《The Cavalier and the Puppet》 Chapter 1: There is Always a Surprise at the Beginning of the Story.☆*:.?.o(≧▽≦)o.?.:*☆ ¡°Someone wants to kill us.¡± The girl rubbed a bit of rust that had risen up the carriage window between her fingers. A soft touch was enough for the rust to turn into blood, evaporate, and disappear. The woman sitting across from her knocked on the carriage window and said to the coachman: ¡°Sir, please stop the carriage.¡± ¡°What is it, miss? We are still far from Solvellon.¡± Though confused, the coachman obeyed, folding his eight mechanical legs and lowering the vehicle. He wouldn¡¯t dare disrespect such distinguished clients. The woman opened the door and stepped out with a black chest almost as tall as herself. She then extended a hand to help the girl down. Outside, the girl looked at the green moon in the center of the sky. She calculated that it was already noon. The road was deserted, and the chance of encountering another spider-carriage was practically zero. Apparently, they would need to find a place to spend the night, as it would be impossible to reach Solvellon before dark. The carriage they were traveling in was like a vehicle with eight spider legs. There were no horses pulling it, but a coachman instead. Steam-powered mechanisms replaced the animals, but replacing people required something even more precious. The girl thought about this while watching the woman beside her and smiling. That "something," she had. The coachman saw his passenger exit the car and approach him. The girl made a graceful bow, with natural and elegant movements. Not understanding what was happening, he forgot to return the greeting. Before he could react, he heard the girl say: ¡°Mr. Senda, my name is Charlotte von Eiberg, heir of Count Armand and a knight of House Eiberg. This is my companion, Caroline.¡± The girl who introduced herself as Charlotte wore a black dress. She was small and delicate, looking about 16 or 17 years old. Her golden hair had a pinkish tint at the tips, a detail that revealed her noble origins. She seemed like a lady straight out of a fairy tale, with movements full of elegance. More surprising than her heir title was the fact that she remembered the name of a coachman. Nobles were usually distant figures who didn¡¯t even introduce themselves personally. Beside her, Caroline wore a white shirt, a dark brown overcoat, and stood nearly two meters tall. Her short white hair barely covered her ears. She seemed at least ten years older than her young lady. Her posture resembled more that of a detective than a maid. Even in the dim light of the moon, Senda noticed similarities in their features. He suspected there might be a blood relation between them. After all, there were rumors that certain nobles used illegitimate children as guardians for their heirs. Charlotte asked: ¡°Sir, have you come into contact with any suspicious persons recently?¡± ¡°Suspicious persons¡­ Well, the day before yesterday I transported some members of the Rats gang¡­¡± Senda stammered, wondering if those men had done something in the carriage.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t have accepted their money. ¡°And have you, by any chance, studied or come into contact with illegal magic? Something like red alchemy, witchcraft pacts, or false worship rituals?¡± The accusation of practicing illegal witchcraft was one of the most feared. For the convicted, the gentlest fate was the burning stake. ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°Do you admit to being a sorcerer?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Rage overtook Senda. He was just a humble coachman, but that didn¡¯t mean he would accept baseless accusations, not even from a noblewoman. ¡°Do you think you can incriminate me just because you''re nobles? I won¡¯t accept this insult! I no longer want your money. Go on alone.¡± His eight mechanical legs spread open, preparing to leave the passengers on the road. ¡°Wait a moment, sir. I only have one more question.¡± Charlotte placed her hand on her chest, looking at Senda with compassion. ¡°Does your heart still beat?¡± Senda finally realized. He placed his hand on his chest, where his heart should be. He felt magic controlling gears that echoed like thunder. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead, red steam came out of his lips. His iron ribs projected like insect limbs, tearing through his flesh. Behind him, the carriage began to transform, manipulated by veins that covered it and formed a metal armor around it. Charlotte took a step back and snapped her fingers. A magical glow emanated from her hands. The metal that had once seemed indestructible lost its shine, becoming fragile. It was the only allowed form of magic: white alchemy. Caroline, who had been silent until then, had placed the black chest on the ground. When Charlotte stepped back, Caroline moved forward. Silver light appeared from her fingers. With one movement, the light transformed into threads. With another, the threads became a net. The net enveloped the coachman and the carriage. There was no sound, no movement. The fusion process between iron and blood ceased. Under the green moonlight, they looked like a sculpture. The wind blew through the leaves, producing a soft rustling sound. The "sculpture" lost a piece, then collapsed completely. The silver blade Caroline had shot from her fingers melted into liquid and returned to her body. Caroline was not human. She was a creation of white alchemy, a feat as magnificent as the steam machine: a doll. In front of the mixture of blood and iron, Charlotte extended her hand, clenched her fist, and recited a sacred prayer according to the divine texts. White flames emerged from the metal, purifying the filth. Countless dust particles flew from the flames, gathering in Charlotte¡¯s closed hand. The flames went out. Charlotte opened her hand and gently blew, scattering the dust into the air. The glow reflected the light of the moon and stars, traveling in the direction from where they came. ¡°May the queen protect your soul. May the queen grant you eternal joy,¡± said Charlotte, watching the dust disappear. Caroline grabbed a black chest and approached, stopping behind Charlotte. Charlotte sensed her doll¡¯s presence and asked: ¡°If I had discovered sooner, would he still be alive?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time someone had died before her, but she never grew used to it. ¡°When he became material for red alchemy, he was already dead,¡± Caroline replied. ¡°Who wants to kill us? Our movements should have been well hidden.¡± ¡°Sorry, miss, I don¡¯t know. The travel plan was devised by the count, and less than ten people should know about it.¡± ¡°Ten people¡­¡± A deduction? Charlotte smiled confidently. She was the daughter of the famous writer of detective novels, Charlotte Christie. Simple reasoning like that was no challenge for her. All she had to do was eliminate all the wrong options, and what remained would be the truth. It couldn¡¯t be her grandfather, nor Ander, nor Eberlin. In that case... ¡°Caroline, I¡¯ve already deduced. Who revealed our location was¡­¡± ¡°It was you yourself, my lady.¡± Caroline shattered Charlotte¡¯s illusions without hesitation. ¡°Huh?¡± Charlotte was stunned. The suspect is the detective herself? No novel would ever be written this way! She had never read anything so strange! ¡°Miss, every time you introduce yourself, you say you are the heir of Count Armand. Now the entire city of Iris knows your identity.¡± Charlotte blushed and retorted: ¡°Revealing... I am a knight! A knight! Knights don¡¯t hide their identities! They must raise their chests and proudly declare their lineage, conquering victories and glory for their family and the queen!¡± Inspired by knight novels, she puffed out her little chest with an expression that said: This is how things should be. ¡°Miss, should I remind you that the title of Family Knight is just your position. The correct term is ¡®lady¡¯ or ¡®lady knight.¡¯ Until you join a knightly order, you shouldn¡¯t call yourself a knight.¡± Caroline knew that with someone capable of using red alchemy to attack them, her identity would be discovered sooner or later. But certain thoughts of her lady needed correction. In fact, the secrecy measures for this trip weren¡¯t very good. The family¡¯s enemies, three-hundred-year-old rivalries, were buried in the ruins of Kehaide. Count Armand had no other heirs. Whoever it was, there was no reason to kill her lady. ¡°What is clear is that your current situation is not safe. The best solution is to return to Iris, investigate the real culprit, and when you are safe, then go to Solvellon¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Charlotte interrupted Caroline, speaking firmly: ¡°We are going to Solvellon. My parents have been waiting for me for five years. I can¡¯t make them wait any longer.¡± ¡°I must bring their bones back. I need to know who was responsible for their death.¡± __________________________________________ Chapter 2: Inn, or maybe a bar?( : ? ? ? : ) At any time, there are always those who leave the city. Perhaps to seek sustenance, perhaps to escape the crowd, or simply out of a love for adventure. These people gather, forming small villages. The villages grow and become towns, eventually transforming into new cities. Then others leave again, forming new villages, until there is nowhere left to go. Before the first sunrise, this is how the first humans gradually claimed the promised world of the Forger. The mist had disappeared from this place only six years ago, but around Solvellon, several of these villages had already sprung up. In front of them lay one such small village. In fact, they could have continued their journey through the night. Caroline was fully capable of protecting her mistress in the darkness and ensuring they reached Solvellon safely. Caroline was born to hunt creatures of the mist. The darkness caused by the absence of light was no obstacle for her. But Miss Charlotte needed to sleep eight hours a day. Although small, the village had an inn. Under the light of an oil lamp hanging above the door, Charlotte tried to read the words on the sign. "Iguana Head Inn." Inside, the noise was loud. It seemed like there were many people. Were they arguing? Or were they just drunk? Caroline opened the door for her. The noise stopped. Everyone in the establishment turned their eyes to them. Yes, they were drinking. Charlotte felt as if she had invaded a place that wasn¡¯t meant for her, like someone who enters the wrong room late, kicks the door open, and is stared at by all the students while the teacher asks, ¡°Who are you?¡± She wanted to be like that student¡ªapologize and run away. But Caroline touched her shoulder. This small gesture from her bodyguard gave her courage. ¡°Stay calm, Charlotte. Think of the knights in the novels. Lift your chin, keep your chest steady, and just walk to the counter. Order a drink... Wait, what¡¯s this puddle on the floor? Do I have to step in it? Uh... never mind.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Although there were a few twists along the way, she still managed to reach the counter. In the original plan, she was supposed to order a drink. But she hated alcohol, and Caroline probably wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°A large glass of apple juice, please.¡± She tried to mimic the tone of the characters in the novels but her upbringing made her add a polite ¡°Thank you.¡± The sound of sighs and laughter arose around her. The bartender, resting his chin on his hand, looked at her as if to say, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Did I say something wrong? Maybe I shouldn''t have said "Thank you"? ¡°Miss,¡± the bartender finally spoke, ¡°we only serve alcoholic drinks. How about something stronger...¡± ¡°My mistress doesn¡¯t drink. Get me an apple,¡± Caroline interrupted. Since they had entered, Caroline had already sensed the rude stares directed at them. There were 31 people in the room, six of them had artificial limbs modified by alchemy, though none were designed for combat. None of them posed a threat. These people couldn¡¯t harm her in any way. Still, trouble is better avoided when possible. Her voice was calm and cold. The bartender dared not delay and, as requested, fetched an apple from under the counter. Caroline took the apple and, in front of everyone, tossed it into the air. A silver flash passed between her fingers, and the apple split into three parts: the top peel, the bottom peel, and the core without the skin. No one could see how she drew the blade, but the ¡°rude¡± stares vanished entirely. Charlotte didn¡¯t take the apple. The environment around her made her feel uncomfortable. Why were those people staring at her? Why were they drinking in the inn¡¯s lobby? Did the sign at the entrance say ¡°bar¡±? No one had taught her how to deal with such people. She felt completely out of place here. She just wanted to sleep and get through the night. Tomorrow, they would reach Solvellon, and the city would certainly be better than this place, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°Please get us a room,¡± she said to the bartender, handing him a note. The man took the note and examined it under the light. It was a green bill, with the portrait of a woman stamped on it. He recognized the figure: the most famous woman in the world, the empress of the entire empire. Although few knew her name, that didn¡¯t matter. The empire had only had one ruler for the past four hundred years. These two women wanted to pay with this piece of paper? But was it really valuable? It didn¡¯t seem to be made of gold or silver. The bartender decided not to take the risk. Money had to be gold or silver¡ªat least bronze. Something that, when put in the pocket, brought a sense of security. ¡°Ladies,¡± he said, suppressing the urge to tear the paper out of respect for the empress, ¡°paper doesn¡¯t count as money, even if it has the empress drawn on it.¡± Charlotte looked at Caroline, completely lost at the turn of events. Why didn¡¯t that man recognize a gold pound? Were they going to sleep on the street? Caroline seemed to have anticipated this. She took the note back and, after searching her pockets, placed a shiny silver coin on the counter. The bartender took the coin. On one side, there was the portrait of the empress, on the other, a large ¡°1.¡± It was a Dartley silver coin, an old currency issued during the early days of the empire¡¯s unification. Despite centuries having passed, it was still accepted in some cities, like Solvellon. The bartender didn¡¯t know this history; he only knew that it wasn¡¯t paper and could be pocketed safely. Charlotte gave a small cough. Her face blushed slightly. Reality was a bit different from what she had imagined, but she needed to maintain a composed posture. She couldn¡¯t leave everything to Caroline. ¡°A room?¡± she reminded the bartender. The man pulled a key from somewhere. ¡°First room on the left upstairs.¡± Charlotte hesitated to take the key. It wasn¡¯t her fault. Charlotte was used to dealing with machine oil and other substances, so she wasn¡¯t exactly squeamish. But that key seemed like it had come out of a sewer. It still carried ¡°souvenirs¡± from its homeland: a black, sticky substance, impossible to name, that any normal person would avoid touching. The key ended up in Caroline¡¯s hands. Then again, her hands weren¡¯t much cleaner than the key. But who cared? Her only job was to protect her mistress. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Miss,¡± she said softly, encouraging her. ______________________________________