡°The kennel is also on the west side of the keep. Leaving the kennel, they¡¯d pop out at 9 o¡¯clock. Now imagine they split up evenly. Some go clockwise, some go counterclockwise, and the rest enter the keep¡¯s west entrance¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯d likely meet guards¡­ at the locations of every attack,¡± Kylian said. ¡°Northwest at 11 o¡¯clock. Southwest at 7 o¡¯clock. And inside the keep itself. It¡­ it would track.¡±


    Sweeping back his hair, Kylian¡¯s brows further knitted in worry as he tried to process the implications.


    ¡®Drivel! All of it!.¡¯


    ¡®You mean to say we simply missed shadow beasts growing right underneath the keep?!¡¯


    Unfortunately, the knights seemed to have found Ailn¡¯s assertion¡ªthat they had literally let shadow beasts grow under their noses¡ªinsulting.


    ¡°...To clarify,¡± Ailn addressed the knights, ¡°if we don¡¯t know how the dogs were transformed into shadow beasts, then that opens the possibility that they were transformed nearer to the time of the attack.¡±


    Ailn continued: ¡°Until then, anyone entering the kennel would only see dogs that were clearly neglected, with no kennel master present. The overwhelming odor alone would deter any knight from conducting a thorough investigation.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Aldous strode over. Despite the murmurs of doubt and contempt spreading through the knights, he seemed to graciously listen to Ailn¡¯s theory.


    ¡°Your Grace, may I examine the diagram you¡¯ve created?¡± Aldous asked, gesturing politely toward it. When Ailn wordlessly handed the parchment over, Aldous took time to contemplate it, before closing his eyes and nodding.


    ¡°For as long as the history of the continent, the miasma has occupied the northern lands, impervious to expedition¡ª the shadow beasts themselves resistant to scrutiny,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Which is why¡­¡±


    He opened his eyes.


    ¡°I believe your words, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. ¡°It is the way of the world to learn, and to illuminate the darkness¡ªwhatever way we can.¡±


    Aldous turned to the knights in the pews, his countenance grave, and his voice filled with disappointment.


    ¡°Do you fools think we¡¯ve learned all there is to know about the shadow beasts? The miasma? This land that we give our lives for?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°Are you so arrogant you wouldn¡¯t even listen to his words, or take a single moment out of your day to read a piece of parchment?¡±


    The knights quieted down, surprised by his reprimand. But he spoke with such equanimity, it made them feel ashamed for conflating their anger with true and proper skepticism.


    Ailn had a rough idea of what was coming next.


    It was glaringly obvious why Aldous would be so eager to thrust himself into the discussion, and present himself as the voice of impartiality.


    ¡°If I may be so bold, however,¡± Aldous looked at the two of them with what seemed like genuine confusion, ¡°I believe it is worth inquiring Lady Renea once again, if she has anything else to say on the matter.¡±


    ¡°Be clearer, Sir Aldous,¡± Kylian said. He sounded tired. ¡°Inquire her as to what?¡±


    ¡°Merely if she wishes to rescind her confession,¡± Aldous said.


    Ailn turned to Renea, kneeling pitifully in front of the altar. She¡¯d been quiet for a long time, and that worried him.


    At first, he¡¯d been anxious she¡¯d keep up her self-destructive, falsely self-incriminating behavior. He thought she might jump into the conversation just to shoot herself in the foot; let everyone know she killed Envont herself and made soup with his bones.


    But she didn¡¯t. And her complete silence was troubling in a different way.


    They waited for her answer. For a while, the only sound in the abbey was her shallow breathing. Finally, she said just a single word.


    ¡°...Y-yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aldous asked. He seemed genuinely surprised. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t kill your brother.¡±


    ¡°N-no. I didn¡¯t. I never said I did,¡± Renea whispered.


    ¡°Then, you rescind your confession that you left without healing him, when you believed he was at death¡¯s door.¡± Aldous asked, with arched eyebrow. ¡°My Lady, did you heal him or not?¡±


    This time she paused for much longer.


    ¡°I¡­ did,¡± Renea said. She looked deflated.


    ¡°Then can you explain why he was still nearly dead, after you¡¯d left? Cairn and Kylian almost dragged the sorry young master to the morgue.¡±


    At this, Renea only bit her lip, her gaze still cast down.


    The entire abbey waited. For clarification, for a single word. Anything at all, to help them understand how her brother should have been left for dead.


    But none ever came.


    <hr>


    Sir Reynard felt a lump in his throat as he glanced down at Renea. There was a terrible weight in his right hand¡ªthe sword poised at her neck which could so swiftly end her life.


    Unlike Sir Tristan he was a simple man. He had the strength to live a life he felt was kind, upright, and just. That was enough for him.


    It was only at times like this that he wished for a little more. Just a bit of cleverness, so he could firmly decide what was wrong and what was right.


    He knew what he was doing now¡ªholding the edge of his blade against this young girl¡¯s throat¡ªcould never be called kind. But he was not so dull or naive that he believed a just life always meant acting with kindness.


    The dictums of his Order, and the limits of his critical thought could not justify sheathing his sword. This was simply the process, and always had been. Why should Renea eum-Creid be treated any different?


    ¡­He asked that question earnestly. He wished for a reason. Any reason that would let him stay his hand. He desperately hoped she¡¯d say anything in her own defense.


    Yet she did not. And so the loyal knight¡¯s sword remained at Renea¡¯s neck, even as the sight of her trembling filled him with nothing but shame.


    <hr>


    Finally, as no response seemed forthcoming from Renea, Aldous let out a bitter sigh.


    ¡°Let me be straightforward¡ªSir Kylian, Your Grace.¡± Aldous¡¯s voice was clear in tone, and reasonable in affect. ¡°Lady Renea impersonated her lady-in-waiting. A falsehood begets questions, does it not?"


    ¡°That¡¯s a reasonable way of viewing it,¡± Kylian said. His brow furrowed.


    ¡°If the culprit had released the shadow beasts during the ceremony to create an alibi, then who benefits more than Lady Renea?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°Unless you can furnish a culprit who better fits the evidence, of course,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°We might not have the necessary evidence to determine the culprit at all,¡± Kylian said cautiously. ¡°No matter how grim such a conclusion would be, I refuse to let zealousness lead me by the nose to a wrongful judgment.¡±


    ¡°...The girl cannot even explain why she left her brother for dead,¡± Aldous said. ¡°You mean to say that isn¡¯t sufficient?¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea is¡­¡± Kylian looked over at the girl who barely even seemed to be following their conversation now. ¡°She does not seem to be fully of right mind, at this moment.¡±


    ¡°People of wrong mind are prone to do regretful things, Sir Kylian,¡± Aldous said. ¡°And those wracked by guilt often act erratically. Would that not explain today¡¯s strange behavior?¡±


    By presuming Renea¡¯s guilt to explain her behavior, Aldous was essentially begging the question. Not that pointing it out would do them any good.


    Ailn took a different tack. He had one chance at this.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a question of my own Aldous,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Same idea as yours.¡±


    ¡°...Certainly Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Though I hardly think I¡¯m the proper person to ask.¡±


    ¡°No, no. You¡¯re perfect,¡± Ailn waved his hand in assurance, and grinned. ¡°See, I was just thinking. If someone in the Order tried to kill me¡ªand they were in a position of power¡ªI bet the proceedings would go a lot like today¡¯s went.¡±


    The knights in the abbey didn¡¯t hide the anger on their faces, but they stayed silent nonetheless.


    ¡°An interesting hypothetical,¡± Aldous said, bidding him to continue.


    ¡°They¡¯d probably force things through to rapid closure by abusing their clout. Might even set up an ambush the night before,¡± Ailn said. ¡°But most of all, they¡¯d keep everything right under their thumb¡ªeven if they weren¡¯t officially in charge.¡±


    Ailn and Aldous stared each other down.


    ¡°And in what manner do you suppose they could do that?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°Being a bully, mostly,¡± Ailn said with a shrug. ¡°They¡¯d use their presence to browbeat the knights, conduct the emotions in the abbey at will. To use an analogy you could say they¡¯d¡­¡±


    Ailn pointed.


    ¡°...Rely on their aura,¡± he said.


    A quip to which, after a beat, Aldous gave a light chuckle.


    Watching this exchange, Kylian froze. Ailn had made an abundance of shocking claims today. But none had seemed to affect him like the barbs Ailn and Aldous threw at each other now.


    Kylian¡¯s neck creaked like a rusty gate hinge as he turned slowly to look at Aldous.


    ¡°That certainly is a concern, isn¡¯t it, Your Grace?¡± Aldous said. ¡°You sound convinced it was one of our knights. Surely, then, you¡¯d be forthright enough to provide us a name.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just making sensible conjecture right now, high marshal,¡± Ailn said, raising his hands affably. ¡°Hypothetically, if say, our bailiff Kylian here was trying to get away with it, we¡¯d all be pretty screwed, wouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    Though Kylian didn¡¯t say a word, Ailn was certain he saw his eye twitch in annoyance.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re quite right,¡± Aldous couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing. ¡°Perhaps we should restrain Sir Kylian, too!¡±


    Both Ailn and Aldous seemed to think this was hilarious. Kylian, looking very tired, evidently did not.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Ailn gave an exaggerated shrug, ¡°since we¡¯re all telling elaborate stories, I¡¯d like to tell one of my own. It¡¯s called ¡®The Knight Who Tried to Kill Me.¡¯¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite the title, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I never knew a eum-Creid with the gift of a silver tongue.¡±


    ¡°Just wait ¡®till you hear the ending.¡±

 Chapter 30: The Knight Who…

    The abbey was tense, but Aldous was all smiles. Looking at him, you¡¯d think he was enjoying himself.


    ¡°My curiosity¡¯s piqued, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Tell me about this story¡¯s protagonist.¡±


    ¡°... Well, you¡¯ve probably managed to guess they¡¯re a knight,¡± Ailn said. ¡°But I think we can be a little more specific.¡±


    Ailn took a look at Sophie who¡¯d been silent for quite some time, herself. It was always going to come to light. But he felt sorry nonetheless.


    ¡°Oh really, Your Grace? You¡¯ll give us a name, after all?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°No, no, nothing like that. That would just take out all the mystique.¡± Ailn shook his head, like he was really giving a lecture on narrative. ¡°Instead, we¡¯re gonna call this knight¡­ Sophie¡¯s father.¡±


    Ailn averted his eyes from Sophie who stiffened in response.


    ¡°This knight, well¡­ where do I even start? First off, the guy probably didn¡¯t like me. He¡¯s not different from most of you guys,¡± Ailn gestured to the audience. ¡°He lived his life protecting the duchy, doing his tours of the northern wall and fighting shadow beasts. He would¡¯ve seen me as a coward.¡±


    Ailn shrugged and shook his head again, continuing: ¡°But that¡¯s a pretty common story, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    He gestured lightly in Sophie¡¯s direction.


    ¡°The thing is, this knight had a daughter¡ªa daughter who, if only her father had been high nobility, would¡¯ve had the surname eum-Creid.¡± Then he pointed to himself. ¡°And what does he hear? Every month¡­ that daughter is meeting up with his least favorite coward: me.¡±


    ¡°He sounds like a petty man,¡± Aldous said, sounding amused.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s petty,¡± Ailn said. ¡°But there¡¯s more to it. You see, this knight, to have had that daughter at all meant¡­ Well, there¡¯s no polite way to say this: my mother had an affair with this knight. And frankly, she probably loved that knight more than she loved my dad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s poor storytelling for the ¡®narrator¡¯ to imagine themselves privy to the thoughts of the dead?¡± Aldous asked, his voice considerate and constructive. ¡°The convenience of it strains credulity.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bit of reading between the lines, Aldous. I¡¯m not sure a Saintess of Varant could ever love a man who never saw the battlefield. I mean, she even sent her son away for being a weakling,¡± Ailn pointed out. ¡°And if Celine didn¡¯t care for her husband, how do you think the knight felt about him?¡±


    ¡°...Enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say that knight must have hated her husband. Hated that his noble station entitled him to a woman who didn¡¯t love him, and to the dukedom he didn¡¯t protect.¡±


    Aldous snorted.


    ¡°And so the knight takes it out on the man¡¯s children, long after the man is dead?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°Even though they¡¯re the children of the woman he loved? Do you truly believe that, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Now, hold on,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Time heals all wounds¡ªas long as they''ve been properly cleaned. But the ones left filled with filth¡­ they fester.¡±


    Ailn tried to assess the emotions in the abbey, without giving away his own anxiety.


    The feelings in the air were clearly complicated. It was better than he hoped. By now, most everyone was catching on, and the fact that they weren¡¯t screaming in indignation yet meant they were at least thinking.


    He¡¯d been given an unexpected opportunity. Aldous had calmed down the raging knights in a bid to take quiet control of the inquisition, but it was that very quiet that gave Ailn a chance.


    Unfortunately, those who were on his side were also down for the count.


    Kylian and Sophie both were shocked, for two very different reasons. Kylian¡¯s presence of mind might be back momentarily. But he doubted Sophie¡¯s would.


    From this point on, it would have to be a balancing act.


    ¡°A wound, Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked, unimpressed. ¡°You¡¯re saying the knight was merely still fixated upon his lover? I¡¯d wager that an individual with such fragility would never survive in the north.¡±


    ¡°Not quite, Aldous,¡± Ailn said, shaking his head. ¡°This wasn¡¯t fragility. It was obsession, to the point of disease.¡±


    Aldous said nothing in response, and his expression remained unchanged.


    ¡°In this knight¡¯s head, death was never going to be enough. Not for the person he truly hated. The hate he had for me was the common kind. So, why¡¯d he choose such an elaborate manner of murder? Just to form an alibi? When he could¡¯ve just picked the right rainy night to kill me in my own cottage?¡±


    Ailn gestured toward the pews, indicating every knight in attendance. He refused to flinch despite their hostility.


    ¡°He needed it to be humiliating. He wanted an audience. If it wasn¡¯t a death ironic and karmic at the same time, it wouldn¡¯t suffice. He wanted to make sure people would see my pitiful corpse, hear about my pathetic death, and chant it like a litany: he was never a real eum-Creid.¡±


    ¡°I hardly think the knight needed to put forth such grueling effort, just to elicit what the people already thought,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Surely you weren¡¯t oblivious, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. My reputation already existed. And he knew how much it bothered the girl he was really trying to hurt,¡± Ailn said. ¡°The knight wasn¡¯t just killing the brother she loved. The knight wanted her to bear the insults of her brother¡¯s failures. In the midst of her grief, she¡¯d get a taste of contempt.¡±


    Ailn¡¯s voice turned particularly bitter.


    ¡°In the knight¡¯s warped outlook, someone like her, so adored and cherished, had never been forced to eat dirt. Sorrow wasn¡¯t enough for him. Because sorrow alone won¡¯t always become misery.¡±


    Renea, who¡¯d been seemingly lost in her miserable world, looked up at Ailn, the irises of her eyes damp and flickering.


    ¡°... Do you mean to say, Your Grace,¡± Aldous chuckled, ¡°the knight worked so tirelessly simply to hurt this girl¡¯s feelings?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. When you put it like that, it sounds insane. Doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°To the point of outlandishness.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a word for this kind of resolve, Aldous.¡± Ailn¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°What this knight did was evil.¡±


    The knights who¡¯d been so openly hostile just moments before seemed to falter. Then, Ailn turned to Kylian.


    ¡°But the knight had never expected the existence of a secret passage,¡± Ailn said. ¡°And it was when Kylian and I discovered it, that he realized he could get a fuller revenge than he¡¯d ever imagined.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Kylian, still shaking, was now staring at Aldous.


    ¡°He realized he could use the trust of the knights, and the nuances of the Order¡¯s procedures to have this girl tried and even executed. He could stain her name with the ultimate indignity, and protect himself at the same time,¡± Ailn said.


    Then Ailn turned back to Aldous.


    ¡°The girl¡¯s name was Renea eum-Creid. And he could never forgive her for failing to save the life of her mother, the late Saintess Celine. Our mother.¡± Ailn glared openly at Aldous.


    ¡°And the knight¡¯s name¡­ was Sir Aldous Ferme,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Convinced that Renea let Celine die on purpose seven years ago, he turned his back on all of his principles, all for the puerile satisfaction of crushing her soul.¡±


    Ailn gave his speech with the kind of confidence that made it ring true as it was spoken. Despite themselves, the knights mumbled amongst each other.


    ¡®Is Aldous truly¡­?¡¯


    ¡®There was a bond only he and Celine shared¡­¡¯


    ¡®If it were Sophie¡­¡¯


    They seemed to be truly considering it.


    The circumstances surrounding Saintess Celine¡¯s death had always been painful and enigmatic for the knights. And those who had particularly strong bonds of friendship with Aldous knew just how deeply he was anguished by it.


    Ailn had grabbed the momentum as best he could, given the circumstances. But his opponent¡¯s demeanor was steadfast.


    Through Ailn¡¯s entire speech, Aldous¡¯s gaze never faltered. His countenance unyielding and his presence ever reliable, Aldous looked tired of, rather than pressured by, Ailn¡¯s unsubtle accusations.


    It really did seem as if he¡¯d just heard a story poorly told.


    ¡°Was that all you have to say, Your Grace?¡± Aldous said, ¡°Given your earlier conviction, I find myself underwhelmed. I¡¯m Sophie¡¯s father? Have you seen me ever talk to that child?¡±


    Sophie glared hatefully at the knight. It was a proud look, seemingly unscathed by his calloused words. But Ailn caught the hurt and rejection that had flashed across her face.


    ¡°...Unfortunately, Sophie isn¡¯t much of a character in the story,¡± Ailn said with a grimace. ¡°I hate to say it, but I don¡¯t think she ever truly mattered to the knight.¡±


    If Ailn could have avoided revealing Sophie¡¯s tie to Aldous, he would have. But her existence was the most reliable proof he had of Aldous¡¯s affair with Celine.


    ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± Ailn took a deep breath. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have sent shadow beasts the maid¡¯s way, when her only sure protection would¡¯ve been what he thought was a corpse.¡±


    At those words, Sophie¡¯s mask slipped. Her proud posture faltered, her piercing eyes turned soft, as her hands began to tremble.


    ¡°There was only one woman in Aldous¡¯s world,¡± Ailn said. ¡°When Aldous saw Renea, he saw the girl who would carry on the legacy of Celine.¡± He kept his cadence. ¡°And when Renea failed to save our mother¡ª¡±


    ¡°Chose not to,¡± Aldous interjected gruffly.


    ¡°...When Renea failed to save our mother, he saw a fake. An insult to the woman he loved more than himself,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°And what proof have you of this myopic love?¡± Aldous asked, very reasonably.


    ¡°I¡¯d say an affair is proof enough. Wouldn¡¯t you, Aldous?¡± Ailn asked sharply.


    ¡°...Tell me, Your Grace,¡± Aldous narrowed his eyes. ¡°You seem insistent that maid is my child. If not affection, what else would tie me?¡±


    ¡°I have Ennieux¡¯s sworn testimony,¡± Ailn said flatly. ¡°Our aunt. Celine¡¯s sister.¡±


    ¡°Lady Ennieux, who could not even be bothered to wake up for this inquisition?¡± Aldous asked, chuckling. ¡°Who has done nothing for this duchy but gossip like a hen?¡±


    Ailn¡¯s hand clenched as the knights¡¯ whispers turned judgmental.


    ¡®Of what worth is the testimony of Lady Ennieux, truly?¡¯


    ¡®Is it not merely an attempt to discredit her sister, who unlike her fought bravely?¡¯


    Kylian had been unexpectedly thrust into the forefront, yet he appeared unfazed by it. The movement of his eyes, the flickers of realization across them suggested deep thought¡ªa re-evaluation of the case from the angle that Aldous was the culprit.


    A look of realization flickered in Kylian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Sir Envont¡¯s seal¡­ The knights¡¯ reports¡­ You¡¯re the one who forged them,¡± Kylian stared at Aldous with stricken disbelief.


    ¡°And what reason have you to believe that they were forged, Sir Kylian?¡± Aldous was unfazed. ¡°Sir Envont was a drunkard who left the kennel unkempt, and found it beneath his station to feed dogs. It¡¯s out of character for you to have your wits thrown about by proofless conjecture.¡±


    ¡°The guards¡¯ movements! You moved Sir Reynard from his post so no one would be in view of the courtyard!¡± Kylian yelled.


    ¡°Of course. And I must have conjured the frost on the gates that necessitated his assistance.¡± Aldous arched an eyebrow. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re saying, Kylian?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been manipulating these procedures from the start. I¡¯ve been dancing in your palm¡­¡± Kylian said, a second wave of shock seeming to hit him. ¡°You poisoned the well so I¡¯d clear Sophie¡¯s name, and foolishly pursue Lady Renea.¡±


    ¡°I did no such thing,¡± Aldous said. His voice was harsh now. ¡°Your actions as bailiff are yours. I¡¯m disappointed to see you act so wretched. Have you no shame? Laying fault at my doorstep, just as you crumble from the stress of your duties?¡±


    Kylian gritted his teeth, but made no response.


    ¡°The old knight¡¯s craftier than I ever expected¡­¡± Ailn muttered.


    He¡¯d put all his eggs in one basket, hoping Aldous would crack under pressure. For a moment, it really did seem like the knights would believe him.


    But Aldous¡¯s confidence and indifference quickly assured them¡ªin particular, the high marshall¡¯s conduct toward his supposed daughter: he truly didn¡¯t seem to care about Sophie. Even now, the apologetic look he gave her seemed to suggest he was sorry she was being so shamelessly deceived.


    The fact that Aldous and Celine were known to cherish each other was what lent salience to Ailn¡¯s ¡®story.¡¯ Yet here he was, treating their alleged child like an acquaintance he¡¯d inadvertently inconvenienced.


    ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯ve listened patiently to your tale,¡± Aldous said. ¡°It¡¯s only right you take a moment to indulge mine. Unless you or the bailiff can justify why I cannot speak?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be hard pressed to interrupt,¡± Ailn said with a bitter smile, as he took in the mood of the abbey around him. There hadn¡¯t been any goodwill there from the start. And unfortunately, just now he¡¯d spent all of their patience.


    If Kylian denied Aldous a chance to speak now, when he¡¯d given Ailn so many, then the proceedings really would turn crooked. The knights might simply end everything in violent action at that point, and it wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable for them to do so.


    ¡°Say your peace, Aldous,¡± Kylian said. His eyes were sharp and alive, even though he¡¯d seemed so defeated earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fairy tale, Sir Kylian. About a monster that found a most serendipitous place to hide,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Ah.¡±


    Aldous looked at Ailn, with an expression that suggested he was digging through his memory. Then, he gave a snap of his fingers as it came to him.


    ¡°¡®Once upon a time,¡¯ was it, Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked.


    ¡°...That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve got a better memory than you pretend to, Aldous,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Really makes me question all those times you acted like a witless old dog.¡±


    ¡°You never found the time to tell me that story about the scoundrel of a wolf, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said.


    ¡°I think I just told it,¡± Ailn said blithely, and Aldous just chuckled again.


    ¡°Whatever the case, I found it a striking device,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Correct me if I use it wrong, Your Grace.¡±


    Aldous¡¯s derisive attitude ceased with unsettling swiftness. Dropping all pretenses, he let his contempt display free and unbridled.


    ¡°Once upon a time,¡± Aldous said, ¡°...a monster was born in Varant.¡±


    Ailn felt a knot in his stomach, and glanced at Renea out of the corner of his eye.


    It was hard to read someone once they reached a certain level of despondency. It was even easier to miss further decline of their mental state. So, he kept an eye on it.


    ¡°This monster sought the greatest throne from which to enact its wicked devices,¡± Aldous said. ¡°And in its cunning, it found refuge in silver hair, blue eyes, and a lineage most holy and noble.¡±


    There was a flicker of emotion on Renea¡¯s face.


    For a while, she¡¯d ceased overt expression. But now Ailn could see her cheeks had the subtle wrinkles of jaw clenching. The corners of her mouth were twitching downward when she couldn¡¯t repress it. Her already shallow breath was slowly speeding up.


    And despite the glassy and distant look in her eye, she¡¯d gone from fixating on the floor to fixating on Aldous.


    ¡°You see, that monster¡­ found the body of an infant that had lost its life in the process of childbirth,¡± Aldous said, his eyes closing with memory. ¡°She was a stillborn I held with my own hands. I had finally taken the infant¡¯s body from Celine, who was beside herself with grief, and I¡¯d taken upon myself the grim and unhappy task of burying it.¡±


    His eyes opened with a shudder.


    ¡°That bundle of arms I held had been cold with death for near an hour. Unbreathing. And its limbs had already stiffened. Then¡­ all at once and without warning, that lifeless body began to wail.¡±


    Aldous turned to Kylian, who stayed silent as his expression darkened.


    ¡°The infant opened its eyes, and looked into mine. Our Lady Renea eum-Creid was seemingly alive once more, staring at me with flashing red eyes.¡±

 Chapter 31: The Monster in Varant

    The proceedings had left the knights emotionally exhausted. They wouldn¡¯t have had much in them to react, if the new revelation had simply been shocking.


    Their surprise had simply run out. What was another secret passage at this point? Or more of the castle¡¯s dirty laundry? The proceedings had already gone through so many turnabouts that, even if the inquisition were to be flipped on its head yet again, it wouldn¡¯t feel so dramatic.


    But what¡¯s left, when most of one¡¯s emotions are wrung dry, are the most primal ones: the ones that border on instinct.


    And what was building in the abbey right now, as Aldous related the tale of Lady Renea¡¯s birth, was the most primal form of dread: that which¡ªas long as the right person prodded it in the wrong direction¡ªcould become terror.


    Demons were never a matter to be taken lightly in Varant, even though there were many in the Order who believed them to be a nonsense superstition.


    Not every knight was pious. And not every knight lived their lives with faith. But those who did feared demons greatly, believing them to be the evil that underlay the encroaching darkness. If holiness was what tempered their swords, then surely the machinations of demons were what sharpened their foes¡¯ claws.


    The taboos were older than Varant itself, and had been around since the beginning of the empire. They were written into its oldest chronologies, recited in its most ancient oral traditions.


    And now the most respected man in the duchy was testifying to the demons¡¯ existence, with no deception apparent in his voice, nor any hint of irony.


    If Aldous had been known as a zealot, perhaps it would not have been so striking. But he had never acted superstitiously before. Nor had he been particularly known to engage in discussions of religion or theology. He was not even one to be seen frequently in the abbey.


    Sir Aldous Ferme had always simply been a man of conviction. When he fought the shadow beasts beyond the north wall, it seemed as if his aura and his alone never faltered.


    There were those skeptics, who honed their fearlessness to keep their aura sharp. There were the devout, who, even at the northern wall, spent their time recuperating in prayer.


    And then there was Aldous, who had always wordlessly led the battle with will alone. The way he¡¯d lived his life ¡®till now gave his words credence, and the strident conviction in his voice gave them salience.


    Aldous had never been shy in saying Renea¡¯s birth was the one time in his life he had seen the hands of something greater at work¡ªa more powerful force, intervening in the matters of man. And that made the ferocious way he retold the story convincing. Aldous wasn¡¯t merely rewrapping the tale in his newfound contempt and vehemence.


    He was telling it as a horror story.


    As many times as they¡¯d heard the tale, none of the knights in the room had ever taken the time to viscerally imagine it: what it would be like for an unmoving, unbreathing infant to abruptly come wailing back to life in your arms.


    Now that they gave it due consideration, the actual imagined experience of the ¡®miracle¡¯ was frankly chilling.


    And then there were the implications.


    Demons¡ªas described by those who believed in them¡ªwere crafty creatures. They were liars and sycophants, who veiled themselves in that which was supposed to be good, in order to cover up their core which was wicked.


    From what they¡¯d seen today, did that not aptly describe Lady Renea?


    The knights were silent, and their behavior was calm¡ªbut for Ailn who was trying to keep Renea away from nooses and guillotines, it was the most dangerous shift in the abbey¡¯s atmosphere yet.


    The only good news was that, judging by the look on Kylian¡¯s face, Aldous¡¯s story was only serving to alienate him.


    ¡°Something evil filled that dead child that day, Sir Kylian,¡± Aldous said, trying to restrain the anger and sorrow that were entering his voice. ¡°That creature¡¯s flashing red eyes¡­ were unmistakably those of a demon¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You would truly rest your claims on such a shallow superstition at this moment?¡± Kylian asked, in disbelief.


    ¡°The fool I was that day thought the same, Kylian. When I held the infant in my arms, I said taboos be damned,¡± Aldous growled. ¡°I told not a soul of it. Not even Celine.¡±


    Suddenly, Ailn had a terrible premonition. He broke into a cold sweat, realizing the worst thing that could happen right now.


    Something told him it was about to.


    ¡°I watched over her with hope,¡± Aldous said. He sounded regretful. ¡°I was so certain the old tales were only for simpletons and children. I had been tricked, in the cruelest of ways¡ªbecause such is a demon¡¯s wont.¡±


    ¡­And Ailn¡¯s instincts tended to be right in these situations. He could hear Renea quietly sniffling.


    It was apparent she found Aldous¡¯s condemnation too painful to watch, because she¡¯d gone back to staring at the floor.


    Previously, the floor was just the natural destination for her listless gaze. Now, from the way she was blinking fast and biting her lip harshly, Ailn wagered she was proactively self-repressing and self-minimizing¡ªas much as she reasonably could with swords at her neck.


    "Yet, from the very outset, her mannerisms were of such a peculiar nature that one could not simply overlook them,¡± Aldous said. "Many among the knights gathered here can attest that she uttered her first discernible words at a mere six months of age.¡±


    This darker interpretation of what was once a cherished fact about Renea, prompted many knights to exchange wary glances, their discomfort palpable in the charged silence of the abbey.


    ¡°It is not a sin to be precocious, Aldous,¡± Kylian uttered, clearly taken aback by the many knights¡¯ ready acquiescence. ¡°His Grace Sigurd was exceptionally quick to take on the sword. What of it?¡±


    "Did young master Sigurd also babble of strange and eerie magics when he was but a babe of two?" Aldous asked. "Did he speak of tapestries that could move on their own, and soothsaying that could predict the very weather?


    Then Aldous¡¯s grimace darkened further.


    ¡°And what of when I caught the child gazing intently into the mirror and pondering her ¡®true name¡¯¡ªas if the one she bore was somehow false?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°Was this precociousness as well?¡±


    Gasps echoed through the abbey. This latest testimony evidently left many of the knights deeply unsettled.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It was Celine, not I, who first felt the eeriness of the child, the accumulated ways in which she did not seem to belong,¡± Aldous said. ¡°And it was I who defended Lady Renea, when even Celine was adamant she sensed not a shred of holiness from her own child.¡±


    Anguish progressively clouding his features, it was clear that Aldous now felt he¡¯d made a terrible mistake.


    ¡°I only realized the grievousness of my error on the day Celine died,¡± Aldous said, his voice beginning to stiffen. ¡°Did you know, Sir Kylian? I rode my beloved horse to death that day.¡± The pained look on his face took on a note of chagrin. ¡°Yet still I had¡­ arrived too late to save our beloved Saintess.¡±


    Despite the concerted effort Aldous made to compose himself, his breathing was turning labored and heavy.


    ¡°When I looked at poor Celine¡¯s body, I saw something I simply couldn¡¯t comprehend,¡± Aldous said, struggling with his emotions. ¡°She¡¯d been struck by an arrow to her upper abdomen. It would¡¯ve been a slow death¡­ from blood loss.¡±


    Now fully lost in remembrance, Aldous¡¯s nostrils flared like a bull¡¯s. ¡°How¡­ how could Lady Renea have failed to save her?¡±


    He was no longer looking Renea¡¯s way. Just as she couldn¡¯t stand to watch him as he condemned her, Aldous couldn¡¯t bear the sight of the girl he called a monster.


    Not while he was dredging up these painful memories for which he held her responsible.


    ¡°There and then, I shook Lady Renea by the shoulder, begging her for an explanation. It was insolent and shameless, but what could I do? The child simply stared into my eyes wordlessly, with¡­ her red eyes, demonic and flickering.¡±


    ¡°There were no tears. No sorrow, even as she knelt over her mother¡¯s corpse,¡± Aldous no longer restrained the fury in his voice. ¡°Only the flashing red, as vivid as on the day of her birth¡ªa stark innuendo, mocking the mercy I once assumed right.¡±


    Aldous had been wily all evening, and arguably the inquisition¡¯s best actor. But right now, his tone was filled with genuine disgust¡ªthe kind that couldn¡¯t be mimicked.


    It mixed with all the dread and fear in the abbey. And it was having a particularly strong effect on Renea, whose breath had started hitching.


    That¡¯s when Ailn saw it, in the periphery of his vision.


    The flicker of red in Renea¡¯s eyes.


    <hr>


    Renea couldn¡¯t stop her panic. Fear was fraying what little presence of mind she had left. The swords at her neck made it so hard to breathe. Her real eyes were coming out. She could feel them. She couldn¡¯t stop them.


    And the moment she felt her red eyes manifesting, she squeezed them shut immediately.


    Being seen without being able to see anything in return except for the darkness of her lids¡ªknowing the entire abbey was watching her break down¡ªwas as humiliating as it was painful. But the knights might really kill her if they saw them.


    Because of her eyes, there was a very real chance she was going to be hung.


    Her real eyes weren¡¯t noble, nor blue and wide like the sky. They were¡­ a flashing red, that flickered like flames, and they were so bright that when Renea saw them in the mirror she could swear she felt them burning.


    Anyone would think they were demonic. Someone important to her had.


    Now, it was only a matter of time before her burning eyes would be forced open for everyone in the abbey to see.


    The full reality of her situation was only hitting her now. Her execution was almost inevitable. The knights were truly beginning to believe she was a demon.


    And it was her fault. Her wretched and petulant behavior had poisoned the knights¡¯ sentiment toward her, and now the inquisition was escalating to the point where even the truth would fail to dissuade its course.


    She¡¯d tried to rescind her self-incriminating testimony when Aldous gave her the chance; she even lied that she healed Ailn, despite how disgusting it made her feel.


    That would¡¯ve been her last chance to tell the truth.


    But the memory of her mother scoffing paralyzed her. With her eyes shut, she couldn¡¯t escape it: the image of her mother sneering even as her body went limp, and the snow beneath her turned scarlet.


    <hr>


    Trying not to show it on his face, Ailn panicked internally. He caught it fast, but who else did?


    Renea must have realized it was coming, because upset as she was, she still had the presence of mind to immediately close her eyes.


    Ailn watched the knights¡¯ reactions in his visual periphery. A face or two looked startled, but no one had yelled out, so there was that. Judging by the way Kylian¡¯s hands were shaking¡­ he probably caught sight of them too.


    ¡°And if it is not a demon who controlled Renea eum-Creid that day, then her soul is only all the filthier,¡± Aldous snarled. ¡°Her birth was no miracle¡­ It was blasphemy.¡±


    A stifled whimper escaped Renea. Her eyes were shut¡ªbut her ears weren¡¯t.


    Their one lucky break was that Aldous didn¡¯t seem to have seen it himself. He hadn¡¯t been looking at Renea, because he¡¯d been too absorbed in the most painful part of his story.


    If Aldous forced open her eyes right now, while the abbey was still in this mood, it really could be over for them.


    Ailn was at a loss for what to do.


    ¡°What say you, Lady Renea?¡± Aldous asked coldly.


    But Renea said nothing in response.


    With Aldous now addressing her directly, she tried to force herself mute. She¡¯d long lost control of her autonomic state, so it wasn¡¯t really working, but whatever the case she refused to answer him.


    That¡¯s when he finally turned toward her¡ªand saw that her eyes were closed in desperation. Aldous was not a man too dull to miss what this likely meant.


    ¡°...It would seem Lady Renea has a reason to conceal her eyes,¡± Aldous said. ¡°I can only conjecture as to why,¡± he added dryly.


    The problem was that Aldous had already started to calm down. He¡¯d gone through his worst memories, and unleashed all that bitterness and resentment in one glorious smear.


    The catharsis that had come from his denunciation of Renea was evidently enough to ease him back into perfect lucidity, just as he looped back into his lies. And now he was trying to put a bowtie on everything.


    Sophie, for her part, was baffled.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why her sister had closed her eyes¡ªand now of all times.


    ¡°Renea¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Sophie asked, in a worried whisper.


    Yet her sister stayed mute. Renea was biting down on her bottom lip so hard now that it looked like it might bleed.


    There had been a moment when things looked hopeful. So, Sophie kept quiet, tempted by the prospect of surviving the inquisition with their secret still theirs for the keeping.


    But Sophie had underestimated just how severe the knights¡¯ emotional battering would become. And just when she realized what a grave mistake she¡¯d made, she was stunned to silence by the revelation that Aldous was likely her father.


    She¡¯d been momentarily shocked to inaction, right when her sister needed her the most.


    Now that she¡¯d caught her bearings, she had to say for Renea what Renea couldn¡¯t say for herself. The truth.


    But despite herself, she was shaken by the sight of Renea forcing her eyes shut.


    Sophie didn¡¯t realize Renea harbored secrets even she wasn¡¯t privy to. It was the classic mistake of a faithful confidante: assuming that profound and deeply-rooted trust was as a matter of course absolute.


    Her inner turmoil briefly silenced her, but it was just long enough for her to miss her chance to speak. Meanwhile, Aldous, with all his presence and charisma, continued to steal momentum.


    ¡°... What this insinuates, my fellow knights of the Order, is a pattern. One our two-faced Saintess cannot help,¡± Aldous said. His tone was clean and reasonable. ¡°She does not stop at deceit. She exults in derision¡ªand gloats when she has achieved her means.¡±


    Aldous turned to Reynard, who still had his sword at Renea¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Sir Reynard. You saw Lady Renea, as she postured¡ªcunningly¡ªas a maid. Perhaps you caught a glimpse of her demonic eyes yourself,¡± Aldous said. ¡°Search your memory thoroughly.¡±


    Reynard, thoroughly put on the spot, gaped back at Aldous. He dropped his gaze to the trembling Renea, then back to Aldous.


    The knight was emotionally torn. But more importantly he was confused.


    ¡°I¡­ it was dark, S-Sir Aldous¡­¡± Reynard stammered. Unlike Tristan, he wasn¡¯t one to trip over his words. But his mind was working overtime. ¡°There¡¯s no way I cou¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did she not flee from you and the other knights that night?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°Surely you found this behavior strange?¡±


    Solemnity on his face, Aldous was beginning to posture as if the inquisition was already his victory.


    But just as Aldous was ready to pressure the knights into rendering judgment, the abbey doors flew open with a slam, and a scream came ringing out from across the way.


    ¡°Just what is going on here?!¡±


    Late, but finally present, Ennieux stood at the abbey¡¯s entrance¡ªstill in robe and with an awful case of bedhead.

 Chapter 32: Fakes

    It was Aldous, not her mother, who was there when Renea first entered this world.


    Aldous was the first face she ever saw. He held her as an infant before anyone else, and his was the first pinky that her small hand ever grasped.


    And when she was young¡­ whenever she was hurting¡­ he¡¯d always tell her the story. Of how she¡¯d come wailing back to life in his arms, filled with the will to live; how when she finally opened her eyes, he looked into them and saw the duchy¡¯s hope.


    He was the one who¡¯d called her a miracle child, even when she never believed it herself.


    But seven years ago, on that bitterly cold day¡­


    The day that Renea¡¯s mother died, her selfishness caused an irreparable rift between her and Aldous.


    ¡°Speak to me! How could this have happened to Celine?!¡± Aldous lightly shook her, desperation and sorrow twisting his face. It was the first time Renea had ever seen tears in Aldous¡¯s eyes. ¡°Please, Lady Renea, I beg of you to speak!¡±


    Renea was in a state of shock. She couldn¡¯t even cry.


    When Aldous came running up¡ªhis horse had died along the way, he¡¯d made such haste¡ªRenea had no words for him.


    And Aldous, realizing that the girl in front of him wouldn¡¯t so much as speak, stared at her with such anger and hurt. Yet, he did nothing to harm her. Instead, he quietly approached her mother, lifted her gently, and began to sob.


    ¡°Celine!¡± Aldous, the man who always seemed so indomitable, was sobbing in front of her. And what was she doing?


    Just staring at him.


    Her mother had realized the truth at the very end. She understood that she¡¯d die because of her daughter¡¯s selfishness. She¡¯d seen that her daughter had the eyes of a demon.


    And in the very last act of her life, Renea¡¯s mother had sneered at her.


    Left with a truth she couldn¡¯t speak, and a memory she couldn¡¯t bear, Renea simply shut down.


    It was so cold. And the swirl of the blizzard kept ringing in her ears.


    That day, after Aldous had sobbed holding her mother¡¯s body for a near hour, while Renea herself shed no tears, he spoke to her just once more.


    ¡°Let us return to safety,¡± Aldous said, gruffly. Then, carrying her mother so gently, he walked on ahead.


    He wouldn¡¯t even look at her. Of course he wouldn¡¯t. Renea wasn¡¯t even brave enough to give him the consolation of truth.


    The two of them never spoke about that day ever again.


    Time passed, and civility returned between them. Perhaps even a degree of warmth. Renea sincerely didn¡¯t understand why Aldous never told another soul of her eyes¡­ and as time went on, she hoped against hope it was because he was protecting her.


    Renea knew just how completely she¡¯d squandered the trust that once came with his devotion. Too timid to reach out, yet always desperately hoping he would take her hand; never certain of his true feelings, and too cowardly to ask¡ªshe shamelessly filled in the blanks.


    She began to cling to the idea that Aldous still cared about her, even though they¡¯d grown so distant since her mother¡¯s death. That he¡¯d glimpsed the ugliness inside of her and chose to believe in her anyway.


    The young girl just wanted someone to tell her that she deserved to live.


    Hurting from the contempt her mother had shown at the very end, Renea was desperate to feel loved. And as Aldous continued to march away, his back retreating into the distance, she told herself it was his quiet way of urging her on. In her distress, she forced herself to hear tenderness in silence¡ªin his seeming inaction, she saw a chance proffered, to show she really was a child of miracles.


    She wanted to prove that there was a reason she¡¯d been sent here, to this bleak place; she prayed relentlessly, striving to catch a glimpse of the hand of providence that carried her, to vindicate the belief she thought Aldous had in her. And one day¡­ if only she had faith, then she could reach out for its grasp¡ª


    Yet the man who told Renea her birth was a miracle was now calling it a blasphemy. And the moment she heard it, she felt something crack inside of her.


    All these years since her mother¡¯s death, Aldous had just hated her. He regretted the first breath she ever took. He saw her real eyes and felt disgust.


    Aldous wished she¡¯d never been born.


    And it was so painful that Renea finally understood¡ªthat deep in her heart, she¡¯d always believed him. She really believed she was a miracle child.


    But the truth was, she was just some creep who stole a baby¡¯s corpse.


    <hr>


    Ennieux, acutely aware of her less-than-formal attire, strode up the abbey¡¯s processional aisle. Yet, the profound embarrassment she felt swiftly gave way to sheer disbelief.


    ¡°Just what is going on here?!¡± Ennieux screamed.


    It was the first time in her life she¡¯d regretted sleeping in since she was a child.


    Late this morning, when she¡¯d finally anxiously left her room, she could see the knights had gone somewhere.


    Something had shocked the servants. They were whispering, scurrying around, and avoiding her eyes. It wasn¡¯t until Ennieux finally stomped right up to a maid that they told her: that the knights had begun an inquisition, targeting both of her nieces.


    Forgetting to even change out of her robe, Ennieux sprinted toward the abbey in a panic.


    How could this happen? The Azure Knights must either be cretins or traitors, because who could possibly believe that Renea had tried to kill anyone, much less her own brother? How could Sophie possibly muster the strength to hurt Ailn?


    When Ennieux reached the chapel, she cast the doors open, ready to speak in her most regal tone. But the sight of her younger niece with her eyes closed and swords at her neck horrified her, and she could hardly hold back her scream.


    Ennieux kept her stride graceful, even though it felt like air was painfully stuck in her chest. ¡°Well?! Is anyone going to apprise me of what¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Right away, two knights came up to her. One of them, a female knight, gently held her back, while the other positioned himself to block her view.


    ¡°Mother,¡± Dame Camille, Ennieux¡¯s daughter, spoke in a soothing tone. ¡°You should not witness this. Please, go back.¡±


    Sir Nicolas, her son, said nothing. As always, his expression was sparse, but his mother at least understood he felt emotionally torn.


    Her children never listened to her. But surely for something like this¡ª


    ¡°Have you two no shame?¡± Ennieux glared at both of her children. ¡°Your cousin has steel at her neck, and you would simply quietly watch?¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea is being tried for a crime,¡± Camille said. Her tone was gentle. ¡°No one¡­ there is not a single soul in this abbey without a heavy heart, mother. Please understand.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°For the crime of attacking Ailn?! She loves that lout to a fault!¡± Ennieux turned left and right to both sides of the pews. ¡°Are you all simpletons?!¡±


    ¡°No one is above justice, mother. Not even the Saintess,¡± Camille whispered. ¡°I¡¯m begging you to leave with grace.¡±


    Ennieux stared at her daughter with wide-eyes.


    ¡°You know Renea wouldn¡¯t attack Ailn. Why will you not defend her?¡± Ennieux pleaded with her own daughter, then turned to her son. ¡°You¡¯ve watched over her since she was an infant, Nicolas!¡±


    She grabbed her daughter¡¯s hands: ¡°You¡­ you were her playmate, Camille!¡±


    But both of them remained silent.


    From the front, Aldous called out to the two knights with a weary voice.


    ¡°Dame Camille, Sir Nicolas¡­ please escort your mother out,¡± Aldous sighed. ¡°I do not wish to expose her to another tragedy.¡±


    Camille reached gently for her mother¡¯s shoulders, and even Nicolas was approaching her now.


    ¡°A mere knight dares to defy a eum-Creid?¡± Ennieux¡¯s voice quivered with anger, as she threw her daughter¡¯s hands off. ¡°Let go of me, for heaven¡¯s sake! You¡¯d think Aldous birthed the two of you the way you act! If you won¡¯t defend her, then I shall!¡±


    She stomped up to the front of the abbey, and crossed her arms.


    ¡°Sir Ferme has no right to banish me,¡± Ennieux snarled at Aldous, before turning angrily to her own children. ¡°And for that matter neither does Sir and Dame Gren!¡±


    Ennieux hid the shaking in her voice as best she could. She knew she had no place here. Even she understood her power over the knights had always been gestural.


    She did not actually know what rights and powers the Order held, but it hardly mattered. She was Varant¡¯s noblest coward, and this inquisition was run by knights who predictably thought little of her.


    But no matter the contempt and condescension thrown her way, she would never let herself forget that she was a eum-Creid. A true one.


    ¡°...I¡¯m in full agreement with Her Grace,¡± Kylian said. ¡°As she is not under inquisition, there is no justification to waive our oath of fealty.¡±


    She¡¯d hardly had a moment to feel grateful for Sir Kylian¡¯s support, when she heard her niece¡¯s cracking voice.


    ¡°A-Auntie Ennie?¡± Renea asked.


    It was something Renea hadn¡¯t called her in the longest time. And when Ennieux turned to look at her niece, her eyes shook.


    The sight had been appalling from afar. But at close quarters it was utterly heartbreaking. She wasn¡¯t merely closing her eyes. She was squeezing them shut with desperate force. Her breaths were shuddering, and her cheeks were scrunched up and wet.


    ¡°Would anyone care to elucidate me as to why my niece is afraid to open her eyes?¡± Ennieux demanded.


    Aldous, who¡¯d been distracted by Ennieux¡¯s loud entrance, deemed himself fit to give his own absurd explanation.


    ¡°Lady Renea is hiding her eyes, for fear of revealing herself a demon,¡± Aldous spoke with laughable gravitas. ¡°A demon who tried to kill her brother, and left him to die. Just like she left her mother to die.¡±


    Ennieux blinked a few times.


    ¡°... Are you mad?¡± Ennieux was sure she misheard. ¡°You¡¯re threatening the future Saintess with the noose because of an old wive¡¯s tale?¡±


    ¡°Lady Ennieux it is far too much to apprise you of in brevity,¡± Aldous growled. ¡°Whether you believe she¡¯s a demon or not, this inquisition has shown irrefutably that it was she who attempted to kill her brother. If you find this outcome lamentable, then endeavor to rise before the midday sun.¡±


    ¡°Next, will you try her for conspiring with fairies to make the castle cold?!¡± Ennieux screeched.


    Ailn came up next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm her. He cleared his throat.


    ¡°Ennieux,¡± Ailn said, ¡°could you go ahead and confirm for us who Sophie¡¯s father is?¡±


    ¡°For God¡¯s sake, it¡¯s Aldous! Who else would it be?!¡± Ennieux yelled. She glanced back at the man and upon meeting his eyes shuddered violently. ¡°Of course I knew! How should you expect me to announce my sister¡¯s indiscretion?!¡±


    Her declaration sent a buzz of discussion through the knights, as Ennieux strode up to Renea, close as the swords would let her.


    She wanted nothing more than to howl at these knaves calling themselves knights¡ªbut she held back, because soothing Renea was infinitely more important.


    ¡°Renea,¡± Ennieux¡¯s voice was soft, as if she were speaking to an infant swaddled in her arms. ¡°Renea, won¡¯t you please open your eyes for me?¡±


    But Renea only squeezed her eyes tighter, shaking her head as lightly as possible due to her fear of the swords.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t,¡± Renea said.


    ¡°Renea, why not? I simply don¡¯t understand,¡± Ennieux said.


    ¡°A-Auntie En¡­ Ennie, I just¡ª¡° Renea started quivering terribly. Her throat, overly tight from how jerkily she¡¯d been breathing, kept catching her words before they could come out. ¡°¡ªcan¡¯t.¡±


    And finally, even though she¡¯d held it in through the entire inquisition, she started crying.


    It wasn¡¯t the jeers of the knights that ultimately overwhelmed her, nor Aldous¡¯s hatred. It was the kindness of her haughty aunt, who stood up for Renea against even her own children¡ªthe ones for whose affection Ennieux was always desperately trying to court.


    ¡°I-I just¡ªI want t-to see¡ªAiln,¡± Renea stammered, her voice broken by sobs.


    <hr>


    Ailn was sincerely sorry that he¡¯d let it get this far.


    If he¡¯d known it was like this, he would¡¯ve forced her to tell the truth earlier.


    ¡­Or maybe that was just him making excuses for himself. He couldn¡¯t say for sure that ego hadn¡¯t gotten in the way. Perhaps a small part of him felt like he lost, not being able to catch Aldous without outing her. But he¡¯d had legitimate reasons not to.


    She¡¯d lost her brother. Then he came along, and took the body of Ailn eum-Creid. He didn¡¯t want to upend her life yet another time.


    It was her business how she wanted to run her life, he¡¯d told himself. What gave him the right?


    If he could prove Aldous was the culprit without ever revealing her secret, then the two of them could¡¯ve gone their own way. She wouldn¡¯t have her brother back, of course, and people would question their sudden distance. But it would¡¯ve done as little damage to her life as possible¡ªat least, until she got caught.


    At that point, whenever it ended up happening, it was out of his hands.


    But looking at her now, it was clear her secret was destroying her. She still hadn¡¯t told the truth through that entire emotional onslaught.


    ¡°I-I just,¡± Renea kept on stammering, ¡°I w-want to see my b-brother.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Renea¡­?¡± Ennieux asked. ¡°He¡¯s right there, Renea. Just¡­ open your eyes.¡±


    ¡°The girl is speaking nonsense precisely because she wishes to conceal them, Lady Ennieux,¡± Aldous said coldly. ¡°The demon is in terror, because it realizes it cannot explain itself. So it pantomimes insanity.¡±


    Ailn wanted to tell Aldous to shut the hell up, but he restrained himself. It was his fault her public berating and humiliation had gone this far. The important thing right now was calming her down so they could fix this¡ªeven if it was just glue and duct tape.


    Sophie stood up. By now tears were angrily streaming down her face. He felt regret, knowing she was someone who¡¯d implicitly put her trust in him too.


    ¡°Renea couldn¡¯t have attacked Ailn, because the truth is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sophie, hold on.¡± Ailn interrupted her.


    ¡°Hold on?! Do you see what the consequences of delaying have been?¡± Sophie¡¯s voice cracked.


    ¡°Renea needs to say it herself. Okay?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Let¡¯s give her a chance.¡±


    ¡°In this state¡­?!¡± Sophie asked.


    ¡°... Give me a chance, too,¡± Ailn said hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯ll get through to her.¡±


    Ailn walked up to Reynard, and implored him.


    ¡°Sir Reynard, please drop the sword. I need to talk to my sister face to face,¡± Ailn said.


    Reynard quietly regarded Ailn, meeting his gaze for a long moment.


    Then, without a word, he lowered his sword, his eyes creasing with pain and regret as he sheathed it¡ªa single imploring glance urging his fellow knight to follow suit.


    Aldous didn¡¯t particularly seem to care. He clearly understood from Renea¡¯s behavior that her ruby eyes must be manifesting, and believed he simply needed to wait it out¡ªthey weren¡¯t even the lynchpin of his accusation.


    Not to mention all it would do at this point is make him look even more terrible than he already did.


    Whether or not the knights in the abbey really thought Renea was a demon, she would be, right now, one that was crying. Even if it was another one of her tricks, it still tugged at their hearts.


    When both swords were withdrawn, Renea gasped and fell forward, her eyes still shut. She pulled her arms inward to hold herself, and couldn¡¯t stop herself from raising her hands to shield her neck.


    But she was still gasping and hiccuping because her crying had left her breathless. The good news was the sheer feelings of relief and safety had, for now, halted her outright sobbing.


    ¡°Renea,¡± Ailn said.


    Renea flinched at the sound of her name, from so close. But the first time Ailn called out to her, she didn¡¯t respond¡ªhe waited patiently while she calmed down.


    ¡°Renea, listen to me,¡± Ailn tried again.


    ¡°L-leave me alone,¡± Renea hiccuped while she tried to talk. ¡°I-I want to see Ailn. Just¡ªjust let me...¡±


    ¡°You know you don¡¯t want that,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Or you wouldn¡¯t have been scared by those swords.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ I m-miss him¡­ It hurts so much¡­¡±


    Ailn gave her a moment, letting her hiccup all the while.


    ¡°Renea, I¡­ can¡¯t be the brother that you deserve,¡± Ailn spoke slowly, so she could digest his real meaning. ¡°But from the bottom of my heart, I am trying to help you.¡±


    He spoke gently but firmly.


    Her expression still twitched unhappily at the word ¡®brother,¡¯ but she didn¡¯t reject him outright. It was a start¡ªat least she was listening.


    ¡°Renea, you need to tell the truth,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°What would that do¡ª¡±


    ¡°You need to explain why you couldn¡¯t heal me.¡±


    Renea froze.

 Chapter 33: The Girl Who Was Reborn

    Once upon a time¡­ there was a tiny infant girl named Renea, who never quite managed to open her eyes.


    It was a cold day. And it was a painful one. So painful, that even the angels began to cry.


    You see, these angels who watched over Varant had forgotten how to cry. They¡¯d lived for so long in its dismal skies, on top of clouds so gray they looked like a knight¡¯s blanket. They were the guardians of such fragile lives, and the chilly days had left them with hearts so frostbitten. They forgot how to cry¡­ because they never dared to cherish.


    But when they peered into the baby Renea¡¯s eyes they remembered what their home looked like. Her eyes were as wide and blue as the sky in heaven, and all of them wept because they knew the little girl would never get the chance to open them. She would never share them with the world. She would never get to see the world herself.


    It was when the day had reached its coldest hour, when their hearts had melted into tears. A miracle happened. The kind of miracle that could only happen in Varant.


    The angels¡¯ tears turned into snowflakes. Varant¡¯s dreary winter, which had never earned a kind word from anyone sensible, had done something wonderful. The snowflakes fell upon the infant girl¡¯s body¡­


    And for the very first time, she opened her blue eyes to the joy of the angels, and every living soul in Varant.


    Of course, this isn¡¯t what actually happened.


    The girl named Renea eum-Creid had certainly been reborn. That was the truth, if only it had been left at that.


    But it wasn¡¯t that the stillborn child had been revived. She¡¯d merely been replaced. The original Renea eum-Creid was gone, her corpse shamelessly stolen by a girl from another world.


    Just like a fairy tale, the original was conveniently forgotten.


    The girl from another world also forgot, at first. Even as an infant, she couldn¡¯t explain what was always there in her head, infesting the shadows of her mind. And it was only when she got older that the picture which had faded started to come back into view. The blurry visions and fuzzy voices began to coalesce.


    ¡®Renea¡¯ remembered who she really was.


    And the unpleasant truth was, she¡¯d been a fake in her past life too. Her real ¡®once upon a time¡¯ was about a girl obsessed with appearances.


    That girl¡¯s family had already fallen apart.


    Long after the money and affection had dwindled away, she kept bragging about the nice places her mom would take her, and the nice things her dad would buy her. The only reason they never showed up for parents¡¯ day was because they were working so hard.


    And when a classmate caught her skipping school, singing karaoke alone, she just kept on lying. She couldn¡¯t help herself.


    She was practicing her singing since she¡¯d been scouted. She smelled like smoke because of all the prime beef cuts she was grilling.


    She wasn¡¯t having a hard time at all.


    Pity was the only look anyone ever gave her from then on. The girl hated that look. So she skipped school more and more. She could, because her grades were still good.


    It was the last thing she could cling to. The one thing left she could be proud of, while everything else crumbled away.


    Her grades were the only real thing about her.


    But the work kept piling on, and her classes kept getting harder. She started falling behind, when she¡¯d only ever been ahead. Every day, lying in her own bed, she found herself asking if she needed the day off.


    The day came for a test she couldn¡¯t miss, and the girl realized she couldn¡¯t answer any of it. Her pencil stopped moving right after she wrote her name.


    Like usual, she lied about it. She let everyone know she was sure she got first place, and sold it by fearlessly resuming her daily attendance¡ªtaking the time in the morning to perfect the look of a girl who¡¯d made a serious comeback.


    She¡¯d never be there when the results were posted, of course. The girl planned to stay at home and beg her mother to find her a way to transfer schools, so she¡¯d never have to see her friends again.


    If only she¡¯d remembered that the results always leaked early, she wouldn¡¯t have had to run past all those looks of pity. She could¡¯ve been anywhere else but near a cold river in the dead of winter. She wouldn¡¯t have had her accident.


    Maybe then, things would¡¯ve been different.


    If she had just resolved herself then and there, and stopped her lying¡­ could she have turned her life around? She couldn¡¯t stop herself from wondering. But it was just vain and idle wishing, because none of that mattered now.


    Drifting through the cold water, the girl she used to be swore she¡¯d live her next life with honesty, and closed her eyes for the very last time on that snowy day.


    Then, on a day just as cold but with much gentler snow, Renea eum-Creid opened hers, innocent and oblivious to her irises which looked like flames, and unaware of the gift she¡¯d never been given: the divine blessing.


    <hr>


    ¡°Heal him, Renea,¡± Celine said coolly. ¡°It will never be this simple when you¡¯re fighting shadow beasts.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªcan¡¯t,¡± Renea¡¯s voice shook. ¡°Please heal him, mother¡­¡±


    Renea was five the first time her mother scared her.


    Celine had dragged her in front of an injured knight. It wasn''t a grave injury. Her mother would never play with someone¡¯s life like that. Especially not one of the knights.


    But Renea had never smelt such a foul odor, or seen flesh which crumbled like that. The knight¡¯s skin was clammy and the way he kept groaning in pain even while he tried to smile kindly at her was so incongruous it distressed her even more.


    The wound was jagged and messy, and she realized she could actually see a little bit of one of his ribs.


    ¡°I can¡¯t heal him mother, please!¡± Renea begged.


    After half an hour of Renea crying, praying, and trying to heal him, her mother finally sighed angrily and sent her away.


    Even at five, Renea understood how much pressure there was on her to manifest the divine blessing and carry on the duty of the Saintess.


    For the next two years, at least once a week, Celine would bring Renea before knights of increasingly grievous injury, forcing her to try and heal them. She seemed to believe that with enough stimulus of emotion Renea might finally awaken her blessing.


    At seven years old, Renea started to realize she never would.


    She had just gone through a particularly traumatizing session with her mother. The knight had lost his right arm. The assault of the shadow beast upon his person had been brutal, his face severely marred by the attack.


    Sitting alone on her bed in the solar, clutching a handful of mint leaves, the memory began to upset a nausea that had already been lingering.


    "Huuk...hrk!" Renea started to dry heave. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the knight¡¯s left leg which had been bent at such an unnatural angle.


    Desperately trying to control her retching, Renea held her hand against her face, soothing herself with the scent of mint. She¡¯d just rinsed her mouth. It would be a nightmare to clean the linens.


    She caught sight of herself in the full-length mirror, unhappy to see her own haggard appearance and sickly pallor.


    No one else was in the room.


    Slowly, she let her eyes manifest. At times like this, it brought a peculiar comfort¡ªa feeling like they¡¯d been refreshed with a warm bath after being out in the cold.


    Renea walked up to the mirror to look at her burning eyes. She gently placed her hand against their reflection, as if doing so would remove them.


    ¡°I wonder¡­ what my name was,¡± Renea whispered to herself.


    The thought had occurred to her one day, as she was thinking about her past life. What if the reason she couldn¡¯t use her holy aura was because she never had it at all?


    What if she never received the divine blessing because she wasn¡¯t truly a part of this world?You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Until now, she truly believed she was simply a late bloomer. Both her brothers could use theirs since the age of three, even if Ailn¡¯s was weak.


    To the eum-Creids, it was as natural as speaking. It should¡¯ve just come to her one day, when she was an toddler, the same way a baby suddenly mixes words into their babble.


    Yet Renea had still not manifested it.


    She lifted her hand from the mirror, and found herself with a vicious expression. It was such an absurd thing¡ªshe was glaring at her own eyes.


    The sight of them had always corroded Renea¡¯s spirit. They labeled her as a demon. They were the proof she was foreign to this world. And now that she realized they were intimately linked to her absent divine blessing, she couldn¡¯t stand them at all.


    They were hideous.


    And when the girl in the mirror looked back at her with disgust, Renea flinched, her anger giving way to hurt. What if she¡­ simply didn¡¯t belong here?


    ¡°Renea? Are you well?¡± Sophie¡¯s voice came from the ducal study.


    In a panic, Renea dispelled her eyes as Sophie entered the room. Sophie, seeing her sister¡¯s pitiful appearance, knitted her brows, and frowned unhappily.


    ¡°Duchess Celine is awful,¡± Sophie said. Her tone was cold. ¡°The way she treats you is the worst.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your mom too, Sophie,¡± Renea said. There was a hint of sadness in her voice. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay, anyway.¡±


    Sophie turned her face away, ignoring the assertion that they were family.


    ¡°...She is a bad person,¡± Sophie said quietly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Renea said, biting her lip and blinking a little fast. Thinking about their mother right now made her sad. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ just a little mean sometimes.¡±


    Renea didn¡¯t want to say it, but she¡¯d always noticed how much more kindly Celine seemed to treat Sophie. Then again, it wasn¡¯t as if Renea was the only one who suffered under the rigidity of her beliefs.


    Ailn was hidden away in a cottage because his holy aura was too weak. Sigurd became a bully and tyrant because he worked himself to the bone trying to live up to her stringent standards.


    Sophie, though, was an illegitimate child and had no obligation to her lineage; she somehow floated in a blind spot, untouched by Celine¡¯s expectations.


    ¡°Do you intend to fight tomorrow?¡± Sophie asked, worriedly. ¡°Duchess Celine is taking you to the wall.¡±


    ¡°I am¡­¡± Renea said. ¡°Mother will protect me.¡±


    Sophie''s face subtly pinched, as if catching the scent of something repulsive.


    ¡°Take me too.¡± Sophie gazed at Renea, her face mostly expressionless.


    ¡°...To the wall? No, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Take me,¡± Sophie said, interrupting her.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reas¡ª¡±


    ¡°Take me,¡± Sophie said again, a little scowl now appearing.


    Perplexed, but realizing she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop Sophie herself, Renea just nodded.


    <hr>


    The coach of state waited outside the castle. Typically, Celine would have simply ridden a horse. But neither Renea nor Sophie knew how to.


    ¡°You wish to come to the battlefield?¡± Celine looked at Sophie with skepticism. Yet, a hint of worry colored her tone, causing a twinge in Renea''s heart.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sophie said. She didn¡¯t say anything more.


    Had Renea ever received such concern from their mother? Struggling with a surge of jealousy that was unbecoming, she remained in the carriage, her gaze fixed on the castle¡¯s gate visible beyond the window.


    If she walked out the gate right now, and went through the forest, she could see Ailn. It had been a year since he¡¯d been banished away.


    It was probably because Ailn was always coddling her. Celine seemed to believe that incapability was contagious.


    She¡¯d heard her mother openly call her aunt a coddled derelict; an incompetent coward. Renea knew how much her mother hated the idea of her turning out the same.


    ¡°Then I suppose I shall protect the both of you,¡± Celine said, giving a thoughtful and pragmatic glance to both of her daughters. ¡°Come along, then.¡±


    Her mother always possessed the confidence of the strong. A lesser woman would have fretted endlessly over the prospect of putting her own daughters in danger. Celine, however, took it in stride.


    Because shadow beasts appeared only infrequently at the citadel, they were headed east two watchtowers over. It was a long ride to the northern wall, and it passed mostly in silence.


    ¡°Have you been eating well, Sophie?¡± Celine asked. ¡°The servants¡­ are treating you properly, yes?¡±


    ¡°I eat fine,¡± Sophie said, without turning to face her mother. ¡°Ask Renea.¡±


    ¡°...Yes. You¡¯re right,¡± Celine said. She¡¯d gazed at Sophie for a moment thoughtfully, but if she felt any guilt she didn¡¯t show it on her face. She turned toward Renea. ¡°Did you manage to eat dinner?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Renea said. ¡°I felt too sick.¡±


    Celine¡¯s face hardened.


    ¡°You will have to overcome your squeamishness, Renea,¡± Celine said firmly. ¡°That will hardly be the most gruesome sight you¡¯ll ever see.¡°


    ¡°...Yes.¡± Renea¡¯s head drooped.


    That was the brunt of their conversation on the way to the northern wall.


    Truthfully, Renea didn¡¯t feel like talking today, anyway. She was scared.


    As the wall began to come into view, so did something else: the miasma. From this far off, it could only be seen as a thin line above the horizon, as if someone had inked the top of the wall.


    It was freezing outside, and her throat hurt so badly from it that she could hardly breathe. Varant was always cold, but today it felt like ice water seeping into Renea¡¯s fur cloak.


    When they finally ascended the ramparts, the sight knotted her stomach.


    The miasma looked like death itself. There was something fundamentally disgusting about it, the way it billowed through the mountains, and spilled out onto the plains like slimy smoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold out here¡­¡± Renea huddled with her sister. The ugliness of the miasma made her shivering worse, and she wanted her sister¡¯s comfort and warmth. ¡°Sophie?¡±


    Sophie remained silent but passively accepted Renea¡¯s need for closeness. Her gaze dropped to the plains.


    There were knights battling shadow beasts.


    The battle looked more like individual skirmishes that happened to share a field; many knights each fought a beast in single combat. The smaller wolves seemed to be enough for one knight to take on.


    Yet there were a trio of beasts which resembled tigers, half a dozen knights surrounding each one.


    There was something enchanting about their holy auras. They flashed bright, their brilliance an expression of their confidence in themselves. Sophie pulled away from Renea to peer over the chest-high walls and watch the battle more intently, and the cold that swept Renea felt inexplicably lonely.


    ¡°That tiger¡¯s not dead yet,¡± Sophie whispered.


    ¡°The tiger?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°The knights think it¡¯s dead. But it¡¯s not.¡±


    One group of knights did seem on the verge of killing their tiger. But then miasma began to billow out of it like smoke.


    Suddenly, that miasma seemed to solidify again, splitting into whips. The whips lashed at the knights with enough force to throw one to the ground, and one of the whips even seized a knight¡¯s sword.


    The knights recoiled, realizing they¡¯d been complacent, and their holy auras dimmed with their shock.


    Celine raised a single hand.


    A white circle manifested in the air twenty feet above the tiger¡ªas high as the northern wall itself¡ªand produced a solid pillar of light.


    It truly sounded like thunder.


    When the light vanished, nothing remained of the shadow beast except a thin, wide wisp of dissipating miasma.


    The knights who had been saved glanced back at the wall, realizing their Saintess was there. They gave happy grins as they waved up at the wall; Celine just sighed at their carelessness.


    ¡°That is the strength of our divine blessing, Renea,¡± Celine said. Then she swept her hand slowly across the wide plains, as if she were casting a net over the knights fighting down below. ¡°...And these are the knights you¡¯ll protect.¡±


    Renea was stunned by the sight of her mother¡¯s holy aura.


    ¡°...It¡¯s strong,¡± Sophie said. Her expression was hard to read.


    From the miasma in the distance, a number of shadow beasts that looked like vultures started to appear. There were almost two dozen of them, all heading toward the top of the walls.


    ¡°Today of all days¡­¡± Celine gave a tsk, glancing for a moment at her daughters, before concentrating.


    Though they were smaller and at myriad angles, circles like before appeared all through the sky, summoning spears of light which pierced most of the vultures.


    Celine didn¡¯t always strike the vultures with her first attempt; and a few made erratic movements through the air which made them tricky to hit.


    But before they came even close to the top of the wall, they had all been vanquished. Except for one.


    A vulture which had seemingly been killed by Celine¡¯s aura, and was in the midst of dissipating, solidified again.


    What was left of it was something like a melting hummingbird, which zipped from one spot to the next. Small flashes of light followed the creature, Celine manifesting her holy aura and continually missing it by a bare amount. It was coming closer and closer, growing smaller and harder to hit all the while.


    It was such a small creature, but Renea started to hyperventilate, frantically tugging at her mother¡¯s sleeve.


    Celine dragged her two daughter¡¯s behind her, her brows clenching and lips drawing together in concentration.


    As if the nimble creature sensed what she was afraid of, it zipped up, and then to the left, dodging her little flashes of light, and flanking Celine even as she tried to spin and cover her daughters.


    Shooting at Renea from the side, by now it was sharp like a needle, and faster than a falcon.


    ¡°Renea¡ª¡± Celine shouted.


    Renea covered up her face and shrieked in fear. But the sound of her voice was covered up by a bright flash, and a resonant hum.


    Peeking through her fingers, Renea realized the creature was gone. She couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened; did she just manifest her divine blessing?


    The flash was so bright, it caught the attention of all the knights below.


    For a moment, a smile began to burst across Renea''s face.


    But then another flash lit up the plains. And another. The flashes kept going, each accompanied by a resonant hum, all of them aiding the knights who had foolishly let themselves become distracted.


    Renea didn¡¯t feel anything.


    With each flash and hum, it was becoming increasingly clear to Renea that she had nothing to do with them, and her hands dropped limply.


    Before she could say anything, Renea shuddered as she felt her mother¡¯s hand on her shoulder. Celine was kneeling, looking at her with a face between awe and worry.


    ¡°Renea¡­ did you do that?¡± Celine asked. ¡°Did you manifest your divine blessing?¡±


    ¡°M-mother, I¡ª¡± Renea¡¯s heart sank. Expectation was written all over Celine¡¯s face. ¡°I-it was¡ª¡±


    Sophie quietly grabbed one of Renea¡¯s hands. And with that gesture alone, Renea understood.


    ¡°I finally did it!¡± Renea nodded, giving Celine an obliging smile. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Celine gave Renea a hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Renea,¡± Celine said. ¡°...I¡¯m happy.¡±


    ¡°Me too¡­¡± Renea said. Her mother¡¯s voice and hug were warm. She¡¯d felt all alone on top of the wall. Now her mother was hugging her, and her sister was holding her hand. ¡°I¡¯m really happy,¡± she choked out.


    It really did make her happy.


    But she wished her mother had asked if she was alright first.

 Chapter 34: A Strange Child

    Renea was strange since the moment she¡¯d been born.


    Celine couldn¡¯t help but notice. As proud as it made her, she felt some disquiet at just how fast her daughter had learned to speak.


    She would never say it out loud to anyone, but it even bothered her how Renea spoke. Some children were natural charmers, yet Renea seemed born a minstrel.


    The little girl spoke like she was singing, with a tone lilting yet crisp. And she possessed a penchant for people-pleasing that took social grace beyond her age.


    One day, she¡¯d found Renea sitting on Sir Fontaine¡¯s lap talking to him about death, of all things.


    ¡°You can talk to them ¡®gain,¡± Renea lisped in that sing-song voice of hers, her bright smile widening. ¡°I¡¯ve been there! It¡¯s¡­ a pwayce where¡ªyour houthe is always warm. And you can go up in the sky, and talk to people far away¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there, my lady?¡± Fontaine smiled warmly, though his eyes had just the day prior been red and stricken with tears. ¡°It seems a wonderful place to me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I know ¡®cuz¡­¡± Renea bit her lip, confused, as she lightly touched her throat. ¡°I was there before¡­ I fe¡­ fewuh into water¡­¡±


    Celine immediately snatched her daughter from the grieving knight, and carried her up into the lord¡¯s chamber. Then she sat her on the bed and looked at her child gravely.


    ¡°Renea. Sir Fontaine has just lost a very important friend,¡± Celine said, trying to impart seriousness without sounding too stern. ¡°I usually ignore your tall tales. But you cannot,¡± Celine repeated her next word louder, ¡°cannot lie about this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, mommy¡­¡± Renea pouted petulantly. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Renea, you have never been near water,¡± Celine said, her voice harsher. ¡°There is nowhere to swim around here.¡±


    ¡°I have!¡± Renea yelled. She was about to throw a tantrum. ¡°It¡¯h not a lie! I¡¯m not a liar!¡±


    Celine groaned. She had no time to deal with this. What little time she had away from the northern wall couldn¡¯t be wasted on a lying toddler.


    ¡°Stay up here,¡± she commanded. ¡°And apologize to Sir Fontaine later.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Renea!¡± Celine snapped, which made Renea flinch. ¡°Do not¡­ do not make me angry.¡±


    ¡°...O-okay,¡± Renea said. Her voice grew small and her eyes wide.


    With a sigh, Celine left. Tomorrow, would be the start of a lengthy expedition to one of the furthest settlements along the wall. She had to make sure the provisioning was going well. As she made her way to the kitchen, guilt started to tug at Celine¡¯s heart.


    The truth was, she simply couldn¡¯t understand Renea. They were nothing alike, and even being near her daughter caused her apprehension. Unlike¡­


    Celine halted upon seeing her other daughter. The one who had been born of her sin.


    She smiled kindly at her. It was easier at this distance¡ªas a Saintess offering grace to a small child.


    ¡°How fare you, Miss Sophie?¡± Celine asked. ¡°Are you enjoying that scone?¡±


    The girl just nodded back at her. She looked at ease in the arms of the maid who cared for her most; if anything, she looked annoyed that Celine was interrupting her snack time.


    ¡°...Why don¡¯t I ask the chef to bake more of those for you?¡± Celine asked.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sophie nodded again.


    Sophie was easy to understand, even though she could hardly speak. One thing was glaringly obvious: Celine¡¯s other daughter didn¡¯t like her.


    It wasn¡¯t an experience she¡¯d had with any of her other children, truth be told; as the maid walked away and her daughter nibbled on a scone, blissfully unaware of her real mother, Celine found herself yearning.


    The next day, as she led the knights along the northern wall, she caught sight of Aldous and offered him a warm smile. The moment she did, guilt struck her once more, reminding her of how differently she had behaved with her two daughters¡ªand why.


    <hr>


    A few years later, Celine had started trying to actively draw out Renea¡¯s holy aura.


    ¡°I feel sick, mother,¡± Renea blanched. She turned her face away and covered her nose.


    ¡°The battlefield will smell of rust too, Renea,¡± Celine said calmly. ¡°Keep your emotions in check.¡±


    ¡°Mother, please! I¡ªhrrk¡­ugh¡­!¡± Renea¡¯s face turned paler and paler, until she could no longer bear the smell, covering her mouth with both hands. She looked up at her mother, pleadingly, with tears in her eyes, her breaths coming ragged, uneven gasps.


    ¡°If you can do nothing else, Renea,¡± Celine said dryly, ¡°then watch. See for yourself what sacrifices the knights make to protect this duchy.¡±


    Should she fail to teach her anything else, Celine would at least ensure her daughter learned resilience. If Renea could not heal, then she would not be allowed to cry.


    She would not let Renea turn out like Ennieux.


    Their father¡¯s pampering had ruined Celine¡¯s younger sister, to the point that discomfort made her hysterical. She panicked from even the distant sight of danger, and when her panic prevented her from properly producing her holy aura, it would deteriorate into a full-blown nervous breakdown.


    There were things Celine simply couldn¡¯t compromise on. Renea had to control her emotions. She had to manifest her blessing.


    If she were being entirely forthright, Celine knew very well she sometimes took the frustrations of bearing four children out on Renea. The knights of Varant had faced injury and death, while she¡¯d lain idly in bed.


    But those restless months, where the knights had to function without Celine there to lead them¡ªand to save them sometimes from the brink of death¡ªwere also proof enough of the necessity of her strictness.


    Varant could not suffer another era without a Saintess to lead it.


    There was a time when the only living female eum-Creid lay helpless in bed, her body unmoving from grievous injury, barely even capable of bestowing the divine blessing.


    That was Celine¡¯s grandmother, the late Saintess Marianne. For three years, Celine¡¯s father Duke Aaron was the very last eum-Creid on the battlefield. He had two sons, who were swift to stand beside him, desperately fighting to ensure the survival of the bloodline.


    It was as if they had all waited for Celine before they could die.


    Celine¡¯s oldest brother Lawrence was only eighteen when he passed, just after Celine¡¯s birth.


    Marianne held on until Celine was three, dying but a week before Celine manifested the divine blessing.


    Gardner, nineteen at death, stayed until she was seven¡ªold enough to march to the battlefield.


    Those were the dire times when knights truly prayed. With no one to heal their injuries, they only had their faith to fortify their courage¡ªand consequently their holy aura. If Marianne passed any sooner, then even their prayers couldn¡¯t save them.


    Varant had truly teetered on extinction. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    That¡¯s why Celine knew she needed a female heir. But like the generation before, she had unfortunately borne two sons first.


    Sigurd was exceptional, yet a male heir would only needlessly repeat the struggles her father had endured. Her second son Ailn was weak, and incapable of joining the battlefield.


    When Celine had Sophie, it filled her with mixed feelings. The child was born of her sin, and Celine felt quiet relief when she saw Sophie¡¯s brown hair and gray eyes. Yet it also meant that Sophie likely lacked the divine blessing.


    She¡¯d have to bear another daughter.


    Renea¡¯s birth, and the miracle of her survival, had filled Celine with joy. She admitted it to herself, if not freely: a great deal of that joy had been sheer relief.


    That relief turned to disappointment the longer Renea failed to manifest her blessing.


    From her perspective, she was being lenient.


    For this duchy to survive, she always had to look ahead just as her forebears had. That was the only way Varant ever made it through dire, desperate times: by remembering their sacrifices were the stones in the wall that protected the future.


    So much had been sacrificed. So many had given¡­ everything.


    Celine¡¯s heart simply wasn¡¯t big enough for those who failed to bear the onus they¡¯d been given. There was no reason her children should be an exception.


    She was a perfect Saintess, and that made her an imperfect mother. She was a woman genuinely committed to the protection of the duchy, a true eum-Creid who would sacrifice everything to fulfill her duties.


    And eventually, she did.


    <hr>


    A few years later, when Renea was nine, Celine and Renea sat alone in the council room.


    ¡°Renea,¡± Celine said. She knew very well how poor a job she was doing of hiding her frustration. ¡°Tell me honestly. Why can you not produce your holy aura right now?¡±


    ¡°I need Sophie, mother,¡± Renea squirmed. ¡°Her emotional aid is necessary for me.¡±


    Celine was not daft. The premise of her daughter¡¯s trick had indeed crossed her mind.


    She had always assumed that Sophie¡¯s brown hair and gray eyes were proof enough that she lacked the divine blessing. But the more Celine observed Renea¡¯s skittish behavior, and Sophie¡¯s relative ease with the battlefield, the more her intuition told her who the true bearer of the blessing was.


    Yet the precision this ruse would require seemed almost unimaginable. Wherever Renea so much as lifted a finger, a white glow would effortlessly follow; whenever she waved her hands, the holy aura flowed without the slightest lapse in time.


    Whenever Celine separated her daughters discreetly to draw out the truth, Renea would stutter and stammer for the safety blanket of her sister, while Sophie would stare at her expressionlessly, as if Celine were an imbecile.


    ¡°Enough. Just¡­ go,¡± Celine said. She gave an aggravated sigh, but knew this was the best way to keep from snapping at Renea.


    ¡°Then¡­ I will see you later,¡± Renea said. She bowed and left, doing an excellent job of keeping her expression clear. ¡°Tomorrow then, mother.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Celine said tiredly. ¡°Rise early.¡±


    Alone in the council room, Celine pondered the mess of lies she and her daughters were tangled in. The quandaries of succession and her secret infidelity only made Celine even more hesitant to force the truth into the open.


    For now, it seemed, Renea and Sophie would have to come as a pair.


    Idly, Celine found herself wondering: had she courted this situation herself? Lying about possessing the blessing was abominable; yet the fact that both of her daughters had conspired to lie gave Celine pause.


    ¡°Perhaps if I¡¯d tried harder to understand her¡­¡± Celine muttered. She began an aimless walk through the castle, giving gentle and distant smiles to the knights and servants she passed.


    Both her daughters had only grown more distant, in different ways. Celine thought that Sophie¡¯s natural dislike of her had finally reached its peak after she¡¯d learned the truth of her parentage. But recently it seemed Celine¡¯s mere presence was enough to sear a scowl upon her eldest daughter¡¯s face¡ªa transparency of emotion that Sophie had reserved solely for her mother.


    Renea, meanwhile, only ever withdrew.


    Celine¡¯s deepest regret was realizing she¡¯d browbeaten the cheerfulness which used to so define that child.


    If there was anything she truly felt ashamed of, it was how long she''d been convinced that something was fundamentally wrong with her daughter. Even now, the strange circumstances of Renea¡¯s birth unnerved her.


    She¡¯d learned not to fixate on it. Celine was not the type of person to let herself be unduly influenced by her fears, and her harsh childrearing had nothing to do with her quiet suspicions.


    But she¡¯d been cold toward her younger daughter¡ªher youngest child.


    And over time Renea¡¯s animated and imaginative tales had simply faded away; no longer did she have stories of metallic carriages that ran on explosions, or boxes with whirlpools that washed garments. Where she once believed she''d glimpsed heaven, now the thought of judgment and the afterlife seemed to fill Renea with anxiety and dread.


    Had Renea sensed her disquiet? Was that why she¡¯d started to grow bafflingly upset when she heard the story of her birth?


    There was even a time when the mere sight of infants would make her cry.


    The truth was, Celine didn¡¯t fully understand how Renea¡¯s burgeoning neuroses had developed¡ªshe only knew that her own distant behavior had fed them. And now she had no idea how to reach her retreating daughter, already so used to hiding herself she¡¯d rather perform this grandiose deceit.


    ¡°This has to be rectified¡­¡± Celine mumbled. It was inevitable that the family¡¯s crows would eventually come home to roost. There were too many lies. ¡°If not, then the duchy will¡ª¡±


    Her voice faltered as she glanced up.


    She¡¯d wandered into the Great Hall without realizing it, drawn to the portraits of her children. There was Sigurd, looking grimmer at twelve than his grandfather Duke Aaron. And Ailn, at the same age, with empty eyes that didn¡¯t expect anything of her.


    It was as if the way she¡¯d failed her two sons had been sealed in paint.


    But her daughters¡­ Sophie didn¡¯t even have a portrait. And Renea, only six in hers, was still pleading with her smile.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t do anything¡­¡± Celine¡¯s voice quieted in realization. ¡°...They¡¯ll get hurt.¡±


    The day would come when Sophie and Renea were caught separated in a terrible situation. Celine knew that.


    But she didn¡¯t realize it would happen on a simple trip to the capital.


    <hr>


    When the Blancs¡¯ knights attacked, Renea was essentially of no help, trembling in the carriage.


    But Celine had expected that.


    She hadn¡¯t expected to be ambushed, nor had she expected just how flagrantly the Blanc family would act.


    Celine had been strong-armed by the imperial family, invited specifically to stay at a palace usually reserved for royalty. It was out of the question for Sophie to come.


    By now she had killed most of them. It would have been facile enough if they¡¯d all been wielding swords, but¡­


    An arrow flew by her head, piercing the carriage¡¯s window. As the fragments of glass spilled inside, Renea started to shriek.


    ¡°Renea!¡± Celine shouted, ripping open the carriage door.


    The glass had left cuts across her back; she¡¯d thankfully protected her ears and scalp, but at the expense of her hands.


    Brushing the glass off, Celine healed her daughter. But the distraction had been enough for the archer to notch another arrow¡ªand when Celine heard Renea screaming again, she¡¯d hardly had the time to react before she¡¯d been struck.


    Twisting herself around, she caught sight of the archer past the snow, on the horizon, and cast down her aura. Like a hammer of light, it crushed the man and killed him instantly.


    It was purely on adrenaline that Celine managed to kill the last four swordsmen.


    Renea scrambled out of the carriage, falling into the snow. And when Celine fell back against the carriage, and tried to reassure her, she realized she could no longer speak.


    Her daughter was still trying to heal her. It was an act of futile kindness that was almost comical. But in this tiny world with only mother and daughter, on a deathbed of snow, Celine treasured this last, quiet warmth.


    Celine already understood she¡¯d been lied to by her daughters. She¡¯d long seen such an end hovering on the horizon.


    And she forgave Renea, even as she was bleeding out. If she¡¯d lived her life as a less stringent person, she might have told her daughter she loved her when she had the chance. But now she couldn¡¯t even hear what Renea was saying.


    Then, one last time, Celine was caught off guard.


    Blearily she peered through what felt like a graying veil, her vision losing its focus as her life was coming to its end.


    Yet her daughter¡¯s face became a little clearer¡­


    And so did Renea¡¯s effulgent ruby eyes.


    Celine hardly had the time to consider the implications. Her mind raced through all of her doubts, leapt to the superstitions of red eyes and demons, and fell back down through the well of remembrance, as she thought of her daughter¡¯s strange behaviors, and her absent divine blessing.


    And most of all, the peculiar miracle of Renea¡¯s birth.


    Staring into those ruby eyes, a shock ran through Celine¡¯s body. But it was followed by an unexpected sense of relief.


    The truth was, Celine had no idea what it all meant. Unsure of what to think, she let out a dry chuckle. She had neither the strength, nor the time for anything more.


    Yet somehow, this was enough for her. All those misgivings she¡¯d never been able to clear away felt so utterly ridiculous now, as she looked into her daughter¡¯s eyes.


    There were no tears in them. Renea looked stricken. But she wasn¡¯t crying.


    The irony wasn¡¯t lost on Celine. She was painfully aware of how she¡¯d diminished her daughter¡¯s feelings. Now that all Renea had left for her was an empty expression, Celine realized she wished she could see her bright smile one more time.


    Her youngest child¡¯s arms were trembling so uncontrollably. When was the last time she¡¯d held her hand?


    The world had fallen to silence, but the clarity of death brought to memory the sound of Renea¡¯s little sing-song voice. She would¡¯ve liked to hear one more story.


    She felt sorry for all the things she¡¯d taken away from her strange, dreamy child, and knew she¡¯d run out of time to give them back.


    So, before she passed, she tried to give Renea a smile. It was all she had left.


    She lacked the strength to say it, but in the very last moment of her life, this was the truth: she really did think her daughter¡¯s eyes were pretty.

 Chapter 35: Rubies and Emeralds

    ¡°Renea, you need to tell the truth,¡± Ailn said.


    Renea shuddered. At this point, it was abundantly clear: somehow this stranger knew she didn¡¯t have the divine blessing.


    ¡°N-no, I w-won¡¯t,¡± Renea said. She was trying to speak resolutely, but the stammering wasn¡¯t helping. ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    ¡°Renea, right now you have the chance to pick yourself back up,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You need to do it yourself.¡±


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t,¡± Renea whimpered.


    They¡¯d just think she was a liar. Who¡¯d believe she was faking it all this time? It was the opposite of the boy who cried wolf. She¡¯d told the lie so well that she knew the truth wouldn¡¯t save her now.


    Because the great irony of Renea¡¯s absent divine blessing was that it was a devil¡¯s proof. There was no way to prove, definitively, that she wasn¡¯t just trying to save her own skin by hiding it.


    It was essentially what Sophie had tried to pull earlier.


    She was the one who actually had the divine blessing.


    Sophie was the one healing the sick, eradicating the shadows, and maintaining the barrier around Varant. She was the one who heard all the knights¡¯ confessions in the bestowal chamber.


    It had always been Sophie.


    Renea just threw on a Saintess outfit and played a great big game of pretend. She went around raising her hands over wounds she couldn¡¯t heal, and casting her fists at air like she was throwing lightning. All while Sophie manifested her holy aura from a distance.


    And if Sophie had been in that carriage seven years ago, then their mother would have lived.


    ¡°I can help you. If you just¡­ trust me,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t even know you!¡± Renea whined. Then she covered her eyes with her newly freed hands as if it would obscure her irises even further. Sullenly she mopped at all the tears that had wet her face, while sniffling and reverting back to a choked-up mumble. ¡°J-just stop giving me hope already¡­ p-please¡­¡±


    Renea sincerely loved Varant¡ªeven though all of Varant seemed to hate her.


    And she loved her family. She wanted to be a eum-Creid, even if she¡¯d only ever be a fake one.


    She wanted to keep being Renea, even though she understood how profoundly vile of a lie it was.


    But what chance was there now? Even if she was proven innocent of her brother¡¯s murder, they¡¯d still see her red eyes. There was no way she could hide them now.


    Then her absent divine blessing would be used against her. It would just be more proof that she was a demon, hiding in eum-Creid skin.


    ¡°Renea, whatever you¡¯re worried about¡­¡± Ailn hesitated. ¡°As your older brother, I will make sure everything is okay. I can fix things.¡±


    What was he even talking about?


    In all honesty, Renea was touched when her fake brother had defended her. She felt sorry for slapping away one of the few hands that had reached out to her.


    She still couldn¡¯t figure out his goals, but what she did understand by now was that he was one of the only ones on her side. Renea could tell he cared. Pathetic as she was right now, could she really ask for more?


    It was just¡­ it was painful to hear her brother¡¯s voice rendered with a completely different cadence and intonation. Her real brother had sounded happier.


    She was starting to feel miserable all over again. Renea couldn¡¯t help herself from wondering: if she died now, would she even get to see him?


    Where had he gone to? Would she¡­ get to follow? Or, would she¡­


    The tears seeping through her eyelids were getting big again. Renea wondered if she¡¯d finally wasted all the chances she¡¯d been given.


    But that was when something strange happened.


    She could swear she heard Ailn.


    The real Ailn.


    <hr>


    Ailn had no idea how he was going to do this.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were on the two of them.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll need you to listen to me carefully Renea,¡± Ailn said.


    But she didn¡¯t respond.


    Ailn got the sense that, at some point in their conversation, the slight lull in the intensity of her emotions was enough for her to fall back into a daze.


    She was in a pretty bad state before, but at least she was talking and listening.


    ¡°Renea?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Can you hear me? Renea?¡±


    Her hands dropped from her face, and she swiveled her head around to the side¡ªbasically the only place she could turn her head that was actively away from him.


    ¡°The inquisition is waiting, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. His patience was clearly wearing thin. And it didn¡¯t seem like he was going to stop staring any time soon.


    Could he just put his forehead close enough to hers, and use his hands to block her eyes? She¡¯d probably instinctively jerk away, though.


    ¡°Ailn¡­?¡± Renea asked, meekly.


    She looked away from him.


    ¡°...I¡¯m here, Renea. Right in front of you,¡± Ailn said.


    But Renea just made a face and ignored him. Maybe she really was losing it.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Kylian cleared his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to rush you, but, I¡¯m not even certain of what you¡¯re intending to do.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    If only Ailn knew himself.


    ¡°...Give me a moment,¡± Ailn raised a hand behind him. ¡°Renea needs¡­ my help because she¡¯s suffering from an imbalance of her humors. Cairn said so.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kylian asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Renea whipped her head back in Ailn¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Cairn asked.


    ¡°Cairn, don¡¯t you remember?¡± Ailn let his stress into his tone, hoping it would get the urgency across. ¡°The humors. The balance of the body. Cairn, you¡¯re a masterful physician, and you spent an hour lecturing me about it. Remember?¡±


    Cairn made a face. But he clearly got the message.


    ¡°...The humors. Of course.¡± Cairn couldn¡¯t help the blitheness in his voice. ¡°That is precisely what I¡¯ve studied all these years. Humoral balance, and how a person¡¯s health is determined entirely by¡­ the ratios of liquids in their body.¡±


    "Is there truly such a thing? I''ve not once heard of it," Ennieux said, casting a disdainful glance from her own personal peanut gallery. "You are fabricating nonsense again, Ailn eum-Creid!"


    ¡°Are you a physician, Ennieux?¡± Ailn asked. He didn¡¯t hold back his strident tone, and it caught Ennieux completely off-guard. ¡°Have you spent years studying the intricacies of the human body?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I haven¡¯t¡­¡± Ennieux turned her eyes away. She was surprisingly demure when someone actually barked back. ¡°B-but I read quite a lot¡­ and so¡­¡± She trailed off.


    Ailn felt a little bad about it.


    ¡°Then will the young master apprise us of the proper treatment?¡± Aldous asked sardonically. ¡°Tell us, Your Grace. How shall we endeavor to restore Lady Renea¡¯s ¡®humors?¡¯¡±


    If there was anything that had really tripped Ailn up this whole inquisition, it was that Aldous was way better at the verbal fencing and rhetorical tug-of-war than he¡¯d expected.


    He rolled with the punches annoyingly well, and he never hesitated to take potshots.


    It really pissed Ailn off.


    If Ailn had to name a weakness, though, it was this: Aldous was almost a little too flexible. He was so adaptable that at times he simply gave his enemies too much slack.


    Ailn realized it when he thought back to the dopey attitude Aldous put up when they were going through the secret passage. He had a lot of pride, but he was guileful too, and had no problems easing into the role of a dog who¡¯d already seen his days in the sun.


    He fooled Kylian outright and set him to work, getting the dutiful knight to do his bidding without actually restricting his agency.


    That took a lot of versatility. And he displayed it over and over when he kept artfully nudging the proceedings¡ªwhether it took intensity, equanimity, or mock solidarity.


    But Aldous could have probably won from the start if he¡¯d simply been more of a control freak. He could¡¯ve used the fruits of Kylian¡¯s investigation without actually making him bailiff. And there were at least a few points he could¡¯ve forcefully brought things to a close if he¡¯d just made a stronger push.


    His natural inclination was to take whatever the field gave him and dominate it anyway. In short, he was cocky, and it ended up giving his opponent too many chances.


    At least, he¡¯d just given one too many chances to Ailn.


    ¡°...The treatment.¡± Ailn mulled it over slowly. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Ailn had a flash of inspiration.


    <hr>


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll need you to listen to me carefully Renea.¡±


    ¡®I promise everything¡¯s going to be okay, Renea.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t see anything, because her eyes were still squeezed shut, and she had no idea what was happening.


    But she was hearing Ailn¡¯s voice twice.


    ¡°Renea? Can you hear me? Renea?¡±


    ¡®Right now, he¡¯s the only one who can help you. Understand, Renea?¡¯


    One of them spoke in the soft and cheery tone she always remembered. The other¡ªwell the other, talked like the fake one. He sounded arrogant, even when he was trying to be nice.


    It was like he was overlapping himself.


    ¡°Ailn¡­?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°...I¡¯m here, Renea. Right in front of you.¡±


    That was the fake one speaking. She wasn¡¯t talking to him in the first place, so she ignored him.


    ¡®Just stay calm, Renea, and trust him. If you don¡¯t believe in him, believe in me.¡¯


    ¡°Renea needs¡­ my help because she¡¯s suffering from an imbalance of her humors.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Renea frantically turned back in the direction of her fake brother who was saying something insane.


    ¡®He¡¯s a jerk, but he¡¯ll protect you. Even when it seems like he¡¯s just messing with you.¡¯


    ¡°...The treatment. Alright. Don¡¯t uh¡­ don¡¯t panic.¡±


    Then suddenly she felt some kind of blanket thrown over her head and shoulders. No, it was more like a cowl.


    ¡°Bwuh!¡± she thrashed around and grabbed at it realizing it was just the cloak the knights used tied in on itself. Whoever had thrown it on her pulled the knot tighter, and tugged the impromptu hood down to cover her face. ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Right, just hold it there,¡± her fake brother said.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­ What are you doing?¡± She could hear Kylian¡¯s voice.


    ¡°This is no occasion for your insufferable pranks!¡± There was Ennieux.


    ¡°This is an ancient method for calming the nerves and balancing the humors.¡± That was the voice of her fake brother.


    ¡®He¡¯s the one who¡¯s gonna take care of you in my stead.¡¯ That was her real one.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re fools, Your Grace?! You¡¯re clearly just hiding her eyes!¡± Aldous was shouting again.


    ¡®Renea, open your eyes when he asks you.¡¯ Her real brother spoke again.


    ¡°Cairn! Tell them!¡± Her fake brother.


    ¡°...Yes, I taught him this procedure.¡± Cairn. How¡¯d the physician get roped into this?


    ¡°Renea, now that you¡¯re¡­ calm. Can you please open your eyes for me? Just for two¡ªno three, seconds? Just ease the top of the hood back so I can make sure your¡­ humors are in balance.¡±


    ¡®Renea, open your eyes.¡¯


    Renea listened to her older brother.


    She could swear he was right there¡ªif she just had the courage to look¡­


    But when she opened her eyes, she saw her fake brother. He had irises that looked like emeralds, and they gleamed so brilliantly it made Renea jealous.


    That said, she still had no idea what was going on. He was looking straight at her burning eyes wordlessly.


    ¡°W-what are you d-doing?¡± Renea whispered. She still couldn¡¯t help her stammering, because her throat was so tight from crying earlier.


    ¡°Just be quiet for a second,¡± Ailn said.


    Renea didn¡¯t realize she still had the energy to find him obnoxious. Even though her body was trembling from fear, her heart held fury yet unspent¡ªand she was this close to using it all right then and there to punch him.


    Now that she saw his emerald eyes, though, she realized there was something in those eyes that looked a little sad. She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it, but for all his bravado, he looked tired when he wasn¡¯t talking.


    Then, the emerald eyes in front of her seemed to glow a little stronger for a moment.


    Renea might have just imagined it. It was so brief. But that quarter of a second where they glimmered so radiantly, she felt as if she could sense¡­ anger in them.


    Not toward her. Or even the inquisition.


    She felt like she caught sight of something that had already been simmering in the depths for a long time, concealed by all the murk and thicket.


    And maybe it would have hidden away forever, if he didn¡¯t have eyes that could glow so brilliantly.


    Suddenly, the emerald eyes in front of her dispelled, and Renea felt like someone poured a bucket of ice water over her. It was the kind of cold that hits you so fast you can¡¯t even scream.


    ¡°...Alright, we¡¯re good now,¡± Ailn said.


    Renea blinked a few times wordlessly, suddenly feeling very tired.


    His eyes were blue. Were hers too?


    ¡°Is it really alright¡­?¡± Renea couldn¡¯t believe it. She couldn¡¯t feel her eyes anymore, but¡­ ¡°Ack!¡±


    She yelped, because with a shrug Ailn had just tugged the hood over her face again.


    ¡°Take your time until you calm down,¡± Ailn said.


    Renea was about to fume at him, but in that moment where the hood was once again cast over her eyes, she heard her real brother¡¯s voice just one more time.


    ¡®Goodbye Renea. I love you.¡¯

 Chapter 36: Maybe This Time

    Frankly, that went a lot smoother than Ailn had expected. He rubbed his aching temple. Maybe his people skills were improving.


    Of course, now everyone in the abbey was staring at Renea, who still had the cowl tugged over her face like she was a blue Halloween ghost.


    ¡°Ailn?¡± Renea called out softly from under the cloak, moving her head around. ¡°Did you leave¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right over here,¡± Ailn said. He kept his voice casual, although he was a little confused how she could lose track of him in two seconds. ¡°Renea? I¡¯m right next to you.¡±


    But Renea kept looking around¡ªeven craning her neck upwards, which was odd to say the least. Then, apparently having failed in her search, the blue cloak visibly sagged in disappointment.


    ¡°Good¡­ goodbye,¡± Renea said, sadly.


    Ailn wasn¡¯t really clear on who she was talking to. Was it to him? That seemed like a bit much. No way.


    ¡°...Well?¡± Kylian asked, suppressing the doubt in his voice. ¡°Are the humors balanced?¡±


    ¡°Give her a few more seconds,¡± Ailn said, averting his eyes.


    She could come out whenever she wanted now, but she probably did actually need time to calm down. If she took too long, though, it would only make her look more suspicious.


    Aldous, ever the man of action, trudged over with flaring nostrils and wrested the hood up. And Renea, suddenly face to face with the man who¡¯d spent the last twenty minutes vilifying her entire existence, understandably gave an instinctive shriek.


    But her eyes were blue.


    ¡°Aldous, could you show a little class?¡± Ailn asked, stepping in-between the two. ¡°Do knights nowadays not believe in chivalry?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an imbecile, Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°It¡¯s apparent you used the cloak to obscure how you dispelled her eyes.¡±


    At that point Sophie came running over, pushing Ailn aside so she¡¯d be the one to protect her sister. It was a genuine two-handed push that nearly made him fall over.


    Ailn was certain now. Sophie had to be the biggest brat in all of Varant, if not this entire world.


    ¡°Show your proof or cease your babbling,¡± Sophie said. She was nearly back to her usual stoicism, though the subtle hints of her fury could be discerned between her brows.


    ¡°Move, Sophie,¡± Aldous growled. ¡°I have seen her demon¡¯s eyes myself.¡±


    ¡°Why should hearsay prove Renea a demon, when it fails to prove I¡¯m your daughter, you hypocrite?¡± Sophie asked.


    It was only the end of her sentence that sounded like it might break into a shout. But she kept her emotions cool as she continued speaking.


    ¡°Renea¡­ will speak the truth, now. And it will be clear what a farce this has been from the start.¡± Sophie¡¯s voice took a regretful turn. ¡°Even if the fault begins with us.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Renea started shaking behind Sophie. ¡°I will? Right now?¡±


    ¡°... Yes, Renea.¡± Sophie sounded a little angry. ¡°Right now.¡±


    ¡°W-wait, no¡­¡± Renea blanched. ¡°I never¡­ I never said I was going t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Right now.¡± Sophie wasn¡¯t having it. And Renea bit her lip hard again and started tearing up at Sophie¡¯s admonition.


    Yeah. Renea¡¯s fears were never going to clear up just like that¡ªespecially not with Aldous glowering over her. The worst had passed, but what was left would still be painful and difficult, and Renea just kept on quietly trembling behind Sophie.


    ¡°Renea, what truth could be so terrible you would let yourself suffer so?¡± Ennieux asked, coming close to Renea. She sounded genuinely heartbroken. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡±


    Renea kept trying to speak, with more than a few false starts. Ailn felt a little bad thinking it, but the way Ennieux and Sophie were treating her with kid gloves almost made the whole thing feel trite. From her perspective, the world must have felt like it was ending.


    But from the outside, right now she looked like a kid being tugged through the door at the dentist.


    That was true for a lot of people¡¯s plights though. Hardship always looks trivial from the outside.


    ¡°I-... I¡­¡± Renea looked like she was about to throw up from anxiety.


    She probably never imagined the moment would actually arrive when she¡¯d have to divulge her secret.


    ¡°T-the d-divine blessing,¡± Renea stammered very quietly, so barely anyone could hear. ¡°I d-don¡¯t have it¡­¡±


    She suddenly covered her mouth in a panic, and actually had to choke back a dry heave.


    ¡°I¡ªurk¡ª¡± Renea took a long while to calm her nausea. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    <hr>


    The silence in the abbey was staid and procedural.


    ¡°Could¡­ could you repeat that, Renea, dear?¡± Ennieux was having a difficult time processing what Renea had said. And Renea had said it in such a thin and fluttery voice she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d heard her correctly at all.


    Renea winced, palm tight against her mouth, her eyes anxiously flitting to her well-meaning aunt.


    ¡°I w-was¡­ I¡­ I never was¡­ b-born with¡­ the¡­ the divine blessing,¡± Renea stammered out. ¡°It¡ªit w-was always Sophie¡­¡±


    All around the abbey, knights exchanged weary glances. The murmuring that followed was actually rather muted.


    It was shocking. It truly was. But ¡®shocking¡¯ was a relative term. Compared to the idea that she was a demon, the idea of Lady Renea being, well, a swindler was actually rather tame. Their sense of what was reasonable had been broadened rather viciously by today¡¯s proceedings.


    More than anything, they were just tired. The Azure Knights of Varant were not, by their nature, the type of rabble to be led to easy agitation. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Something had left the air. And what remained in its absence was simple pain, frustration, and a slew of difficult questions.


    ¡®Would that truly be possible¡­?¡¯


    ¡®Then Miss Sophie would have to be¡­¡¯


    ¡®It strains the imagination to think that each and every knight would have failed to discern it¡­¡¯


    More than anything, they were prompted to discuss the plausibility of her claim. Ennieux¡¯s face was fraught with worry and confusion. She was clearly in disbelief. But to Renea, her aunt¡¯s look of consternation must have looked like anger, because the girl turned away in shame.


    Unfortunately for her, the man standing in the direction she turned to was none other than Aldous.


    Renea actually retched. But Aldous hardly even noticed.


    He was too thunderstruck.


    As Ailn watched the subtle tremors on his face, he realized that Aldous had probably been more prepared for failure than futility.


    Slowly, those tremors turned into an earthquake.


    ¡°The girl is lying!¡± Aldous shouted in a confused rage. ¡°You fooled us all these years, have you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let her explain herself!¡± Sophie raised her voice, keeping it firm and controlled as Renea shrank behind her. ¡°Everyone has had their chance to speak¡ªexcept for Renea.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s right,¡± Kylian said, his attention brought to the fore by Sophie. ¡°If Lady Renea truly lacks the divine blessing, then she could not have attacked His Grace, Ailn. Nor¡­ could she have healed him.¡±


    He paused for a moment, before adding a question of courtesy: ¡°Lady Renea, would you prefer to stand at the lectern or sit?¡±


    <hr>


    With Renea standing somberly at the lectern, order had finally fully returned to the abbey. Her gaze was low, kept on the lectern itself rather than the knights in the pews.


    ¡°I met with Ailn every month, on the day of the bestowal ceremony,¡± Renea said, her voice as loud as her anxiety would permit, yet it still sounded airy and hollow. ¡°Sigurd always made it hard for me to meet Ailn. It was the only time we could really spend together.¡±


    Her voice dropped to a mutter, ¡°And¡­ it was also the only time I could stop pretending to be the Saintess.¡±


    Renea found it ironic that she and Sophie only ever played their true roles when disguised. There were so many times in her life that she truly wished she was the maid.


    ¡°Ever since our mother¡¯s death, Sophie performed the ceremony. That¡¯s¡­ why we moved it to that chamber in the first place. So that Sophie and I could switch without anybody realizing.¡± Renea¡¯s speech had unconsciously drifted toward casual.


    ¡°When I entered the chamber early to pray, I was actually entering the passage,¡± she continued. ¡°Sophie would enter through the courtyard, and we¡¯d meet in the middle to exchange our garb. And that day¡ª¡±


    Renea felt the words catch in her throat.


    The whole day had been a painful affair, forcing Renea to confront all of her old, buried wounds. But it was only two days ago she saw Ailn lying nearly dead in the courtyard.


    Like a fool, she¡¯d stayed by his side too long. In her fear, Renea had clung to the embrace of childish hope.


    She thought that, maybe this time, maybe after all this time¡­


    ¡°Lady Renea?¡± Kylian prompted her. ¡°Are you at ease?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Renea slowly looked up, not realizing how long she¡¯d been lost in thought. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I just got a bit distracted.¡±


    Renea took a deep breath to compose herself. But when she continued speaking again, she still felt her throat seizing.


    ¡°W-when I saw my brother that day, he was already nearly dead. For a minute or two I stayed by his side trying to heal him¡­¡± Tears started to drip down Renea¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Despite the fact you lacked the divine blessing?¡± Kylian asked. He had a look of consternation; he seemed utterly confused by what she¡¯d just said. Of course he would be.


    ¡°Because Sophie was¡­¡± Renea couldn¡¯t speak for a moment, and lightly pressed the tips of her fingers to her throat, ¡°... so far. I didn¡¯t think I could reach her and I thought¡ªI hoped that God would answer my prayer.¡±


    If she ran through the bailey and keep, it would have taken twenty minutes to reach the bestowal chamber. Even going through the hidden passage would only halve that time.


    ¡°I always¡­ prayed for the day my blessing would come,¡± Renea said. It was getting hard to see, and her nose started to run, so she turned her face away embarrassed and covered it with one hand. ¡°I thought that maybe after all this time¡­ oh, t-thank you.¡±


    A little surprised to see that Reynard was offering her a handkerchief, she gratefully took it, dabbed at her eyes, and blew into it.


    ¡°I was stupid,¡± Renea said quietly. ¡°I hoped that maybe this time I¡¯d be rewarded for my faith with¡­ a miracle.¡±


    Even sorrow disappeared from her face for a moment, replaced with an empty expression. ¡°What faith had I really given¡­? My whole life, I¡¯d only ever cast lies to dirt. Why would I expect fruit¡­?¡±


    Her holy aura never came, of course. She only realized her idiocy when her own tears dripped onto her shaking hands and broke her out of her delusions.


    ¡°When I came to my senses, I called Sir Reynard over into the courtyard to make sure there was someone still with Ailn,¡± Renea said. ¡°And that¡¯s when Sir Reynard saw me running away. It was the fastest way back to the bestowal chamber.¡±


    The corners of her mouth began to tug down unhappily.


    ¡°Sophie¡¯s blessing is so powerful, it could have saved Ailn from death if she just came a second before,¡± Renea said. Frustration was coming through in her voice. ¡°I knew the passage well enough that I was certain I could sprint through it. But I¡­¡±


    Clenching her fists, Renea struggled to speak. Her words came out in a halting, resentful rhythm.


    "When I was¡ª" She paused, forcing back a hitching breath. "Running through a narrow part, I slipped and¡ª" Her voice broke, and she swallowed hard, trying to regain control. "I couldn''t¡ªI couldn''t catch myself in time. The lantern broke¡­"


    "I... got lost,¡± Renea clasped her hands over her mouth trying to stifle her angry sobs. ¡°And like a child, I¡ªgave up and started crying. It was so dark¡ªand I was so mad, if I¡¯d just¡ªhad a little holy aura I could have lit the way.¡±


    The resentful expression on her face kept crumpling. She looked sad and confused, as if she couldn¡¯t understand her own inadequacy; her voice started rising in pitch at the end of her sentences.


    "I was too busy feeling¡ªsorry for myself. While my brother was¡ªdying alone.¡±


    Hearing this specific detail from Renea''s testimony, Kylian¡¯s eyes widened in realization.


    One of the stranger pieces of testimony they''d heard these past few days had been forgotten amidst the intensity of the inquisition. The scrupulous knight had been ready to dismiss it as a figment conjured by Sir Tristan''s temperament, yet it now made perfect sense. He shook off his surprise and maintained his low-key demeanor as a way of being considerate toward the crying girl.


    ¡°Then I suppose that would make you our ghost,¡± Kylian said. He shook off his surprise and maintained his low-key demeanor as a way of being considerate toward the crying girl. ¡°The fragments of lantern we found wouldn¡¯t have been too far from the kitchen. The narrow passage and stone walls must have amplified the echo into an almost ethereal wail.¡±


    "I... I hadn''t even heard of a ghost," Renea said quietly. "I was stuck in the passage until Sophie found me. And when we reached Ailn..." She swallowed hard. "He''d already¡ªdied. We were... too late."


    Unsure of how to respond, Kylian blinked a few times.


    ¡°It must have been trying, Lady Renea,¡± he offered delicately. ¡°I see even though¡­ Ailn managed to survive, the event has still shaken you.¡±


    Seeing that Renea only responded with a muted quiver of her lips, Kylian gave her one last thoughtful comment.


    ¡°I also thought His Grace Ailn was dead when I saw him,¡± Kylian said, honestly. ¡°Maybe this time¡­ God truly heard your prayer. ¡±


    Renea gave a smile that lagged behind a flicker of deep sorrow. Perhaps she realized the knight was trying to buoy her spirits, as she spoke with genuine tenderness.


    ¡°Yes I¡ªI suppose he must have,¡± she said softly. Her smile faded even as she spoke, though, leaving behind the same empty expression she¡¯d shown earlier. ¡°May I¡­ sit?¡±


    With a nod from Kylian she sat quietly next to Sophie, who gave her a hug.


    For an inquisition that was so marked by intensity bordering on spectacle, Renea¡¯s truthful testimony was a rather quiet turn.


    The abbey once again settled into a deliberative mood, knights gauging each other¡¯s receptivity to Renea¡¯s testimony.


    It was hard to argue with tears like that. Since most of the active hostility had vanished from the abbey, the chance of a vote declaring Renea guilty seemed low. There were still questions, of course, and more than a few of the knights wished for active demonstrations of Sophie¡¯s divine blessing so they could be more certain.


    There was, however, a big silver wolf the knights had forgotten; and over the course of Renea¡¯s testimony, his stunned, disquieted expression had slowly calmed down.


    Now, it looked darker than ever.

 Chapter 37: A Wolf Among Us

    The misgivings about Renea remained, but the energy to address it today, in this inquisition, had vanished.


    The question then, was this: if not their Saintess, then had their high marshal been behind the attacks on the castle? The attempt to kill the young master Ailn?


    Ennieux¡¯s affirmation that Aldous was Sophie¡¯s father lent revived credence to Ailn¡¯s theory, while Aldous¡¯s rage as he told the story of Celine¡¯s death made it clear he held a grudge against Renea, at least.


    The man himself was inscrutable right now. Silent, clearly deep in thought, but not quite as intense as before.


    In the aftermath of his wrath¡ªand its sudden quelling by Renea¡¯s revelation¡ªmore than a few knights were now convinced by Ailn¡¯s theory.


    But not enough to vote Aldous guilty.


    And Kylian, acting as bailiff, was well-aware of that. Sitting at the bailiff¡¯s desk, his mind working fast, he struggled with questions of intellect, intuition, and bias.


    He was certain of Aldous¡¯s guilt. His behavior today was nonsensical otherwise.


    Yet, supposing Aldous truly was guilty, as Kylian felt strongly in his sinew¡­ If they were to then vote him guilty, but on the basis of weak evidence, would this be a miscarriage of justice?


    It was a moot point, because if they took a vote right now, Kylian was certain they¡¯d miss their mark.


    He stood up, trying to shake his doubts. Having given the abbey¡ªand himself¡ªtime to deliberate, it was time to bring these proceedings to a close. However they may end.


    ¡°Sir Aldous,¡± Kylian said, his voice weary. ¡°I believe you know as well as I that with Lady Ennieux¡¯s prior testimony, the burden of suspicion rests yet again on your shoulders.¡±


    Aldous turned his head lightly in Kylian¡¯s direction, unbothered. He took his time responding, as if the inquisition waited at his leisure.


    ¡°I would think you¡¯d know better than I, Kylian, that not a single thing incriminates me,¡± Aldous said. He spoke prudently, as if in a tricky negotiation. ¡°The young master has told a fantastic tale.¡±


    Aldous continued: ¡°And Lady Ennieux is entitled to her imagination as well. I find it curious you¡¯d regard her words so unquestioningly¡ªhas it not occurred to you that the wed woman who¡¯s so openly courted you is projecting the guilt of her own infidelity?¡±


    Kylian reined in any outward physical response¡ªthough frankly, he wished he had something cold right now to place against his temple.


    He glanced at the woman in question.


    Ennieux held her arm protectively, her eyes darting to her children, her head lowering in a futile attempt to hide her face which was turning furiously red. She¡¯d always had a sharper tongue than she had thick skin¡ªbut her attire certainly wasn¡¯t providing her any more defense.


    Right now, Ennieux was afraid.


    The meld of truth and malice in Aldous¡¯s insulting rebuttal would normally prompt a sharp retort. But the crisis had passed and the adrenaline had faded. The abbey¡¯s mood had turned sterile, cold enough to douse her fiery personality in ice water.


    She was a woman in a bathrobe, in front of an abbey of knights, sitting a few feet away from a killer who seemed to delight in revealing her improprieties to her own children.


    ¡°Celine and Aldous¡­ were sweethearts in their childhood,¡± Ennieux said uneasily. ¡°Even after her marriage to Duke Henry, I had caught whispers and glances between them that went beyond camaraderie.¡±


    She took a deep breath. ¡°And the two spent¡­ a great deal of time together, protecting the northern wall.¡± Her eyes fretted with the scrunch of guilt, as she openly revealed the damning particulars of her sister¡¯s sin. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ wish to speak of it further.¡±


    ¡°It would appear,¡± Aldous said coldly, ¡°that Lady Ennieux has misunderstood my relationship with her sister, the Saintess Celine¡­ Perhaps because she herself has never had a true friend.¡±


    ¡°Enough, Aldous.¡± Kylian dropped the pretense of Aldous¡¯s honorific¡ªyet Aldous continued to stare expressionlessly at Ennieux.


    She shivered, saying nothing. His insult was cutting, almost surgical in how precisely it was aimed. That made it scarier.


    Ennieux never had an especially keen sense of danger. That¡¯s why she stayed well out of its way, and never let it come to her doorstep.


    What she could sense, with remarkable sharpness, was who disliked her. She knew who thought her an idiot, and who thought her a boor. She understood very well every shade of contempt sent her way because they followed her like phantoms, even when she was alone.


    Hence, she¡¯d known since she was a little girl how worthless Aldous thought her.


    He was frightening because he hid it so amiably. And if that scorn never hurt anyone, only ever manifesting as smiles a hint too slow, she might have even considered his ability to disguise it a virtue.


    Ennieux looked away fearfully, refusing to meet his eye.


    It was Sophie, rather, who could no longer sit by.


    ¡°Are you truly this miserable of a man?¡± Sophie snarled. ¡°Do you imagine you look honorable as you flail and grab at others while the millstone of your own sins drowns you?¡±


    Sophie hated him.


    She was never as forgiving as Renea. But she realized she had never truly known the word hate until today.


    The viciousness with which he¡¯d lived his life, and all the people he¡¯d hurt, and the gall with which he conducted himself in the face of his own iniquities¡ªshe had never seen anyone so vile.


    And to think he was her father.


    Would this man go to the gallows denying her? She didn¡¯t care if he did. She didn¡¯t want him as a father either. She simply found it ironic that the high marshal should have so little integrity. How desperate was he to cling to life?


    ¡°¡­It appears the maid is oblivious to the weight clasped around her own neck,¡± Aldous¡¯s voice stayed so impudently calm. ¡°Assuming your tale holds any truth, of course. I find it rather implausible myself.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sophie asked, perplexed and angry.


    ¡°Allow me to play the devil¡¯s advocate,¡± Aldous said, the faintest hint of a wry smile curling his lips. ¡°Imagine a girl so apathetic and shameless, she should hide the holy talent given by God, simply so she could shirk her own duties.¡±


    The smile disappeared immediately. An empty look on his face, voice completely dry, he continued: ¡°She lets her talentless sister stand before the weight of the duty she ignored, like a cripple left in the path of a boulder, only intervening with the minimum of effort to make sure she¡¯s never crushed.¡±


    He stopped, meeting Sophie¡¯s eyes unerringly, his next utterance cold: ¡°Then the boulder rolls over their mother.¡±


    Sophie¡¯s hateful glare kept growing more intense as Aldous spoke. The lines on her face deepening, her teeth gritting with ever greater force.


    With that, Aldous''s expression settled back to its usual calm, and his tone was once again neutral: ¡°Difficult to believe, is it not? The holy maid strikes me as a character a whit too oblivious to the consequences of her own lies.¡± And finally, even he had to cast his eyes to the side, a slight smirk acknowledging the irony of his own words. ¡°As unbelievable as the knight from the young master¡¯s tale, really.¡±


    Her hatred reached a turning point. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Sophie¡¯s face was now twisting with the intensity of her emotions, crumpling up around her eyes which began to glisten. Her nostrils were flaring. The whites of her teeth were revealing themselves like the fangs of a predator.


    Then, Aldous met her eyes once more, his face completely impassive. And he finished with a statement so provocative it was beyond belief.


    ¡°Perhaps you really are my daughter.¡±


    A blinding white flash filled the room.


    If Aldous¡¯s aura had been like a dragon twisting through the room, then Sophie¡¯s holy aura was like the sun itself. For all its intensity, it lacked the violent sound of energy surging and crackling.


    Rather, it almost sounded musical. It was ferociously loud, but it was beautiful.


    ¡°How¡­ dare you¡­¡± the words came almost bleating out of her throat.


    She wanted to kill him.


    She was going to kill him.


    Sophie could crush the man in front of her with her aura right now. No one could stop her if she truly wanted to do it.


    Why shouldn¡¯t she?


    That arrogant look in his eyes was inviting her violence. The knight had a death wish. He was a mentally twisted man who needed to be put down, and if he served as an example then all the better.


    The only thing that stopped her was her sister¡¯s hand.


    Her holy aura disappeared all at once, because of a simple firm and disapproving grasp of her wrist.


    ¡°Sophie ¡­¡± Renea started.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It deserves no discussion,¡± Sophie said. She tried to sound calm.


    Sophie forced herself to let go. She didn¡¯t want to think about it, and she didn¡¯t let herself see him. Because if she thought about it a second more, she truly may kill him.


    And if this inquisition failed to catch him, she would.


    ¡°Aldous,¡± Kylian gave a weary glance toward the high marshal, whose actions had only grown increasingly impudent, ¡°your behavior only serves to incriminate you. I fail to understand what you¡¯re hoping to achieve. Do you not suppose if I put the knights to vote right now, you could be declared guilty?¡±


    ¡°On what basis do you assert this, Kylian?¡± Aldous inquired, his voice tinged with genuine incredulity. ¡°Assume for a moment that Sophie is indeed my daughter. What then? We, father and daughter, merely had a disagreement within these sacred walls.¡± His brows furrowed as he continued more pointedly. ¡°And suppose I did cast blame upon Lady Renea for Celine¡¯s untimely demise. How do you draw any credible connection from that to the assault on the young master?¡±


    Aldous sighed with frustration, as if he were dealing with a dimwitted apprentice. When he spoke next, his tone was regretful and stern.


    ¡°What, then, constitutes your case? Antagonistic behavior towards those who have levied accusations against me?¡± Aldous asked gruffly. ¡°Kindly elucidate for all present in the abbey, Kylian. I implore you.¡±


    Truthfully, Kylian did not have a response.


    Judging by the anxious looks on the knights¡¯ faces, despite reservations and suspicions abounding¡ªfor both Aldous and Lady Renea, frankly¡ªthey would most likely lean toward preserving the status quo.


    They wished to turn a blind eye to it. Their Saintess had likely lied to them. Their high marshal had perhaps tried to kill the young master Ailn.


    The ambiguity in the situation made it easy to give into temptation, so long as it had plausible justification: if neither Lady Renea nor Aldous are voted guilty, then perhaps, with execution avoided, things could go back to the way they were. Or as close of a semblance as possible.


    Things looked hopeless. But Kylian realized something.


    Ailn had been silent for a while now. And at a glance it was clear he was deep in thought.


    Among Kylian¡¯s many instincts, right now one felt stronger than the rest¡ªhis gut feeling that he needed to trust in Ailn.


    He was loath to let the needless bickering unfold before him, when they had nothing to do with the inquisition itself, but he¡¯d felt some relief that it gave them some time.


    The problem was that Aldous was dragging anyone who¡¯d respond into a mud wrestling match. The more he badgered, the more yelling there was, and the more everyone at the center of the proceedings looked like messy and mindless pigs.


    ¡°...Lady Renea has shown that she has no divine blessing,¡± Kylian said calmly.


    This was not a particularly strong argument. Kylian knew this. It was patently clear to every knight in the abbey by now that absence of evidence was not the same thing as evidence of absence.


    The maid who they had assumed a normal girl for seventeen years just gave the most stunning display of holy aura they¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°And does that strike you as convincing proof Kylian? If the murder weapon were a sword, and the suspect swore they could not use one, would you similarly take them at face value?¡± Aldous asked. Then he continued pointedly: ¡°Especially when you have presumed them capable for nine years?¡±


    Kylian tightened his expression on purpose.


    He didn¡¯t want Aldous to catch on to the fact that he¡¯d just freely bitten onto the bait that Kylian had laid out.


    "Miss Sophie¡¯s mastery of the divine blessing was such that it lends credence to their shared claim," Kylian asserted. "It is akin to a priceless blade¡ªso distinct and formidable that I imagine every knight present in this abbey recognized it instinctively.¡±


    He added: ¡°...Much the same as one learns to recognize the unique marks of a peerless sword."


    Kylian did actually believe this, though he¡¯d typically be averse to resting his point on such a nebulous intuition.


    But he made his point, and kept it short. He wouldn¡¯t get caught in emotional arguments. He¡¯d let Aldous trip himself.


    Aldous seemed to at least partially catch on to Kylian¡¯s intentions, because he gave his next words careful consideration. It seemed as if he saw the current direction of discussion as a fair trade: lucid and unemotional was just fine.


    At the end of the day, it would lead to the knights hesitating to proclaim guilt.


    Then, Kylian could see it. Aldous¡¯s eyes had sharpened.


    There was an instinct Aldous had. He was the same with his blade. Kylian knew, because he had been Aldous¡¯s direct student. Perfectly capable on the backfoot, swift and adaptable in a way that seemed incongruous with his monstrous build and strength, Aldous nonetheless held no squeamishness toward risk and aggression.


    Defense was his forte, but not his penchant. And when given the chance, Aldous would never choose a certain and unsatisfying victory over a decisive and dominating one.


    The old knight seemed to catch sight of that decisive counterstroke.


    And Kylian hoped that meant Aldous was duly feinted.


    There was one thing that still tugged at his mind. One piece of evidence. So, he was doing his best to give Ailn one last chance to prove what the young scion had so adamantly asserted about the truth.


    ¡®Whatever happened, happened. There¡¯s only one world where all the facts can co-exist, and it¡¯s the one we already live in.¡¯


    Aldous began speaking.


    ¡°... Only Lady Renea could have killed the young master Ailn,¡± Aldous started dryly. His eyes searched for Renea, who¡¯d tried to fade into the background of the proceedings. ¡°It was certainly none of the knights.¡±


    She¡¯d evidently had enough of being the star of the show.


    At his latest claim, she only gave a pained look. ¡°Is that so, Aldous?¡± Renea asked, sounding exhausted.


    Renea couldn¡¯t forgive Aldous.


    That much was obvious. Not just for what he¡¯d done to Ailn, but how he treated Sophie. No, for betraying the principles of Varant so thoroughly when he was once its greatest knight.


    Aldous had never been Renea¡¯s world, nor her guiding light. But he had always been her rock, the reliable and sincere man that she could believe in when she couldn¡¯t believe in herself.


    She was still falling in her own mind, while the rest of this inquisition played out. Its outcome wouldn¡¯t change that the earth had been pulled from under her feet.


    Her brother¡¯s voice had convinced her she needed to grab hold¡ªto find those hands that had reached out to her and grasp them. Because if she didn¡¯t¡­ she would just keep spiraling down and down until she hit dirt.


    Renea wanted to survive.


    She wanted to go back to her bed and sleep and hope Aldous would one day leave her thoughts so she¡¯d never have to think of him again. Watching him like this pained her. He¡¯d become such a twisted and¡­ filthy person.


    It was as if, after decades of fighting the darkness encroaching from above, he¡¯d lost to it. As if the resplendent and mighty dragon that was his aura had soared into that dark cloud hanging over the northern sky, never able to overcome no matter how it cracked and boomed, swallowed whole by the miasma¡ªeven as it let out its last pitiful roar.


    ¡°Do you¡­ still want revenge on me, Sir Aldous?¡± Renea asked him honestly.


    He was expressionless in response. And he deigned not to reply, moving on simply to the point he was prepared to make.


    ¡°Whoever had tried to kill the young master shattered his sword,¡± Aldous said coldly. ¡°...After shattering his sword, they proceeded to use their exceptional holy aura. In spite of the fact that it would have strongly incriminated them¡ªby limiting the pool of suspects severely.¡±


    He met Renea¡¯s blue eyes.


    His were unflinching, even though at this moment he was telling another lie.


    ¡°What need would there be to kill the young master with holy aura if they¡¯d had their sword?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°The only credible culprit would be someone¡­ who could not have used a sword¡ªand only had the divine blessing to use as a weapon.¡±


    Aldous¡¯s eyes never left Renea¡¯s.


    ¡°Someone such as yourself, Lady Renea,¡± Aldous said.


    Why did he have to keep doing this to her? Renea¡¯s blue eyes started welling up with tears again.


    She had never been hated like this before. Not this intensely. Not this profoundly. Aldous cared more about hurting her than walking free of his crime.


    Was it religious? Was he so convinced of her demonic origins he felt what he was doing was just?


    Was it just revenge? Did Aldous love her mother that much?


    ¡°What happened to you, Aldous?¡± Renea whispered, the tears now dripping down her face.


    Then, someone¡¯s finger snapped.


    Ailn was back. Mentally. And he was staring at Aldous.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it. The smoking¡­ no, what¡¯s a phrase that would fit Varant. How about: I¡¯ve got the bloody sword?¡±

 Chapter 38: A Man Determined

    Just a few minutes prior, Ailn¡¯s mind was working rapidly.


    He had time to think this through.


    The abbey was preoccupied with one tense confrontation after the other, which meant he could largely cut himself off from it and think.


    After Renea¡¯s testimony had largely set the inquisition at an impasse, they¡¯d avoided the worst case scenario. But they hadn¡¯t reached an ending Ailn would settle for either. He wasn¡¯t in the business of letting a guilty man walk free.


    So, Ailn strained every fiber of his being, and pushed the limits of his thought to figure out how they could catch him.


    He profiled his culprit.


    Aldous, unfortunately, was the kind of man that Ailn understood.


    He was a smart enough, discerning enough man to understand that Renea was telling the truth. And while Renea¡¯s irresponsible lies had genuinely contributed to her mother¡¯s death, not even Aldous could possibly believe that revenge was justified.


    That wouldn¡¯t stop him.


    Before Aldous was ever a man determined to have revenge, he was simply a man determined. And the moment he realized he was destined for Hell, he decided to march.


    Aldous would seize any chance he had to take his inner turmoil and give it violent expression; he was opportunistic, always on the look-out. Framing Renea for his crime hadn¡¯t even been his original intention¡ªjust a happy accident he grasped when it came within reach.


    The question was, where would he mess up? Ailn tried to imagine every location relevant to the crime.


    The courtyard. Could he have left something they failed to notice?


    What about the kennel? Was there anything at all they could link to Aldous, besides the circumstantial evidence of the seal?


    Ailn hadn¡¯t managed to catch a whiff at all of the kennel master, or his probable corpse. He was certain that evidence trail was cold, but he forced himself to consider it, anyway.


    Still nothing.


    Then where?


    It wasn¡¯t as if Aldous had been particularly outstanding at covering his tracks. But there was essentially nothing in the way of forensics in this world, which meant getting away with murder was the expected result¡ªnot the exception.


    Maybe this needed another angle. He put himself in Aldous¡¯s boots.


    Before the attack. Planning it: he¡¯s subtly manipulating the movement of the knights. He¡¯s walking through the filthy kennel to check on the shadow beasts. What¡¯s he thinking?


    Is he nervous? No. Does he pity the dogs? Hardly.


    After the attack. On his way through the bailey and keep, just after committing murder. What was his mental state then? His physical state? Was he hiding any injuries?


    It had to be then. That space in-between, that time in-between. From the courtyard to the ceremony.


    What did he leave?


    What could he possibly have left?


    Something, somewhere.


    No one exists in this world without leaving a trace.


    To live is to exchange: every movement, every breath is a transaction. We take from our environment, and we give it something back. The brunt of things given and taken in this world are too small for the naked eye, but Ailn knew from experience, even if he couldn¡¯t quite remember: people leave big things.


    And they take big things too.


    They never fail to.


    Did Aldous have any gloating tendencies? Would he have left some kind of subtle celebration of his crime? No, even if he did, what use was that now?


    Outside his thoughts, Ailn could faintly hear the direction of discussion changing.


    ¡°...Lady Renea has shown that she has no divine blessing.¡±


    Kylian was trying to stall for him. Ailn picked up on that by now. All he could do was focus harder.


    He could feel time slow down, like it tended to when he was in really desperate situations. He had to dig deeper.


    Think. What was at the core of the suspect¡¯s identity?


    Resolve.


    Whatever he did, he did it singularly. All the bitterness that consumed him after Celine¡¯s death: the only way to move forward whole was to use it. Dealing with grief the same way as the rest of the world meant breaking apart.


    Aldous was not the kind of man who would break apart. Even if learning how to rebuild yourself was the right thing to do.


    What about guilt? Would Aldous at all have the paradoxical drive that causes unconscious self-incrimination?


    It didn¡¯t seem likely.


    Ailn kept his frustration at bay. But objectively things weren¡¯t looking good. Even as his mind kept accelerating, the nooks and crannies of this case seemed to be lacking for anything he needed.


    No, he needed a big thing. A little ¡®gotcha¡¯ wasn¡¯t going to do anything here.


    That¡¯s when Ailn heard it.


    "It is akin to a priceless blade¡ªso distinct and formidable that I imagine every knight present in this abbey recognized it instinctively.¡±


    The sword. Kylian was trying to bait Aldous into talking about the sword.


    It was the one thing the two of them never felt great about. It was a question with an answer that only ever got a C minus. And the way Aldous seemed to chomp onto the bait, Ailn knew right away.


    This was it.


    This was what they needed to answer. He knew it in his gut: solve this little mystery, and it would take care of their big problem.


    The way Aldous was staring down Renea, evidently he thought the same. Protect the lie, and he had a slim chance at persuading the knights Renea should be voted guilty.


    Why would Ailn have an orichalcum-dense sword?


    It wasn¡¯t the murderer he needed to think about. It was the victim. It was the original owner of the identity he was taking on right now, the real Ailn eum-Creid.


    People looked down on him his whole life.


    His mother did. His brother did. And to some extent the rest of his family did too, save Renea.


    He was close to Renea. They had a close bond. He had to know she didn¡¯t have the divine blessing since they were meeting. What¡¯s he thinking? Why¡¯s he training his sword?


    He wants to protect her.


    Ailn didn¡¯t have strength, and he wanted it. No clout, no aura, the only thing he could train for was his physical ability. A classic swordsman.


    He worked in the fields. That had to be tough on the body. Ailn could feel that his body was in good shape.


    A hard agricultural lifestyle, and he still puts in the time on the wooden pell. He doesn¡¯t say a word about it. He¡¯s modest enough to better himself in secret, and live in a hovel contentedly.


    So why? Why does he have that sword? Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    There was no way he was vain enough. Did he make a breakthrough? Did some kind of physical development lead to the reinvigoration of his divine blessing? A fine-tuned mastery of his miniscule aura that justified the higher quality sword?


    No. It didn¡¯t make sense.


    Nothing Ailn had seen suggested that could happen. If effort could really be a game changer with holy aura, his family wouldn¡¯t have shunned him in the first place.


    Then why? Ailn just didn¡¯t get it.


    The world slowed to a crawl in front of him. He imagined himself in the courtyard. He felt the sword in his hands, and the pride in his chest. Ailn imagined Aldous slashing down at him, and knew the way he would parry.


    What sword was in his hands? Was it dense with orichalcum? Or¡­


    Was it¡­ normal steel?


    It had to be. Ailn could feel it right down to his soul: the cheaper, well-made, reliable steel sword that the real Ailn would¡¯ve taken care of. It was almost like he could remember maintaining it himself, sharpening it against the whetstone.


    Ailn used a steel sword in the courtyard that day.


    Then¡­ what happened to it?


    No. There was an easier question. In fact, this one had a stupidly obvious answer.


    Aldous was basically asking it right now. Why would he use holy aura to murder the original Ailn¡ªwhen he could have just used his sword?


    Everything fell into place.


    The world that had been slowing down continuously from the furious pace of his brain stopped. Completely stopped. It almost seemed to blur around him.


    Ailn knew right away: this wasn¡¯t some kind of psychophysical phenomenon. It was almost exactly the same feeling as back then.


    That time he woke up in the void.


    Honestly? It ticked him off. Ailn was ready to raise hell with the teen god who came and went as he pleased. If he could pop in for a victory lap the moment Ailn got the case, then why they hell couldn¡¯t he have provided any support?


    ¡°Hey kid, I don¡¯t want you joining the celebration when you didn¡¯t help,¡± Ailn said, turning around. ¡°And you¡¯re too young to drink cham¡ª oh.¡±


    The figure standing behind him wasn¡¯t the young god at all.


    Right in front of Ailn was himself.


    No. That wasn¡¯t quite right.


    ¡®Ailn¡¯ was staring at the real Ailn.


    <hr>


    The detective couldn¡¯t shake the absolutely uncanny feeling of seeing the real Ailn, when he¡¯d been in his body these last few days.


    He¡¯d had the body just long enough to get used to it and think ¡®that¡¯s me¡¯ while looking at the bonafide original.


    Or at least the detective assumed this was the original Ailn. The young man in front of him was dressed in the same shabby tunic the detective had on when he first awoke in his body. And yet he had an altogether different countenance.


    Same silver hair, same blue eyes. And a real warmth to his smile that the detective had just spent three days trying to fake.


    ¡°Seems as if you¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Ailn said. ¡°That¡¯s certainly a relief.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah,¡± the detective replied. ¡°It was¡­ real touch and go for a moment there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done something for me I won¡¯t ever get a chance to repay,¡± Ailn said, his eyes looking a little sad as his smile turned wistful. ¡°But I can at least show my gratitude. You did something like this, right?¡±


    Ailn held out his hand for a handshake. And the detective, still in a daze, shook the young noble¡¯s hand back.


    That¡¯s when the detective noticed it. On his own hand.


    It was his watch.


    He was his original self right now. Most of his memories were locked away, but he knew that much.


    So, he was his old self shaking hands with his new self. Kind of. He noticed another thing: the original Ailn had a pretty good handshake.


    ¡°Web of the palm and everything¡­¡± the detective muttered. ¡°Looks like you were paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Ailn asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Guess I just didn¡¯t think you were still hanging around,¡± the detective said. He paused, his tone honest and curious. ¡°Is that really you, Ailn?¡±


    ¡°The very same,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You should know better than anyone else, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah I guess so,¡± the detective said. It was a strange feeling. And as he was trying to process it all, he couldn¡¯t help but inspect the watch he missed all this time.


    Frozen on 3:06PM. Stainless steel with a brushed finish. And it never told him the real time because he was always fiddling with it.


    Then Ailn frowned at the detective. ¡°But I don¡¯t have much longer.¡±


    ¡°...And that means?¡± the detective asked.


    ¡°I needed to see things through,¡± Ailn said. ¡°Or rather, I was given the chance to see things through. A sort of courtesy extended to me, by¡­ well, you met him.¡±


    ¡°The teen god, huh?¡± the detective said. ¡°He must have felt guilty taking your body.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d wager I¡¯m the one who owes him,¡± Ailn said. His smile took on a note of self-deprecation. ¡°The reality of the situation is, you¡¯re Ailn now. It¡¯s your body from now on.¡±


    ¡°Are you merging into my subconscious or something?¡± the detective asked.


    ¡°...Unfortunately, this is where we say our goodbyes,¡± Ailn said.


    The detective¡¯s brows furrowed, and he didn¡¯t say anything in response.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I have one last favor I¡¯d like to ask of you,¡± Ailn said. He gave the detective an imploring look. ¡°Could you look after Renea for me?¡±


    ¡°...Sure, I can do that,¡± the detective said, fiddling with his watch. He kept his face neutral.


    ¡°No, actually¡­¡± Ailn sighed. Now he was giving something more like a sheepish grin. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for a lot more, sorry. Could you be a brother to her? A real one?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± the detective winced. ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t¡­ promise¡­¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I would be able to rest easier, knowing she had you.¡±


    Honestly, the detective was really starting to hate the way Ailn smiled. There was always that twist of remorse in it, like he was apologizing for just existing.


    But that didn¡¯t make it any easier to say no.


    ¡°I know the weight of this request,¡± Ailn said, his voice softening. ¡°But¡­ Renea¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, damn it. I¡¯ll do it,¡± the detective said, rubbing the back of his head in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could live with myself knowing I denied the last wish of a guy headed to the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ailn smiled. ¡°I trust you.¡±


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t,¡± the detective said.


    ¡°¡­Guess I¡¯m off, then.¡± Ailn looked sadly off to the side, as if he wanted to stall for something to say. Then, after a few moments, he threw in, ¡°Take care of my family too, will you?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just add stuff,¡± the detective sighed. Then, with an arched eyebrow he asked, ¡°Including Sigurd?¡±


    ¡°Including¡­ Sigurd,¡± Ailn said. Then he chuckled, sounding more irritated than amused as he gave the detective a pat on the shoulder. He shot the detective a small grin like he pulled something over on him. ¡°I appreciate it. You¡¯re a good man, you know.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes I pretend to be, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I¡¯m really off now.¡±


    ¡°See you, then,¡± the detective said.


    But as Ailn was walking away, seemingly fully ready to head on out, he began to slow down before coming to a complete stop. At first the detective was gonna groan in exasperation.


    Then he felt something a bit different in Ailn¡¯s demeanor.


    It was regret.


    That was the emotion the detective understood best.


    ¡°Do you think¡­ if I had been more like you, I would have been able to protect my family?¡± Ailn asked. His hands were clenched lightly, and his shoulders tensed up.


    The detective frowned, not sure of how to respond. The answer was ¡®probably not.¡¯ The detective was pretty sure he hadn¡¯t been able to protect what was dear to him in his own life. He was the last guy anyone needed to imitate.


    But that was beside the point.


    ¡°...You did protect them, Ailn,¡± the detective said. ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°...Is that so?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Your determination made the difference. Almost all those knights were given their strength. You built yours,¡± the detective said.


    ¡°And yet¡­¡± Ailn started.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only reason I ever caught Aldous,¡± the detective said. ¡°This was your victory. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡±


    Ailn said nothing in response. But the detective could see his hands shaking, even as they lightly unclenched.


    And his eyes were looking straight forward.


    ¡°We got him, Ailn,¡± the detective said, with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they know it.¡±


    Ailn laughed a bit, as he gave a small nod.


    ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± Ailn said. And with a backward wave, he really was off. ¡°Take care of my sword for me. It¡¯s¡­ yours now.¡±


    The detective couldn¡¯t see it from where he was standing, but Ailn¡¯s last smile as he walked off into the darkness was a cheerful one.


    <hr>


    The new Ailn was back in reality. And he jumped right into action, snapping his fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it. The smoking¡­ no, what¡¯s a phrase that would fit Varant. How about: I¡¯ve got the bloody sword?¡± Ailn asked.


    Aldous didn¡¯t looked particularly distressed by Ailn¡¯s confidence.


    ¡°More stories, Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked. ¡°By all means.¡±


    Ailn just chuckled. This one really went down to the wire. He hated close calls. And he hated almost losing. But he sure did enjoy grasping victory from the jaws of defeat.


    ¡°You know, Aldous, it¡¯s been a rough day for me,¡± Ailn said. ¡°It¡¯s been a whole lot of bull, frankly. But I guess I was just reaping what I sowed.¡±


    Ailn frowned.


    ¡°See, a moment ago I started going through my ¡®memories,¡¯ and thinking of a time I wasn¡¯t always pissing people off.¡± Ailn glanced at all the knights who he set off, though he didn¡¯t feel particularly sorry. ¡°I was a gentler person back then. Before the attack.¡±


    ¡°...This time, I truly fail to see a point to your rambling, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said scowling.


    ¡°Just remembering who I was, Aldous. I needed to know what I was feeling when you came lunging at me with your sword,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°Sad? Afraid? Angry? I just couldn¡¯t call it to mind. I played it over and over in my head.¡±


    Despite the condescending tone of his speech, Ailn¡¯s face was completely serious.


    ¡°I thought of all the people who saw me as dirt, all these years,¡± Ailn said, his tone softening. ¡°And I thought about how I trained my sword skills like a man determined.¡±


    Ailn looked up wistfully. His gaze was trailing to the ceiling like he was watching something float away.


    ¡°What would I do in my own shoes?¡± Ailn muttered. ¡°The admired, beloved high marshal is charging at me like a bull. The strongest man in the duchy. And the single knight most emblematic of everything I¡¯d always been told that I wasn¡¯t. That¡¯s who was trying to kill me.¡±


    Slowly, Ailn¡¯s gaze left the ceiling, and he looked the knight right in the eye, unable to stop himself from laughing.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯d do, Aldous?¡± Ailn grinned. ¡°I¡¯d win.¡±

 Chapter 39: Eveliscia

    By now, all the knights had wised up to Ailn¡¯s penchant for nonsense, but this was the first time he¡¯d actually said something completely nonsensical.


    Won what? He¡¯d been left bloody, lacerated, and so beaten down even the physician mistook him for dead.


    Frankly, the idea was laughable¡ªcertainly, it at least evoked the knights¡¯ pity. Whether he¡¯d been attacked by Renea, Aldous, or even a single shadow beast, any of those three would have been so far beyond Ailn¡¯s reckoning that he¡¯d simply have to accept his fate.


    Aldous¡¯s face remained impassive.


    ¡°An odd conclusion, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said. "Though I shan''t fault a man for clinging to a moral victory¡ªhowever imagined. Perhaps you take pride in how skillfully you play a corpse?¡±


    Ailn¡¯s grin turned a little bitter.


    ¡°Moral victory¡­ isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Ailn said. ¡°That¡¯s just what it means to live in a world where some guys get God-given holy power. Though I¡¯d be willing to bet, you caught me by surprise¡ªwho would¡¯ve thought Aldous the stoic and heroic would pervert the divine blessing?¡±


    That little bit of rhyme put a scowl on Aldous¡¯s face.


    ¡°There were always a few weird things about the courtyard,¡± Ailn mused. ¡°They were small, but¡­ they built up. The sheds were wrecked by holy aura. I¡¯d clearly taken a direct hit myself.¡±


    Ailn paused.


    ¡°But where was the third point of impact? Sir Tristan didn¡¯t hear two concussive blasts¡­ he heard three.¡±


    There was a hiccup from the audience, but Ailn ignored it.


    ¡°The orichalcum-dense sword kept bothering me. It just wasn¡¯t my style. And as much as I kept trying to justify it, that sword was always out of place,¡± Ailn said.


    Aldous¡¯s jaw was beginning to set.


    And Renea, who¡¯d been listening with rapt attention, seemed to recoil. Something she¡¯d just heard had shocked her.


    ¡°Orichalcum-dense¡­?¡± Renea whispered. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°And, another small thing. It wouldn¡¯t have meant much by itself. The sword was missing material,¡± Ailn said, his eyes narrowing as he considered the anomaly. ¡°In retrospect, it¡¯s obvious why. More importantly, it¡¯s obvious¡­ how.¡±


    Ailn gestured like he was holding up a sword, pointing where the hilt would be.


    ¡°It had been hit with holy aura. Our third impact point. How else would a sword shatter so violently?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°My first thought was that it had been used to block an attack. Which made some sense, but¡­ that wouldn''t explain the missing material.¡±


    Still pointing to the imaginary hilt, Ailn traced his hand upwards and horizontally, as if he were outlining the width of the blade.


    ¡°Right here. Right where a knight would inscribe his or her name. Swords are expensive after all,¡± Ailn said. ¡°No knight wants theirs to get stolen. But the name left on this particular sword caused a problem. See, everything would have been fine if the sword just spelled out ¡®AILN.¡¯¡±


    Ailn spelled out the letters in the air with his finger and paused for emphasis.


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t. Because the shattered sword didn¡¯t belong to me,¡± Ailn said. He took his time with it, spelling an entirely different name in the air, knowing the person in question could only wrathfully watch. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you anything that inscribed right above that hilt was ¡®ALDOUS.¡¯ Or, ¡®ALDO,¡¯ perhaps. ¡®BIG AL,¡¯ maybe?¡±


    Ailn shrugged exaggeratedly.


    ¡°And what reason would I have to shatter my own sword, Your Grace?¡± Aldous asked. His jaw was really clenching. This wasn¡¯t just anger. This was strain and tension. ¡°When I could simply take it with me?¡±


    ¡°Because your sword was already broken,¡± Ailn said. His voice was a note quieter as he said it. ¡°...I cut it.¡±


    For some reason, the not-so-subtle gloating that had made his speech so aggravating started to leave his voice. If anything, this should have been his most triumphant moment. But Ailn looked rather melancholy.


    Making it eminently clear for all the knights in the chapel, without a hint of flippancy left in his expression, the detective said it again.


    ¡°Ailn eum-Creid defeated Sir Aldous Ferme in sword combat,¡± he said. ¡°...And you were utterly humiliated by it.¡±


    Renea was visibly moved.


    Her eyes were glistening, but they were wide and bright. Clasping one arm across her chest, she lightly touched her collar just above her heart, and seemed to stand slightly taller.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t just hiding your culpability. You were protecting your pride. You didn¡¯t want anyone to know that the beaten down noble kid¡ªthe weakling and coward who never got his due respect¡ªbeat you in a sword fight,¡± Ailn said. ¡°So, you committed the ultimate heresy. You attacked me with the divine blessing, fully intending to kill.¡±


    ¡°This is absurd,¡± Aldous said, his voice growling.


    ¡°First, you missed,¡± Ailn threw up a finger. ¡°That was the sheds. The second time you were right on the mark. That¡¯s what hit me and caused the blunt force trauma and lesions. And when I was down for the count¡­ you took your already broken sword, and shattered the hilt. You gathered the pieces that would¡¯ve spelled out your name.¡±


    As Ailn held up three fingers to indicate the three uses of holy aura, Aldous, instead of coming to his own defense, continued to simmer with rage. ¡°...Then you did something cheeky.¡±


    ¡°You left me by the shattered sword, so everyone would think it was mine¡ªthe perfect way to accentuate the humiliation my death was meant to be,¡± Ailn said, his voice grave and his eyes sharp. ¡°...And when you had to head to the bestowal ceremony, there was a simple solution to your problem of being the only knight in the castle without a sword.¡±


    Ailn pointed nonchalantly to the sheath at Aldous¡¯s waist. He let the moment hang in the air, as his piercing gaze locked onto Aldous¡¯s furious eyes.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying, Aldous¡­ is that I¡¯d like my sword back.¡±


    He said it like he lent a cup of sugar.


    Murmurs moved through the pews. The knights, observing quietly, had been moved to pity instead of anger. Pity for the young noble who was grasping for dignity so desperately that he succumbed to delusions of grandeur.


    ¡®Have any of the knights ever bested Aldous¡¯s blade?¡¯


    ¡®It is a symptom of his change in temperament. A subtle illness of the mind.¡¯


    ¡®Perhaps it is better to let the boy dream¡­ What harm is it?¡¯


    But the young noble and the old knight paid the crowd no attention. The rabble had no place in their icy standoff. Liberated from whims and now bound solely to facts, the case was drawing to its conclusion¡ªand Ailn stared down the cornered wolf.


    "Show us the sword, Aldous,¡± Ailn said quietly.


    ¡°Seize it from me, if you believe yourself so mighty,¡± Aldous snarled.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to hide, then show us the sword Aldous!¡± Ailn shouted.


    The slightest unease began to spread among the knights. Sir Dartune, sensing this and acting on their behalf, rose from the pews and genially approached the high marshal.


    ¡°Sir Aldous,¡± he raised his arms placatingly, ¡°indulge the boy¡¯s delusions and end this farce, would you?¡±


    The heavyset master-at-arms had no way of knowing that Aldous¡¯s aura would lash fiercely at him¡ªbut his reflexes were quicker than his fitness would imply, and he shielded his face with his own aura.


    He only gawked for a moment before he rushed at Aldous with a tackle, followed by Ailn and Kylian, then a number of other knights who rushed in to suppress him.


    ¡°Aldous!¡± Dartune yelled. The effort was clear on his face as he worked to hinder Aldous¡¯s violent stir. ¡°What the hell is the matter with you?!¡±


    ¡°Restrain his arms!¡± Kylian shouted at the other knights.


    The majestic dragon that was Aldous¡¯s aura¡ªthe once proud manifestation of his divine blessing¡ªwrithed at his subduers, wind swirling in the abbey. The subduing knights were forced to use their aura in concert to impede his, and Aldous¡¯s physical strength alone was nearly enough to throw them off.


    But it was not the knights who ultimately overwhelmed him. It was Sophie, whose holy aura smashed against the frenzying dragon, dissipating it at once¡ªand also inadvertently knocked the knights plus Ailn off of him.


    It was no matter. The burst of white light quickly coalesced, first arcing into a ribbon, then tapering to a sharp point, like a rapier poised at his neck.


    ¡°Brandish the sword, or I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Sophie said coldly.


    Aldous was breathing heavily from the exertion of his resistance. But, he seemed to recognize the futility of his situation, as he suddenly looked very calm. The smallest glimmer of fight had returned to Aldous¡¯s eyes. And that worried Ailn.


    ¡°Just so I may be certain, Your Grace,¡± Aldous said, sweat beading on his brow, ¡°your assertion is that your name should be inscribed upon this blade.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°...Something like that,¡± Ailn said, alarms going off in his head. What else would the original Ailn inscribe?


    ¡°Shall we inspect it then?¡± Aldous asked, his hand reaching to draw the sword.


    His fingers set upon the hilt.


    ¡°Eveliscia!¡± Renea called out. ¡°The inscription on Ailn¡¯s sword is eveliscia!¡±


    Her voice rang out in the abbey. She said a single word. One that no one else in attendance knew, because it was of the ancient language.


    ¡°To think you¡¯d even¡­ lie about this,¡± Renea said, sadly.


    The abbey was quiet once again, save for the hum of Sophie¡¯s aura. Still shaking from her fear of the man, Renea walked toward the subdued high marshal with stiff steps.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who bought that sword for Ailn,¡± Renea said. There were tears in her eyes, but finally, there was also righteous anger. ¡°I bought him a sword of steel, with no orichalcum, because I knew he was a great swordsman.¡±


    Aldous, watching her approach, stayed silent.


    ¡°Please¡­ return Ailn¡¯s sword,¡± Renea said.


    For the very last time, Renea and Aldous met eyes.


    At this point his defeat was obvious. The glimmer searching for victory had disappeared, but Aldous¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t lifeless. He watched quietly, looking into Renea¡¯s blue eyes which brimmed with pride.


    And wordlessly, his eyes never leaving Renea¡¯s, Aldous unsheathed the sword¡ªthe blade flickering in the light of Sophie¡¯s aura. There, on the ricasso just above the guard, glinted the word eveliscia.


    ¡°The word eveliscia,¡± Renea said, her voice strained, ¡°means ¡®true and forever.¡¯ To show that he was my brother no matter what. No matter his¡ª his holy aura, or¡­ the differences between us. It¡¯s written on the inside of the pendant Ailn gave me.¡±


    Her throat was tightening up, and her voice took on a brittle quality.


    ¡°True and forever,¡± Renea choked out, trying to blink away her tears. ¡°My brother loved me for who I was. And he was a far greater man than you.¡±


    This was their goodbye. And she didn¡¯t hide the hurt in her eyes from him. Nor did Aldous shy away from the pain he¡¯d caused.


    He just watched. His guilt obvious, and the vote that would bring the noose at hand, it seemed Aldous saw fit to stare into the eyes of the miracle child one more time.


    What he felt at that moment was anyone¡¯s guess. And it was Renea who first turned away.


    ¡°Then¡­ let us take a vote,¡± Kylian said.


    The abbey was quiet, as Aldous made no more moves to defend himself. It had been forever since any of the knights had even seen him with a sword in hand.


    It was an old, familiar sight. One that should have been comforting.


    But the word eveliscia, glinting in the white, holy light of Sophie¡¯s aura, changed the meaning of the sight entirely. Now ill-fitting, and stolen, it was no longer a warm reminder of bygone days. It was a lament, for the precious things that had been lost to even the future.


    Even Aldous stared at it, the rest of his vision taken up by Renea¡¯s retreating back.


    <hr>


    Aldous had been voted guilty by a reluctant yet resounding ¡®aye¡¯ from every knight in attendance.


    The day had been more tiring than one spent defending the northern wall. And every knight in the abbey wanted nothing more than to return to the barracks to get whatever fitful rest they could, considering its somber events.


    Their emotions were complicated. Anguished by Aldous¡¯s betrayal, and disappointed by Renea¡¯s lies, many of them also felt a terrible guilt over how they¡¯d behaved during the inquisition.


    Truthfully, they wished that Kylian would read the air and skip the closing formalities, but the man was too earnest.


    Now, there was just one formality left.


    ¡°Sir Aldous Ferme,¡± Kylian said. ¡°You¡¯ve been found guilty by the inquisition for the attempted murder of Ailn eum-Creid, and for treason against Varant. By the nature of your crimes, you will be granted no chance for appeal. Do you understand your circumstances?¡±


    Aldous said nothing in response.


    ¡°You will be granted a final chance to speak. Say your final piece before the Order of the Azure Knights,¡± Kylian said.


    But again, Aldous said nothing. Judging by the look on his face, it didn¡¯t seem as if he were holding back.


    ¡°Do you not¡­ at least have words for your daughter, Aldous?¡± Kylian asked. His question was sincere, less for Aldous¡¯s sake than Sophie¡¯s.


    A glimmer returned to Aldous¡¯s eyes, as if he found this an interesting question. Then, turning to the girl in the maid outfit, who¡¯d been doing her best to keep her contemptible father out of her eyes, he called out.


    ¡°Become a fine Saintess like your mother.¡±


    And that was all he said, not even looking in Sophie¡¯s direction as he was detained and led out of the abbey.


    Kylian regretted his meddling, seeing Sophie''s absolutely stricken look.


    Perhaps more than anyone else, it was her whose mask had been most forcibly pulled off during the inquisition.


    He¡¯d never say it to her, but her almost feral anger toward her father, and the stoicism with which she tried to mask it¡ªboth these things made clear the father and daughter¡¯s resemblance.


    Her mother¡¯s piercing gaze. Plus her father¡¯s measured ferocity.


    And a stronger command of the divine blessing than the two of them combined.


    Kylian was certain of it: the only thing keeping the knights from losing all hope today was the sight of Sophie¡¯s holy aura, no longer hindered by the act she and Renea had heretofore maintained. It was so radiant, its hum almost heavenly, that even Kylian found himself moved by it.


    This girl might truly be the one who finally dispels the darkness.


    But the bitterness that remained on her face when she tried to restrain all her rage and sorrow made him wonder if she, like her father, might not yield to it herself.


    It was only the sight of Renea and Ennieux comforting her that gave him relief. Perhaps that was all Sophie needed¡ªhe could see her stoic mask give way to simple unfettered sadness.


    <hr>


    Ailn didn¡¯t really feel like he fit anywhere, after the proceedings.


    It was almost worse now that he¡¯d made those promises to the original Ailn. If he hadn¡¯t, he really would¡¯ve just skulked off by now, as the detective who solved the case and had nothing else to do with it.


    He was in a no man¡¯s land of familial ties: not really sure if he should just go away, or go say kind words to them. There were definitely a lot of dark feelings still floating around. He got the sense a handshake and seeya weren¡¯t going to cut it if he did pop in.


    So, he caught Renea¡¯s eyes and gave her a thumbs up. That would be good enough for now. She made a confused face. No, actually, she looked a little irritated by it. But her expression softened, and she reluctantly returned it.


    Neither of them really had the energy right now.


    Ailn was in a good enough mood to celebrate though. He went looking for Kylian, so far his only real bond in this world.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Kylian said, sounding tired and a little surprised. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be talking to Lady Renea?¡±


    ¡°We had our¡­ communication,¡± Ailn said, tiptoeing around the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab a drink.¡±


    Kylian made a face.


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Your Grace,¡± Kylian said.


    ¡°Just call me Ailn, already. Seriously.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Ailn.¡±


    Ailn made his usual pose of wincing reflection trying to figure out how to rope Kylian in. Really, he didn¡¯t care that much for drinking. But it gave him something to do while he smoked.


    And he liked the bit of revelry after a case, where he relived his best moments and appreciated just how damn smart he was.


    ¡°Ailn, you should go spend time with your family,¡± Kylian said, morosely tired.


    ¡°Kylian, I¡¯ve just had enough of my family for a damn lifetime. Let¡¯s go drink.¡±


    <hr>


    Her new brother was a kind person. That¡¯s what mattered most to Renea; he¡¯d cared enough to protect her, and she owed her life to him.


    But she didn¡¯t really want to talk to him right now. The ties binding them were complicated, and not something Renea wanted to navigate at the moment. Just wondering what she¡¯d call him made both her head and heart ache.


    No one seemed to pay her any mind as they left the abbey. No, it would be truer to say they were avoiding her.


    The throng of knights seemed to push each other out, they were so eager to leave; Cairn jostled among their ranks; her new brother followed close behind and looked rather self-satisfied as he conversed with Sir Kylian.


    Even Ennieux and Sophie had gone on ahead.


    The abbey that had been so raucous earlier, its silence so pregnant with tension, was now completely empty. Renea, sitting quietly in its pews, struggled with a deep sense of emptiness herself.


    She didn¡¯t have any tears left. Just that hollow feeling.


    ¡°This will be the last time I wear this, then¡­¡± She ran her fingers along the silver embroidered into her robe, and brushed them against its soft fur. ¡°This, too¡­¡± Renea lightly touched the circlet atop her head.


    The act was over.


    For a few minutes, Renea simply took in the feeling of solitude. She let her gaze wander the abbey, absentmindedly thwapping her sandals against the slate floor just to hear it echo. She liked to do that here when no one was around.


    After idling a bit, Renea kneeled down to pray.


    Her whole life, everything about her had been fake. But her prayers never were. It was the only thing she could do honestly, and so she always did it with all her heart.


    She thanked God for a lot of things. For helping her through this painful day. For giving her more time in this world.


    For letting her hear Ailn¡¯s voice one more time, and for the repose of his soul.


    Then she asked for guidance. To understand why her already strange family had increased by one, and why he¡¯d been given Ailn¡¯s body. As always, she asked God to help her continue the legacy of the true Renea¡ªthe infant who¡¯d passed away, and whose place she¡¯d taken.


    She sought from God those same virtues she always had: wisdom, courage, serenity. The onus was on her to cultivate them, of course. But sometimes she felt so weak. So, she asked for one more thing today.


    That God would give her hope.


    Because kneeling there in the silence of the abbey, Renea found herself crushed by a feeling of desolation.


    When she finished her prayers, she felt someone¡¯s presence behind her, and turned her head to glance. It was Sir Fontaine. He must have stayed behind after the inquisition, quietly watching over her while she prayed.


    Besides Sir Kylian, he¡¯d been the only knight to defend her. Renea truly felt grateful to him.


    ¡°Sir Fontaine,¡± Renea greeted him with a semblance of a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were there. I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude¡­¡±


    ¡°I was merely watching you pray, Lady Renea,¡± Fontaine said, shaking his head. ¡°Do not mind me. I stayed because I was moved by the sight.¡±


    ¡°Moved, you say?¡± Renea¡¯s faint smile took on a note of chagrin, as her gaze drifted sideways to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ just a normal girl, Sir Fontaine. And a liar. There¡¯s no need for such reverence.¡±


    ¡°Why should that make it less moving?¡± Fontaine asked. He waited a moment before speaking again, giving Renea the time to meet his gaze. ¡°Your devotion has inspired me since you were born.¡±


    ¡°Mine?¡± Renea blinked fast. ¡°E-even though, I¡­ I don¡¯t have¡­I¡¯m a fake¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Renea, I have always believed your birth was a miracle,¡± Fontaine said. ¡°And indeed, now I am surer than ever. You were brought here to do great things.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ why you¡¯d believe that,¡± Renea said.


    ¡°Always, you¡¯ve stood tall in the face of sorrow, My Lady,¡± Fontaine said, smiling a little sadly. ¡°Faith is a quiet thing. And courage needs no divine blessing. Won¡¯t you see yourself once, through this old man¡¯s eyes?¡±


    When Renea saw the sincerity in Fontaine¡¯s eyes, she felt her own vision blur.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll try¡­¡± Renea said.


    She really thought she had no tears left. But through them, in exchange for the little bit of hope she received, Renea gave Sir Fontaine a big smile.


    <hr>


    End of These Reincarnators Are Sus Vol. 1: Sinner in the Holy City

 Vol. 2 Chapter 40: Quieter Days

    A few weeks had passed since the inquisition, and they went rather uneventfully.


    Aldous¡¯s execution date was still a season away. Renea had been confined to the castle as a temporary measure, until Sigurd, the acting regent, returned and decided what to do with her.


    Finally, the decision was promptly made to add Sophie to the family register. At the month¡¯s turn, she would officially receive the surname eum-Creid, with the ceremony coinciding with one of Varant¡¯s most important festivals.


    Besides that, there wasn¡¯t much of note. Since his memories of his past life were neatly locked away, Ailn¡¯s sense of reality was rather loosely tethered. He spent fifteen minutes in the void, three days solving his own murder, and now a few weeks being an actual resident of this world.


    It was only after the dust settled that his existence started to feel anchored. All the way ¡®til the end of the inquisition, he almost thought it was a long dream, like a run-on sentence that would get deleted at any moment.


    Ailn was sitting quietly in the council room with Sophie, reading a history of the empire. As the new Saintess, she went around the castle clad in the robe Renea used to wear, assuming the duties Renea used to perform, her deadpan expression slowly starting to veer into a scowl.


    This entire day, she¡¯d spent a not insignificant amount of her time drafting a homily. Shadow beasts had broken past the northern wall and attacked one of the fortified villages that ran alongside the wall.


    About a hundred kilometers away, it wasn¡¯t a short trip.


    Sophie needed to make the journey not just to heal the wounded, but to reinvigorate their spirits. And she seemed none too pleased at having to play the beacon of hope for these suffering people.


    Looking up from her parchment, and quietly setting down the quill, Sophie stared at Ailn.


    He had a habit of tapping on the page as he read.


    ¡°Ailn. Let me be forthright with you. I find your presence bothersome,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Ailn looked up from the book he had been quietly reading for the last two days. It was the first word he¡¯d said to Sophie in those two days, in fact.


    ¡°This is no fault of your own. The blame lies with myself,¡± Sophie said, though she didn¡¯t sound particularly apologetic.


    ¡°You really just hit me with the formal ¡®it¡¯s not you it¡¯s me,¡¯ huh?¡± Ailn arched an eyebrow in disbelief. ¡°Can I ask why?¡±


    ¡°I enjoy my solitude. And you disturb the quiet,¡± Sophie said, coolly.


    ¡°...What, the tapping? Are you kidding me?¡± Ailn asked.


    Ailn wasn¡¯t an easy person to offend, but even he was a little galled. The council room wasn¡¯t exactly his first choice for doing research, either. Especially not with Sophie subtly glowering the whole time.


    ¡°Please take your leave,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ailn got up with a sigh. Then he glanced at Sophie¡¯s parchment. ¡°By the way, you spelled ¡®renewal¡¯ wrong.¡±


    Before he knew it, he was shoved into the corridor.


    Taking a deep, calming breath, Ailn made his way to the Great Hall, nodding to the guard, and going up the steps to the solar. He was checking in on the other pain in the neck sister. Knocking politely on the wood of one of the shelves, he idled by the entrance to the lord¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°Is that you, Ennieux?¡± a muffled voice called out.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Ailn said.


    No response. That meant she didn¡¯t particularly care to talk to him, but also that there wasn¡¯t any problem with him coming in.


    ¡°Your sister kicked me out,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°...Our sister,¡± Renea¡¯s voice came out from under her covers.


    ¡°I did my best to watch her,¡± Ailn ignored Renea. ¡°But if she doesn¡¯t want me there, there isn¡¯t much I can do.¡±


    ¡°She needs time,¡± Renea mumbled.


    Ailn wasn¡¯t the only one in the castle who had a hard time dealing with Sophie.


    It seems the constant rugpulls, fakeouts, and switcheroos of the inquisition had completely addled the knights¡¯ sense of who the nice sister was. Sophie, at her best taciturn, and at her worst a passive aggressive holy terror, had the knights missing Renea.


    Thus, the fake¡¯s stock was on the rise. The kind Renea who made flowery motions and sugary smiles when she ¡®healed¡¯ may have lacked the divine blessing. But it was grouchy Sophie who lacked bedside manner, or¡­ manners in general.


    That said, the way Renea was wallowing in bed right now, she wasn¡¯t much better.


    The day after the inquisition she¡¯d seemed almost chipper, sounding surprisingly optimistic about the next stage of her life, free of pretenses and falsehoods.


    But without her usual duties to perform, her sense of self-worth plummeted again pretty fast. She tended to lay around in bed all day, only briefly waking up to eat a minimal amount, or to quietly pray under her covers.


    ¡°Worry about yourself, first,¡± Ailn said. ¡°You¡¯re making Ennieux look like Martha Stewart right now.¡±


    ¡°...Who?¡± Renea asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know Martha Stewart?¡± Ailn asked, genuinely stunned. ¡°Were you six years old when you died?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t six. I just wasn¡¯t an old man like you,¡± Renea snapped.


    ¡°I was just a few years older than this body when I died,¡± Ailn shrugged. He didn¡¯t quite remember, but he knew it was the truth.


    Renea peeked out from under the covers.


    ¡°Then why do you act like a cynical old man?¡± Renea wrinkled her nose, and her scowl took on some genuine anger. ¡°I told you not to come in here if you smoked.¡±


    She hid back under the covers.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± Ailn winced. He still felt a little bad about that one. ¡°I was in a profession that rewards cynicism. I¡¯m a detective.¡±


    ¡°...Oh. That makes sense actually,¡± Renea¡¯s blankets seemed to pause in reflection.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you help Sophie with the clerical stuff? She¡¯s having a hard time with the homily. Writing¡­ spelling¡­ saying nice things,¡± Ailn gave a poor review of what he¡¯d seen of her prepared sermon. ¡°She needs a little hand holding.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And it would give Renea something better to do than waste away feeling sorry for herself.


    ¡°She needs to learn how to do it on her own,¡± Renea said tersely.


    ¡°Then teach her.¡±


    ¡°...She would¡¯ve had a first class education as a child if she didn¡¯t always skip her classes,¡± Renea grumbled.


    ¡°What¡¯s past is past. What¡¯s that got to do with now?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really feel up to seeing her,¡± Renea said.


    The truth came out.


    The two sisters hadn¡¯t exactly been at odds since the inquisition. But things hadn¡¯t been normal for them, either.


    For nearly ten years, the two of them had to either stay together constantly or risk giving up the charade. They couldn¡¯t take any personal or emotional space even if they wanted to.


    Now, simple daily life kept them apart. Their emotions were confused, even paradoxical. The sudden realization of freedom was gratifying, but it came with a sense of loss. There wasn¡¯t really any nice way to say it: the two sisters were borderline codependent.


    Sophie wasn¡¯t a patient person, by any means. But there was a reason she was so out of sorts, when all she had to do was write a simple sermon. Renea¡¯s tranquil presence used to keep her calm, and now it was gone.


    And Renea, for all her grumbling, obviously enjoyed taking care of her sister. She¡¯d lost more than just her Saintess duties, and it was making her feel useless.


    That was the surface of it, at least. Ailn suspected there was a deeper cause for their awkwardness.


    It was probably Aldous.


    Their exact feelings, though, were anyone¡¯s guess. He wasn¡¯t going to prod at it.


    ¡°Well, do what you want,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re almost an adult. You can make your own decisions.¡±


    He said he¡¯d take care of her. Not that he¡¯d baby her.


    ¡°...Just go away,¡± Renea said. The way her voice was muffled, it sounded like her face was mushed into a pillow.


    ¡°By the way, I need money,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Are you serious? Are you actually a bum?¡± Renea whined. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna gamble are you?¡±


    ¡°I promise you that what I¡¯m doing is actually important,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°...Whatever. There¡¯s a small coin chest at the foot of my bed. Don¡¯t take more than a couple silvers. I¡¯ll count,¡± Renea said, sounding way too lazy to actually make good on her threat.


    Not that Ailn was going to take advantage. He took his two silver coins and headed out.


    On his way out of the Great Hall, Ailn debated whether he¡¯d ever broach the topic: that he had a mission to catch reincarnators. He promised he¡¯d treat her like his real sister, but Ailn wasn¡¯t sure whether that meant keeping her in the loop or keeping her away from danger.


    At any rate, it was time to hit up the town.


    <hr>


    Hanging around a tavern wasn¡¯t exactly the most efficient way to do things, but it was a start.


    Information wasn¡¯t easy to come by in this world. Public records weren¡¯t nearly as detailed, and, at any rate, it wasn¡¯t the kind of info he needed.


    Ideally, he¡¯d want a collection of profiles for important figures¡ªbasically a ¡®Who¡¯s Who in the Empire¡¯ anthology.


    Ailn realized something when he received Renea¡¯s shard: securing the ruby was a top-loaded task, in more than one way.


    Renea¡¯s shard was more than ten times the size of Cairn¡¯s. And if Ailn¡¯s conjecture was correct, then the size of someone¡¯s shard would roughly match their social standing¡ªat least for the ruby.


    He only had a sample of two, but both Cairn and Renea had shards that matched the circumstances of their births. Cairn was born into court gentry, and Renea into high nobility.


    Ailn wasn¡¯t certain it would always be that simple. But reincarnators with ruby shards would tend to go upwards, anyway. Since reincarnators with ruby shards were able to exert unconscious influence on other people¡¯s psyches, they¡¯d have strong social mobility regardless of where on the rung they started.


    In short, Ailn needed to look for nobles. The higher the noble the better, because it likely meant a larger shard.


    Unfortunately, he¡¯d probably already found Varant¡¯s biggest shard. In fact, Renea was likely the biggest shard in the entire duchy.


    The knights were all reasonably high status, but Ailn was certain at this point that being a reincarnator meant you couldn¡¯t use holy aura. De facto, that meant none of the knights were reincarnators.


    Right now he was going fishing.


    He had a good hypothesis, but he needed to try and falsify it. So, he was looking for a third data point, and one that was reasonably distinct from the first two.


    If Ailn found someone of relatively modest social standing with a large shard, then he¡¯d have to throw out his theory. He¡¯d be back to square one, but it was better to know now than later. If his assumptions were wrong, and he acted on them, he¡¯d end up wasting a lot of time traveling to the domains of other nobles.


    And since traveling wasn¡¯t a trivial thing in his world, he could lose a lot more than just time.


    Which meant besides the task of finding reincarnators, he just had to become generally acquainted with the world as best as possible. He wasn¡¯t going to make any long treks until he felt confident he knew the empire well enough.


    ¡°The east? Disabuse yourself of such fantasies¡± the young merchant waved his goblet around dismissively. He looked pretty well-to-do for his age. ¡°The east is no paradise.¡±


    ¡°I glimpsed a lady from the east but once, and I thought I¡¯d seen a fairy¡­ Never before had I beheld such beauty!¡± the old man groused. ¡°Were I a merchant, I¡¯d roam the world.¡±


    When the older man walked in, he¡¯d passed by Ailn. Calloused hands, developed forearms¡ªeducated guess was that he was an artisan. The earthy smell made Ailn think woodworker or leatherworker.


    ¡°Were you a merchant, you¡¯d be presumed conniving before you breathed a word,¡± the merchant sighed. ¡°Your ¡®fairy¡¯ surely looks upon us as fleas, if she were truly from the east.¡±


    The inn this tavern was a part of was popular with traveling merchants. The wine was good here¡ªeven Ailn liked it¡ªand it was close to the market.


    Merchants and artisans liked to break bread here after making deals with each other.


    It was Ailn¡¯s smartest tack at the moment, and if nothing else, it helped him get a pulse on the town. Unfortunately, no particular lead had come up yet.


    He¡¯d gotten at least a few uneasy glances from the merchant, though.


    There was a chance that the cloak and hood he currently wore made people too wary. His ¡®incognito¡¯ getup was far from inconspicuous, but it was still a hundred times better than openly displaying his silver hair. So there wasn¡¯t anything that could be done about it.


    Still, if wearing a cloak and hood was enough to stop people from talking, then coming here was futile anyway. He¡¯d have to rethink things if this didn¡¯t bring results.


    While Ailn debated the degree to which his cloak undermined this approach, a set of loud footsteps could be heard approaching, and sure enough the inn¡¯s doorway gave way with a loud creak.


    ¡°Geoff! Give me a moment of your time!¡± a man called out. ¡°I¡¯ve got an offer for you!¡±


    ¡°By the gods, no,¡± the merchant, presumably named Geoff, buried his face in his hands. ¡°This man never fails to find me¡­ how?!¡±


    ¡°A fellow merchant?¡± the old artisan asked.


    ¡°Do not flatter him so,¡± Geoff said, sounding quite unhappy.


    With a sunny overcoat over his charcoal gray tunic, the man standing at the entrance of the inn would catch anyone¡¯s eye even from afar. His outfit got even stranger with a closer look: suede gloves and a fur-lined trapper hat suggested affluence, but his leather boots were in serious need of replacement.


    The man looked like he could benefit from his mother dressing him.


    ¡°Geoff, listen to me,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a simple trade for you. Just hear me out.¡±


    ¡°...What is it?¡± Geoff groaned. He made a face when he saw what was in his acquaintance¡¯s hand. ¡°Is this a jest?¡±


    ¡°No sir, it is not,¡± the man said triumphantly. ¡°I¡¯d like to trade you this appleseed.¡±


    ¡°A single appleseed,¡± Geoff said. ¡°You wish to sell me¡­ a single appleseed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°Do you suppose I¡¯m too poor to buy the whole apple?¡± Geoff asked.


    ¡°That would defeat the point, my friend. And all I ask in return is¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Geoff cut him off before he could even start bartering.


    ¡°What? How do you know you¡¯re unwilling before I ask?¡± the man demanded.


    ¡°It won¡¯t grow here!¡± Geoff snapped. Chugging the rest of his ale, he gave a look to his artisan friend which suggested they leave. ¡°Stop hounding me!¡±


    Geoff set off, his artisan friend in tow, looking rather disoriented. He probably didn¡¯t expect to be moving around while he was that drunk.


    The failed dealmaker sighed, his gloomy, overcast face quite at odds with his sunny coat. Then, catching Ailn¡¯s eye, he came trudging over.


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re having a rough day too,¡± the man said. ¡°Life really knows how to make you feel like a loser, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°...Sure does,¡± Ailn said obliquely.


    The man was all set to share miseries, even if Ailn didn¡¯t actually have any. The guy had probably ruined a lot of people¡¯s meals over the years, frankly.


    In this case, his overfamiliar behavior suited Ailn just fine.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ceric Windrider,¡± the man grinned, extending his hand for a handshake.

 Chapter 41: Ceric Windrider

    The tavern they were in was probably the nicest in Varant. It wasn¡¯t a city for merchants, by any means, but as the logistical center of the northern wall the market for armaments was thriving.


    And since the knights were paid handsomely, they tended to leave most of their salary to their family¡¯s discretion. Coin purses were stout enough to support a healthy commercial district, and it was a choice location for ambitious merchants looking to be the big fish in the small lake.


    With his overcoat dyed sunny yellow, and his suede gloves, Ceric certainly looked wealthy enough to be a merchant¡ªbut his gaudy tastes made Ailn suspect he wasn¡¯t.


    Even a week in this world was enough to teach Ailn that merchants shied away from nouveau riche behavior, which is what Ceric¡¯s clothes would¡¯ve screamed to them. Though, that could plausibly be unique to Varant.


    ¡°Are you a merchant, Ceric?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Only as a means,¡± Ceric said, with a shake of his head. ¡°I¡¯m an explorer¡­ no, an investigator.¡± He paused and stroked his beard to ponder the profound question of what he really was.


    ¡°I take it that means you¡¯re always on the hunt for funding,¡± Ailn said, glancing down at the man¡¯s worn boots.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ceric gave a worldbeaten sigh, ¡°the only thing people want to risk less than their life is their money.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Ailn shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s your poison, Ceric?¡±


    ¡°I like to drink what the locals drink,¡± Ceric said.


    ¡°¡®Locals,¡¯ huh? The wine¡¯s good here,¡± Ailn said, calling over a barmaid and handing her a silver coin. ¡°Just keep us topped off and keep the change. Oh, and some cheese, too?¡±


    Giving her most generous customer a kittenish smile and wink, the raven-haired barmaid sauntered off, dropping the coin into one of the jars on the counter.


    There were a lot of good smells floating around the tavern. The aroma of meat roasted with rosemary mixed with the scents of all the drinks being poured: meads, ales, and wines, which smelled sweet, yeasty, and tart in turn.


    It was great for tempting overindulgence.


    Soon enough, the barmaid returned with two clay mugs, wide and tall, and filled to the brim with a white, sparkling wine.


    ¡°Aha!¡± Ceric¡¯s eyes sparkled just like the wine. ¡°Champagne, my friend? What¡¯s the occasion?¡±


    ¡°To friendship,¡± Ailn raised his mug, tapping it against Ceric¡¯s. ¡°Champagne technically only refers to wine produced in that specific region of France, by the way. They call it pearl wine here in Varant.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is! You learn something new every day.¡± Ceric took a gulp, and swished his mug around. ¡°Pearl wine¡­ I like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s classy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ailn took a small sip of his wine, feeling a little stupid he¡¯d wasted a whole silver just to ply Ceric with drinks. The guy had gone and outed himself before he¡¯d even imbibed. ¡°Say, why were you trying to sell an appleseed, anyway?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a trade secret, my friend,¡± Ceric said leaning in. ¡°But I know for a fact a single appleseed is the first step to the riches I so desperately need.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Ailn said. ¡°I can keep my mouth shut.¡±


    Ceric just laughed, and downed his mug. The barmaid didn¡¯t take long to fill it back up, and she brought their cheese too.


    ¡°Listen here, what do you suppose happens if I trade that appleseed for something just a little bigger and pricier? Say, a small glass jar?¡± Ceric asked.


    Ailn pretended to very seriously ponder this rhetorical question. The reality was, a glass jar was a valuable commodity in this world. They were currently drinking from clay mugs, after all.


    ¡°What happens?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ve just created capital out of thin air. Now, what do you think I¡¯d do next?¡± Ceric asked, taking a bite out of the cheese that arrived. ¡°Oh, this is magnificent.¡±


    ¡°Trade the glass jar for a hen?¡± Ailn suggested, eating some cheese himself. ¡°Pairs well with the wine, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    "Precisely! You¡¯ve got a fine mind for economics," Ceric waved his arms out in a show of praise, and took another big gulp of the sweet pearl wine. Sweetness still on his tongue, he ate another piece of the sharp cheese, then stared at their tablefare struck. ¡°It¡¯s a vicious cycle¡­¡±


    ¡°Just wait till you try the roast,¡± Ailn said, calling the barmaid over. ¡°Could you leave us a full jug? And bring us some venison while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t look entirely happy that the order of meat would eat into her gigantic tip, but she nodded, anyway.


    When she was back with a huge jug of pearl wine, Ailn topped his off with a splash, and filled Ceric¡¯s entire mug up.


    "Why, keep doin'' that and lemme tell ya¡­" He pointed very close to Ailn¡¯s face, and slurred. "Soon ''nough, you will have an empire."


    ¡°An empire?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°An empireh!¡± Ceric downed his whole mug again, as if to demonstrate this hypothetical wealth via his lavish gluttony, and held it out for Ailn to fill.


    ¡°Hmm, very wise, very wise,¡± Ailn took another sip of his wine. Then he took a big swig, because he had the feeling this conversation would be more enjoyable if he was tipsy. ¡°Just where do you get such wisdom? It¡¯s rather¡­ otherworldly.¡±


    Even though this was a get rich quick scheme so common it was already a cliche, Ailn knew it wasn¡¯t completely meritless. In principle, you really could always trade upwards in value so long as you found someone. The real issue was that, at a certain point, finding the next trade up takes extraordinary effort. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It ends up being more of a hassle than just doing normal business.


    Two plates of roast venison were set down on their table.


    "Otherworl¡¯ly¡­ yes," Ceric stroked his beard. ¡°Auhhh¡­ that¡¯s good.¡±


    Now that their meal was here, Ailn just let the man inebriate himself. It was probably a little overkill, but he wanted to get this guy¡¯s jeweled eyes in one go.


    Cairn and Renea, who each gave their ruby eyes fairly easily, would be the exception and not the rule, considering the circumstances.


    This roast really was good, though.


    "I have an¡ªotherworldly shource,¡± Ceric slurred unprompted. Then he pointed to his head and said something Ailn didn¡¯t expect. "I''ve¡ªgot a shuperpower.¡±


    Ailn blinked a few times.


    ¡°...The superpower to¡­ come here from another world?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°No, no! How do you even knoweh that?¡± Ceric waved his hand around and scoffed loudly as if Ailn was stupid. ¡°...Sorreh¡­ that was rude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Tell me about this superpower?¡±


    Ceric rummaged around in his overcoat, before pulling out a small journal bound in leather. Thumbing through its pages, he found its most recent entry.


    The two pages that were open talked to each other.


    On one side was a question. And on the other side was its answer.


    ¡®Q: How can I, Ceric Windrider, become rich enough to fund my expeditions?¡¯


    ¡®A: The seed of an appletree is no different from the seed of an empire.¡¯


    ¡°Thish,¡± Ceric gave Ailn a knowing smile, ¡°ish Nightwriter.¡±


    And for just a second, in Ceric¡¯s eyes, Ailn caught a flash of gold.


    <hr>


    In Ceric¡¯s past life, he worked construction. One day a steel beam fell on him.


    Suffice to say, he died.


    It was an unfortunate end to an unremarkable life. His wife had already passed on, and his children had already left the nest, so he died fulfilled yet unattached. He thought he¡¯d lived a pretty good life.


    Except.


    He always wanted to know what happened to those ships that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.


    He knew what was in Area 51, which was aliens, so he was only slightly interested because he wanted to know if they looked like grays or little green men. He wanted to find Bigfoot, but he would¡¯ve been depressed if he found out Bigfoot was already dead¡ªso he let that matter lie.


    He thought it would be educational to see what kind of lost ancient technologies had built the Pyramids and Stonehenge.


    And he wanted to read the Voynich Manuscript properly one day.


    Thanks to the History Channel, he was a learned man, and his list of fascinations went on.


    He¡¯d never get to all of them, but he always had an inkling he¡¯d get around to at least one, and he probably would¡¯ve if it weren¡¯t for his untimely death. He was no spring chicken when the beam fell on him, of course¡ªhe just planned to follow his passions after he retired.


    That¡¯s what he saved up for.


    When he came to, he was a whole different person. But he wasn¡¯t Ceric Windrider, yet.


    He was just Ceric, the merchant who¡¯d apparently just lost his life¡¯s savings in a bad deal. That Ceric had been teetering on despondency for a while, and had a habit of rowing out to the middle of harbor to stare into its depths.


    Yes, that Ceric was probably not long for this world anyway, because when this Ceric woke up he had stones tied to his legs, and he was staring into the harbor himself.


    The first thing he saw was his new face. Young, roguish, blonde. A full life ahead of him, even if he had to restart and build his wealth.


    That day, his eyes glowed gold, so gilded and lustrous he thought he could reach into the water¡¯s surface and pull out a nugget.


    He was sure that meant he was going to be rich. Confidently paddling back to shore, and enduring the yells of the angry shipowners that he was disturbing maritime traffic again, he made a declaration: this time he was going to live his life differently.


    All the boring folks in mer-Sereia harbor thought he¡¯d finally lost it.


    Against his best hopes, though, Ceric quickly found himself in construction again. Lots of people in this world used magic, but he didn¡¯t have any. He needed to figure out how to build his wealth fast.


    A few years passed like that, in a standstill. He wasn¡¯t living hand to mouth, but he wasn¡¯t anywhere near wealthy enough to travel the way he wanted to. Who knew when something else was going to fall on him?


    He¡¯d taken to writing in a journal to keep his spirits up. And one day, when he really was at his lowest, he wrote it into his journal: a question to reflect on until he woke up, in hopes his dreams would give him an answer.


    ¡°Just what am I meant to do?¡±


    And the next day, as if by a miracle, it came back. Written right there, on the next page, by some mysterious force was the answer.


    ¡°Solve the mysteries of the world.¡±


    Of course. He¡¯d known it all along, but he¡¯d been losing his confidence. And he¡¯d never been quite confident enough to say it out loud: that he was going to solve all the world¡¯s greatest mysteries.


    Ceric was going to solve them all. And to do that, he needed a change of attitude.


    He wasn¡¯t simple Ceric anymore. No. From that point on, he was Ceric Windrider, because that¡¯s exactly what he was going to do. And he was going to use this newfound power, which he called Nightwriter, to do it.


    ¡°How can I get the money to start my new journey?¡± Ceric wrote into his journal.


    And the answer came back: ¡°Look into your depths.¡±


    Ceric understood what this meant immediately.


    It meant that there was treasure at the bottom of the harbor, and he had to look for it. And that¡¯s exactly what he did every day after working his construction job, for a full year.


    He got so good at diving he could hold his breath for four minutes at a time. The young bodies in this world were amazing, and he only made his stronger and healthier.


    It was inevitable he¡¯d find the chest of gold coins, lost in the harbor¡¯s depths from an unfortunate crash between two ships decades ago, still unrecovered despite the port authority¡¯s best efforts.


    They didn¡¯t have Nightwriter.


    They weren¡¯t Ceric Windrider.


    <hr>


    ¡°And thash how I became ¡®n investigator,¡± Ceric slurred out with a grin.


    ¡°You know what, Ceric?¡± Ailn nodded in appreciation. ¡°I like you.¡±


    ¡°Wai¡¯... You didn¡¯ already?¡± Ceric asked.


    ¡°We were friends, but now we¡¯re comrades. Get it?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°Oops, let¡¯s hold back on that last drink, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Yeahhh¡­ Comrades,¡± Ceric slurred.


    It was readily apparent that when Ailn and Ceric each called themselves an investigator, they meant two very different things, but Ailn felt strong kinship with Ceric nonetheless.


    One thing stood out to him about Ceric¡¯s story, though.


    If everything Ceric said was true, he probably didn¡¯t have ruby eyes. He probably had eyes of gold. The young god understood that gold wasn¡¯t a jewel, right¡­? Maybe ¡®precious mineral eyes¡¯ was too much of a mouthful.


    At any rate, he wanted to test out a few theories. So, Ailn, having been let into Ceric¡¯s grand little secret, asked him a favor.


    ¡°Ceric¡­ I¡¯m gonna make a big ask of you,¡± Ailn said.


    ¡°Anythin¡¯ forh my new comrade,¡± Ceric replied.


    ¡°Can I ask you to use Nightwriter once for me?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°Sureh,¡± Ceric said, flipping to a couple of blank pages like it was nothing for him and smirking. ¡°I know you¡¯reh testin¡¯ me you sly fox.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Ceric. Could you write this question down for me? ¡®Ten days ago, who tried to kill Ailn eum-Creid?¡¯¡±

 Chapter 42: Nightwriter

    Ailn made a promise to meet up with Ceric the next day to see the results of his question to Nightwriter.


    Before the two had left the tavern, Ailn considered asking Ceric for where he was staying in case Ceric got cold feet. The guy had said a lot after all. But he wouldn¡¯t be too hard to track, anyway. In fact, Ceric Windrider might just be the easiest man to track in all of Varant.


    So, for now, Ailn just took Ceric at his word.


    He wouldn¡¯t say he had high hopes exactly, but he was more than just intrigued. The main thing that stood out to him was that the handwriting on both pages was the same. Maybe the answer side¡¯s handwriting looked a little neater?


    The man seemed genuinely enamored with his own ¡®superpower,¡¯ though. If it really ended up being complete nonsense, it was more likely to be Ceric¡¯s personal delusion than a malicious lie.


    The sun was starting to set, and Ailn started shivering. They¡¯d hit a warm spell in the middle of winter, but it was still awfully cold, and he¡¯d sweat some while he was trekking uphill back to the castle.


    Given those imperfect conditions, he was surprised to see knights gathered outside the front gate, and the coach of state waiting for an ill-disposed Sophie to board.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re leaving right now?¡± Ailn¡¯s teeth were chattering.


    ¡°Do you not live in a cottage?¡± Sophie asked, expressionless. ¡°Why is your constitution so delicate to the cold?¡±


    He stayed in the barracks now, actually.


    ¡°Why are you setting out now when you should¡¯ve left in the morning?¡± Ailn narrowed his eyes, answering her jab with one of his own.


    They both knew the answer. It¡¯s because she took too long writing her sermon.


    Sophie¡¯s lips pursed just barely, but she turned away, deigning not to respond. She was about to board the carriage and head out without so much as a goodbye, though Ailn got the feeling she would¡¯ve done that, anyway.


    A squire came shuffling in with the carriage¡¯s step stool. Giving Sophie a quick, respectful bow, he took a few steps back as the knights formed a saber arch for her.


    And then he lingered around near the carriage, in a way that made Sophie¡¯s brows knit.


    It was the squire that Renea had healed the first time Ailn had seen her¡ªduring the castle¡¯s reception for her return. The kid had another black eye, probably from sparring, and he was hanging around the carriage with all kinds of nervous expectation.


    Didn¡¯t he have a crush on Renea? The turnaround on that one sure was fast.


    In response, Sophie brushed past one of the knights forming the saber arch. Then, stooping down to clump together a snowball, she walked briskly right back to the squire and held it out in front of his face.


    ¡°There,¡± Sophie said, monotone. ¡°In Varant, we are blessed with snow in abundance. We would do well to make good use of the gifts with which God has blessed us, no?¡±


    Then she swiftly boarded the carriage, without so much as a glance at the squire, now depressed and slumping while he held some snow against his black eye.


    Actually, all the knights visibly deflated. The conclusion of their saber arch was so gloomy it looked like the arch itself was moping. When they¡¯d mounted their horses¡ªbecause they were headed to a settlement a fair distance away¡ªeven their steeds seemed to sigh.


    The carriage gently set off into the cold sunset, and the knights followed behind in a sad, woeful procession.


    This wasn¡¯t the type of thing he¡¯d usually feel, but Ailn hoped it made them regret how they¡¯d treated Renea. The holiest child in the city turning out to be its unholiest brat was the least they deserved.


    As usual, he reported Sophie¡¯s behavior to Renea.


    ¡°Does it make her feel like she¡¯s being used?¡± Ailn asked. He couldn¡¯t really understand why she didn¡¯t just heal the kid¡¯s black eye. Seemed like no skin off her back.


    ¡°Well¡­ using the divine blessing does take a toll, and there are limits,¡± Renea said, nibbling at some honeyed pears that Ennieux had brought her. ¡°In principle, the Saintess has to triage, and pick for injuries that would impair combat. But¡­¡±


    She put down her tin bowl of pears after eating just half of one. ¡°Sophie¡¯s well of holy aura is so bottomless it really wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her,¡± Renea continued. ¡°It¡¯s more about the physical sensation.¡±


    ¡°It hurts her?¡±


    ¡°...It makes her face itch,¡± Renea admitted.


    Renea did think that Sophie was being just a teensy bit selfish here. Even their mother, after harsh battles, had sometimes laid up in bed gasping and moaning.


    The worst Sophie ever got was furiously itchy, and it never even spread past her nose.


    Now that Sophie had the license to use her holy aura as she well pleased, she was happy to ignore injuries she found trivial.


    ¡°Your sister¡­¡± Ailn paused, thinking of a nice way to say it, ¡°¡ªnever really learned to share, huh?¡±


    ¡°Our sister,¡± Renea said, a quiet seriousness in her expression.


    ¡°Speaking of sharing,¡± Ailn ignored her, and changed the topic, ¡°I hate to ask this, but¡­ I do need a little more cash. A few tin coins will do this time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Renea raised her voice. ¡°Are you actually acting ignobly? I won¡¯t stand for that¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, calm down,¡± Ailn turned his eyes away. ¡°I still have a whole silver left but I don¡¯t want to use it all.¡±


    Renea¡¯s face hardened. She knew what family members who kept borrowing money turned into. Even if her new brother saved her life, she had to nip this in the bud. In fact, pruning his slovenly behavior would be to his benefit.


    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t convinced, Ailn assured her again: ¡°I promise I''ll explain what I¡¯m doing soon.¡±


    ¡°Why not explain it to me now?¡± Renea demanded. ¡°Why are you always back so late?¡±


    ¡°How about you remember how to get out of bed and then I¡¯ll tell you?¡± His voice wasn¡¯t overly stern, but Ailn looked serious too.


    Pulling her covers around her more snugly, Renea glared at the floor. Her behavior was no excuse for his behavior. And it was her money he was using.


    ¡°I swear to you, I am not just wasting your money,¡± Ailn sighed. ¡°I made good on my last promise, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°... You did.¡±


    ¡°Get back on your feet, okay?¡± Ailn pointed at her, and she subconsciously bundled up even further. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I¡¯m being so adamant.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°...Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re wasting away,¡± Ailn said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Besides that, Ennieux¡¯s been bugging me. She wants to make sure that, by the time Sigurd returns, you¡¯re not still rolling around in bed all day looking like¡ª¡±


    Ailn pointed at Renea, still in her floor length wool nightgown, replete with a floppy-eared cap that looked like a trapper hat.


    ¡°Like that.¡±


    Apparently, the thought of being seen like this by Sigurd frightened Renea. Growing pale in the face, she shivered and wrapped herself in blankets again.


    ¡°That behavior¡¯s what you¡¯re supposed to stop doing,¡± Ailn frowned. ¡°Are you really that afraid of your brother?¡±


    ¡°...Our brother,¡± Renea mumbled. She grabbed a pillow and curled up, suddenly languid, anxiety scrunching her face.


    That was all it took for her to lose her desire to talk. At a glance, it looked like she was retreating into her head and disasterizing.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine,¡± Renea said. She gave him the kind of look that asked to be left alone. ¡°You¡ªyou can have a couple more coppers. Please just¡­ tomorrow when you go out, come back before sunset, alright?¡±


    ¡°Thanks. Oh,¡± Ailn scratched the back of his head, ¡°I¡¯m gonna grab a cruet from the abbey. Just so you know.¡±


    Renea let out a deep sigh.


    <hr>


    Surprisingly, Ceric was waiting eagerly at the tavern right when it opened, just like he¡¯d promised. Ailn had wondered if the intrepid explorer might have turned resentful about being plied with drinks once he sobered up.


    But Ceric just waved to him like any old friend.


    ¡°I actually thought you might not come,¡± Ceric said, scratching his cheek and looking a little embarrassed.


    That¡¯s what Ailn should be saying.


    ¡°How could I not?¡± Ailn asked. ¡°I was so curious to see what Nightwriter had to say.¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯re the first person to believe in Nightwriter?¡± Ceric asked, excitedly. ¡°You¡¯re the first friend I could share it with! Oh¡ª¡±


    Ceric suddenly looked at his cloaked friend oddly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my friend,¡± Ceric said looking mortified. ¡°I¡¯ve done you a great disservice by never asking your name.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Ailn,¡± Ailn replied, waving his hand to let Ceric know it was fine.


    ¡°Ailn¡­ as in Ailn eum-Creid?!¡± Ceric stared at Ailn in bewilderment, before frantically turning to the latest page of his journal. ¡°My friend, are you telling me you¡¯re in danger?¡±


    That¡¯s what he asked? No thoughts about being the second son of the duchy¡¯s ruling family?


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but it¡¯s over now,¡± Ailn shook his head. ¡°I was just curious to see what Nightwriter would say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± Ceric let out a sigh of relief.


    Turning to his usual barmaid, Ailn put down a couple of coppers. ¡°How about just two mugs of mead this time?¡± Then, seeing the disappointment she had at her best customer getting such a modest meal, Ailn sighed and threw down an extra tin coin. ¡°Some meat pies, I guess?¡±


    The girl happily walked off, throwing them into her jar. Honestly, compared to the other barmaids¡¯ it was basically bursting.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯m a sucker for pretty faces,¡± Ailn muttered. Then he turned his attention back to Ceric. ¡°So, what¡¯d Nightwriter say?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s what I got back,¡± Ceric said, placing his open journal onto the table.


    ¡®Q: Who tried to kill Ailn eum-Creid ten days ago?¡¯


    ¡®A: Hatred is a terrible thing that twists mankind against itself.¡¯


    ¡°Sometimes Nightwriter can be vague,¡± Ceric said sheepishly. ¡°It¡¯s not always so explicit and clear as when it told me to look into the depths.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re good,¡± Ailn said absentmindedly, while mulling over Nightwriter¡¯s answer.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly direct, but assuming this wasn¡¯t complete bull, it was better than Ailn hoped.


    Hatred wasn¡¯t a uniquely identifying detail, and it wouldn¡¯t have helped much in catching Aldous. But it was a salient emotional point in the case, not some complete non-sequitur like ¡®the killer enjoys strawberries.¡¯


    Ailn thought the chances this was legit were pretty good.


    The guy was a self-admitted reincarnator, and as far as Ailn understood it all reincarnators had jeweled eyes. He¡¯d even said when he first woke up in this world that his eyes looked like gold nuggets.


    Ergo, inaptness of the moniker ¡®jeweled¡¯ aside, Ceric was an owner of gold eyes, and gold must represent an aspect of the world soul. Calling the combined fragments ¡®the gold¡¯ didn¡¯t sound quite right, unlike calling the combined ruby shards ¡®the ruby.¡¯ So, Ailn figured he¡¯d just call it ¡®the ingot.¡¯


    What did the ingot represent? Good question. Wisdom, maybe? That was an abstract concept that matched reasonably well with Psyche and Union.


    He had a lot of questions. Ailn really thought the young god would show up after he retrieved Renea¡¯s ruby eyes, caught Aldous, and solved his own murder, but ¡®till now he¡¯d still seen neither hide nor hair of him.


    Next time the kid had the decency to show up, Ailn would make sure to grill him for answers.


    ¡°Ailn?¡± Ceric asked. ¡°Could I ask what you¡¯re contemplating so deeply?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking that I wanted to make an investment in you Ceric,¡± Ailn said. He didn¡¯t miss a beat despite being pulled rather abruptly out of his thoughts, and unhooked the cruet from his belt and placed it on the table. ¡°Still got that appleseed?¡±


    ¡°A glass jar!¡± Ceric exclaimed. ¡°And a rather nice one at that¡­¡± He picked up the fine piece of glassware and examined it.


    Another thought occurred to Ailn when he considered yesterday¡¯s answer from Nightwriter: ¡®The seed of an appletree is no different from the seed of an empire.¡¯


    Nightwriter could have soothsaying capabilities. It was a longshot, imagining Ceric going from a bumbling adventurer moonlighting as a merchant, all the way to an emperor¡ªbut why not see how it goes?


    The young god said the urgent jewel was the ruby, right? Not that he wanted to dally around, but Nightwriter could be useful for finding other reincarnators. So Ailn had a strong justification not to take Ceric¡¯s shard just yet¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to lose access to its powers. He hadn¡¯t gained Cairn or Renea¡¯s influence over others after taking their shards, after all.


    Plus, Ailn just liked the guy, and felt some guilt over ruining his dreams. if the time really came when that bridge needed to be crossed, Ailn wouldn¡¯t hesitate, but for now he could kick the can.


    Accepting the appleseed from Ceric while handing him the cruet, Ailn stipulated a few conditions.


    ¡°If it¡¯s no issue with you, I¡¯d like to ask you more about Nightwriter¡­ and ask Nightwriter some questions myself for the next few days. How¡¯s that sound?¡± Ailn asked.


    ¡°It sounds like I¡¯ll be making lively conversation with a good friend for a while yet,¡± Ceric grinned.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Ailn shook Ceric¡¯s hand.


    Then, he paused in thought for a moment, wondering if he could make things more convenient for himself.


    He hated having to borrow money from Renea. It chafed at his self-esteem everytime he asked for another coin.


    So far, he¡¯d been badgering her into it. Ailn had clued into the fact that Renea was afraid of being a hypocrite. Everytime he pointed toward her current slovenly tendencies, she relented on the matter of lending.


    Which¡­ made him pretty scummy, actually. But it went a long way in nudging her out of her rut, while also providing him with money he genuinely needed.


    At the end of the day, though, it made him feel pathetic. So, he had a better idea.


    Ailn slipped a piece of paper across the table, with his next question for Nightwriter. ¡°Ceric, you ever stay in a castl¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ailn, how would you like to go on an adventure with me?¡± Ceric, enthusiastic about his new business partner, interrupted Ailn.


    ¡°...An adventure?¡± Ailn arched an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I really have the ti¡ª¡±


    ¡°Adventure¡¯s what this enterprise is all about! And you¡¯ll be able to see just how I¡¯ve been using Nightwriter to chase the mysteries of the world first-hand,¡± Ceric said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to waste this opportunity. Trust me.¡±


    Ailn didn¡¯t trust Ceric all that much, frankly. But it did make sense that he could get a better grasp of how Nightwriter worked, and maybe he could even guess what the ingot represented.


    The sun was still high up in the sky. Well¡­ what harm could it do? They had all day.


    <hr>


    Renea didn¡¯t wish to call her new brother Ailn. That wasn¡¯t out of disrespect toward him¡ªif anything, it meant she wanted to individualize her understanding of him.


    Ailn was Ailn and her new brother was¡­ well, she was trying to figure that out.


    Al made sense, but it reminded her of Aldous. Whenever the face of that man crossed her mind, a wave of hurt would reverberate from her chest. Almost invariably, it would lead her down a path of thoughts that ended with her sleeping away the hurt.


    Alien? No¡­ That was needlessly meanspirited. So was Ail, or Ailing, even if she found both amusing.


    A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but it¡¯s the name which lets everyone know they¡¯re referring to the same flower.


    Renea wanted to ensure their two existences never blended in her head. It would be improper to the memory of her brother who¡¯d passed, and unfair to the brother who had gone so far out of his way to save her life.


    He could be Ailn to the rest of the world. The real Ailn had more or less given his blessing, so she didn¡¯t mind.


    Reaching vainly for the tin bowl of pears that by now had grown cold, she gave up because it was too far for her to reach without sitting at the edge of her bed.


    ¡°Not-Ailn¡­Nailn? No, that¡¯s stupid,¡± Renea mumbled. ¡°Oh. Maybe¡­?¡±