《Sunflowers Bloom In Winter》


 My First Love / A Lucky Day

    <h2>How My First Love Came to an End</h2>


    I roused from sleep in the early morning, as the sun had yet to crest the horizon. The world was still and the air was ice cold, a reminder that winter was still desperately holding back the coming of spring. I shivered briefly and rolled over in search of warmth.


    She was staring at me with that look she got in her eyes sometimes, a mix of guilt and resignation and something else I could never quite identify.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early. What¡¯s wrong, Helian?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You have that look in your eyes again. You¡¯ve been like this a lot lately, so you should just say what you¡¯ve been meaning to say.¡±


    Helian tended to freeze up when she couldn¡¯t bring herself to make a difficult decision. By now, I was used to giving her a gentle push.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to, but you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t postpone this any longer, XXXXX.¡±


    I nodded, and she gathered her confidence to continue.


    ¡°This has all¡­ really been wonderful.¡±


    Oh. This was that conversation.


    The one she¡¯d been postponing for months. We both knew it was coming, and part of me was relieved to stop being anxious about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve treasured every minute. I¡¯ll never forget our time together.¡±


    Helian pulled me close and hugged me tightly.


    ¡°But the story is going to start, little bird, and you¡¯ll be in danger unless you¡¯re out of sight. Since you¡¯re not part of the plot, something terrible is bound to happen if you¡¯re around.¡±


    This is the world of a novel, and my childhood friend Helian is the heroine. I found this a little hard to believe at first, but it had become clear that she wasn¡¯t lying to me.


    ¡°We¡¯ve both seen what happens when I try to change the story. Fate¡¯s too strong¡­¡±


    While the story hadn¡¯t started yet, it contained flashbacks to her childhood - mostly incidents where terrible things happened. She¡¯s quite the unfortunate heroine, and no matter how we tried to avert fate, things still went wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried to come up with another solution, but there¡¯s nothing we can do. We have to part ways. I¡¯m leaving town so the story can start before I get dragged into it by force.¡±


    In practice, she¡¯d get dragged in by force anyway. It¡¯s that kind of story ¨C a horrible novel where terrible things happen to the heroine one after another, and every time she manages to escape danger, another nightmarish fate appears in front of her. I suppose that could be entertaining to an outsider who could enjoy the twists and turns.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what else to say.¡±


    Helian failed the battle to hold back her tears, so she closed her eyes and stopped talking. I thought for a moment and then replied, as casually as I could manage,


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess there¡¯s no choice. I know this is hard for you. I¡¯ll do my best to move on, so you can focus on yourself, okay? I¡¯ll be fine, I promise.¡± I stroked her on the cheek.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. I don¡¯t feel okay right now, but I¡¯ll manage somehow. I¡¯m more worried about you. That bastard of an author has a lot to apologize for.¡±


    As much as I told myself I was ready for this day to come, I still wasn¡¯t completely prepared for it. The thought of what waited for her in the future made me furious. It wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s not their fault, this is just how they balanced the world.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t understand why, but Helian seemed to be fond of this novel ¨C called Sunflowers Bloom During Winter ¨C and its author.


    ¡°Helian, I want you to know I¡¯ll be there if you ask. I don¡¯t mind taking a risk, even if we can¡¯t change the outcome.¡±


    ¡°Promise you won¡¯t chase after me, XXXXX. It¡¯s too dangerous. I¡¯ll get through this, and I¡¯m sure something good waits at the end.¡±


    The worst part was that she didn¡¯t know how the story ended. Instead of being published as a complete book, each chapter had been released one at a time. When she¡¯d read it, it was still unfinished.


    Which meant the last chapter she¡¯d read wasn¡¯t actually the end. Anything could happen after that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay out of sight and live a good life, Helian. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    Helian kissed me and then slowly climbed out of bed. I could tell she wanted to stay.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving early for the city so I can take the administrative exam. You should try to get more sleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    There were a lot of things I wanted to say, but more than that, I wanted this moment to be over.


    Helian closed my bedroom door for the last time. I waited until I heard the front door shut, then rolled over and opened the drawer in my bedside table.


    My departed father made it as a birthday gift. ¡°XXXXX¡±, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t give you something expensive or beautiful, but you can bring this along when you find a good husband, and it¡¯ll be by your side every night so I can watch over you.¡±


    He¡¯d always been melancholy, so it didn¡¯t feel strange for him to talk like he wouldn¡¯t be around. I only realized later that his death was part of the novel, since he¡¯d been a surrogate father for Helian.Stolen story; please report.


    I¡¯ll wring your neck if I meet you, Author. How dare you.


    The drawer was padded on the sides and bottom, which made it ideal for storing precious items. Our village wasn¡¯t especially prosperous, so I didn¡¯t have many items worthy of that kind of safekeeping. Maybe Dad figured I¡¯d marry into wealth. Not likely, but I¡¯d never had the heart to tell him that his lineage would end with me.


    I gently removed the sapphire earrings ¨C tiny, blemished stones, of course, as Helian couldn¡¯t afford better. Once I set them atop the table, I found the spot at the rear left corner of the drawer, then pulled the front right corner to reveal the hidden compartment.


    Dad always said it was important for a couple to be able to keep secrets.


    I removed a bottle of ink, a pen, and paper. I had lacked privacy lately, so I needed to catch up on planning.


    No time to waste.


    <h2>Sunflowers Bloom In Winter</h2>


    Edited by Sydney S. Kim


    Illustrations by Koyorin


    Content Warnings:


    This story contains descriptions of emotional and physical abuse, coercion, and murder


    Fights may contain descriptions of extreme violence


    <h2>Helian and a Lucky Day</h2>


    The midday sun glared down from above, making me sweat as I carried my bags up the road towards the nearest town.


    Wish I could¡¯ve borrowed Rime so I wouldn¡¯t have to walk¡­ but then I¡¯d have to bring her back, and XXXXX would probably convince me to stay. I barely managed to leave as it is.


    On the bright side, it was only a few hours¡¯ walk to the carriage house, and the rest of my trip could proceed in relative comfort, even if stage coaches weren¡¯t air-conditioned and the seats often had insufficient padding.


    And the roads around here are pretty safe, so I can relax a bit and clear my head on the way there.


    The future events of the novel weighed on me, so my head didn¡¯t feel clear yet. The first suitor awaited me - A real piece of work, that one. His mistreatment of the heroine that I¡¯d read about was now something I had the good fortune of looking forward to. The rest of them wouldn¡¯t be too bad in comparison other than the demon¡­ Well, that was a problem for later.


    The countess might be fun, at least! Her chapters were really romantic, depending on your perspective.


    Sudden wailing roused me from my thoughts. It was coming from around the bend in the road.


    ¡°Oh, Susanna, Susanna! Pray forgive your Theodore for returning home in a pauper¡¯s coffin! Oh, the petty impatience that led me down this road at the goading of a foul highwayman!¡±


    ¡°Listen, buddy, keep talking and the ransom goes up. Get it?¡±


    Highwaymen. Even if I¡¯m not allowed to fight back against the novel¡¯s villains, this should be fine¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure this wasn¡¯t in the novel.


    By the sound of things, someone¡¯s stagecoach had taken an ill-advised shortcut. If my memory served me right, these roads were supposed to be pretty safe¡­ The victim¡¯s conversation with his captor continued.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to k-k-kill me?¡±


    ¡°¡®Course not, so long as yer family pays the ransom. Yer a noble, right? At least a viscount?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m a baronet.¡±


    I reached the turn in the road and concealed myself behind a stand of trees. I peeked around the corner for a better look.


    The misfortunate man stood in the middle of the road, surrounded by three bandits. One of the bandits appeared to be tying Theodore¡¯s hands while another dug through the contents of his coach. The last - the one running the conversation - stood fully turned away from me.


    ¡°Well, beggars can¡¯t choose, suppose. Are ya at least a rich baronet?¡±


    Theodore began to wail again. ¡°Oh, heaven¡¯s chariots! Deliver me swiftly from this tribulation! Take pity on your faithful servant, O Metis!¡±


    I don¡¯t have much real experience, but I can probably handle these guys¡­ they don¡¯t look too dangerous, plus they¡¯re distracted. Better start with the leader since his back is turned.


    ¡°Someone shut him up!¡±


    The one looting the coach turned his head. ¡°I¡¯m busy. Wouldn¡¯t believe how much useless shit¡¯s in his bags.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re soil samples! The barony¡¯s future depends on them!¡±


    The leader took a step towards Theodore. ¡°Keep yapping and I¡¯ll make you soil yerself!¡±


    The man tying up Theodore frowned. He was wearing an eyepatch. ¡°I¡¯m almost done with this knot, I think¡­¡±


    It¡¯s not like I can die before the novel starts, right? Story¡¯s gotta have a heroine. It¡¯ll be fine. Okay, Helian, just get him in the heart with your dagger¡­ though, hm. Am I missing something?


    I took a step back, leaned back with my knees bent, then sprung forward into a running start with my dagger drawn. Eyepatch caught sight of me in his peripheral vision, but he was too slow. It was too late to warn his companions. All he could do was shout ¡°Hey!¡± as he shoved Theodore out of the way.


    By the time his mouth opened, I¡¯d already closed the distance. My dagger slid between the leader¡¯s third and fourth ribs.


    There we go. Hm¡­ you know, shouldn¡¯t there be a driver? Where¡¯d he go?


    Eyepatch cursed loudly, finally drawing Looter¡¯s attention. ¡°Shit! Gerald!¡±


    The soon-to-be-dead leader¡ªGerald¡ªwas at a loss, mumbling incoherently as his life slipped away. When I reached down to steal the sword hanging from his belt, I heard a twig snap to my left, in the trees.


    Ah. The stagecoach driver.


    Driven by instinct, I gripped the dagger still buried in Gerald¡¯s abdomen, and wrenched his heavy, writhing body hard to the left, just as a dull thud from the trees announced the departure of a crossbow bolt. It pierced Gerald square in the chest. His limbs twitched and his entire body went limp.


    Sorry, Gerald. Thanks, Gerald. At least twenty seconds until the next shot¡­ more if I¡¯m lucky.


    I released Gerald, letting him drop to the ground as I tested the balance of his sword while Eyepatch rushed towards me. Farther back, Looter stumbled back to his feet. I shook the pilfered sword¡ªit rattled in my grip.


    Great. Shoddy worksmanship. I¡¯m never lucky, am I?


    Eyepatch swung wildly at my neck, but I caught his blade with my dagger, easily driving it back. I followed up with a swing of Gerald¡¯s cheap sword. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground in a panic.


    An amateur. Might as well finish the other one while he recovers¡­


    Looter was back on his feet. He threw whatever was in his hands straight at my face, and I ducked by reflex.


    Theodore wailed once more. ¡°My samples!¡±


    I whipped my arm forward with all my might as I loosed my dagger from my grip. It flew straight ahead and caught Looter square in the palm, the blade piercing clean through to pin his hand to the coach. He grimaced, screaming and squirming as he tried to free the dagger with his other hand. ¡°SHIT! It¡¯s stuck!¡±


    I leapt forward in the dagger¡¯s wake, reversing my grip on Gerald¡¯s sword before I swung it quick across Looter¡¯s neck just as he was about to free his hand. Blood spurted from his throat as he slumped back against the stagecoach, his arm still pinned by my dagger.


    I followed the momentum of my last attack, and in one clean movement, pivoted to face Eyepatch once more.


    Alright. Just you and me¡­ and the driver, I guess. Can¡¯t stray into his line of fire¡­


    Eyepatch¡¯s face was twisted with rage. The driver was somewhere behind him, hidden from sight. His voice rung out from the shadows.


    ¡°Out of the way, you moron! Gimme a clear shot!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill her myself!¡± Eyepatch shouted as he rushed me once more. Gerald¡¯s flimsy blade shook in my grip as I parried the first swing before dodging the second. Even if he was an amateur, he was still fast and strong. But¡­ he had one good eye¡ªhis right¡ªwhich was easy to exploit. Whenever I came from his left, he was slower to react, and within five swings, I ran him through.


    Easier than sparring with Julian, even. Kind of pathetic.


    Taking advantage of my human shield, I pressed forward towards the stand of trees. I heard the crossbow hit the ground with a loud thump. ¡°I surrender!¡±


    Thanks for your aid, Eyepatch. Rest well.


    The driver emerged with his arms raised. I bound his hands and feet.


    After a few moments, Theodore left his hiding spot and approached me cautiously. ¡°Thank you for the assistance, milady¡­ you wouldn¡¯t happen to know how to drive a carriage, would you?¡±

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (1)

    ¡°So then my Susanna - I still can''t believe it - she punched the judge in the face so hard his glasses cracked! He spent so long comatose that they had to reassign the case and it ended up being dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Oh, that''s the ministry there on the right, you can let me off here!¡±


    As our particularly tedious ride neared its end, we approached an office building on a side street near the university. Theodore gestured for me to halt, and as we stopped he leaped down from my side and began to unload his bags from the coach, shouting up to me as he did so.


    ¡°Thank you so much for the aid once again, milady! I can scarcely imagine what would have happened to me without you! If you¡¯re ever in any sort of trouble, just ask for Theodore here at the agriculture ministry and I¡¯ll do anything I can to repay you!¡±


    ¡°Can I leave this thing here? I don¡¯t exactly have anywhere to park it.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll have it dealt with! Do you need a place to stay? If so, ask for Bartold at the Seven Arms - he¡¯ll give you a proper discount if you mention my name!¡±


    ------


    The administrative exam occurred bi-monthly in the city closest to our home, and spanned a week. It was a mix of written essay sections and multiple-choice questions across basic arithmetic, logic puzzles, bookkeeping, and regulations administered each morning while exams were hand-graded in the evening.


    Due to the kingdom¡¯s lack of a public education system, a typical applicant would attempt the exam multiple times before they were finally able to pass. Between the difficulty, application fees, and the cost of staying in a local inn, this ensured that most successful applicants were nobles.


    At the end of the third day of exams, one of my desk mates struck up a conversation.


    ¡°What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You breezed through the arithmetic problems. I¡¯ve taken this exam twice now and I haven¡¯t seen anyone finish it as quickly as you. Is there a trick to it?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ just practice. I started learning arithmetic when I was young.¡±


    ¡°I guess there aren¡¯t any shortcuts, then. I¡¯ll just have to keep studying.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s any part you¡¯re struggling with, I¡¯d be happy to explain it. Would you like to get some tea together? My name is Helian, by the way.¡±


    ¡°That sounds fantastic. I¡¯m Marie. Oh, and this is my brother, Evan.¡±


    Marie gestured towards the quiet young man sitting next to her, and he nodded politely.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, miss. Would it be a problem if I joined you two?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Nice to meet you, Evan.¡±


    ------


    The three of us settled down at a table in a local caf¨¦ and chatted while we waited to order. I had chosen this location out of habit, as XXXXX and I visited it any time we came to the city. This made it difficult to push those memories out of my mind.


    After a long time had passed, I glanced over at the main counter to see two wait staff standing nervously as an older man (the manager?) conversed with a group of well-dressed young men.


    Ah, the caf¨¦ incident. The flow of the story had already begun.


    ¡°Marie, Evan¡­ You should probably get going.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Helian?¡± Marie asked as she and her brother stared at me in confusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s going to be trouble, and it¡¯s best if you aren¡¯t involved.¡± I gestured towards the group at the main counter.


    ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay... I¡¯ll see you later. Be safe.¡± Marie stood up and tugged on Evan¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°What? But we just got here,¡± Evan mumbled in confusion, before Marie shushed him and dragged him away, leaving me alone at our table with a stack of menus and three glasses of water.


    Even if they came from a noble family, it wouldn¡¯t be good for the siblings to draw the ire of a pack of irritable shitheads. I took a breath and steeled myself for what came next.


    ¡°Hey, move it.¡±


    I calmly took a sip of water and glanced at the man staring down at me.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°This table¡¯s reserved, so get lost.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize. They must¡¯ve forgotten to put a sign here. I¡¯ll move to another table.¡±


    I picked up my water and handbag, then walked past him to a nearby table and moved to sit.


    ¡°Hey. That one¡¯s reserved too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? My mistake. I guess I should get going.¡±


    The man¡¯s friends blocked my path to the exit.


    ¡°Look, missy. You should know better than to barge into a reserved event space!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s rude. You should know your place.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t reserved when I got here. But I don¡¯t mind leaving.¡±


    As I edged my way past the two, the ringleader put his hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°I changed my mind. Have a seat and join us.¡±


    The young man guided me back to our original table and sat down opposite me. His two companions grabbed chairs from another table and placed them down on either side of mine.


    Once they were seated, the ringleader beckoned one of the waitstaff over.


    ¡°Um¡­ what would you like to order?¡±


    He paused for a moment, then turned to me. ¡°What would you like?¡±


    ¡°Black tea, please.¡±


    The waitress flinched as he looked back at her. ¡°We¡¯ll have a bottle of ros¨¦.¡±


    ¡°Right away, my lord.¡± She glanced at me briefly and then fled the table.


    Kind of boring as far as bullying strategies go, but I expect it works on most girls he meets.


    He nodded towards his companions, and as prompted, they moved their chairs closer until our shoulders were nearly touching. Even though I knew nothing would come of it, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little intimidated.


    ¡°So, young lady, what brings you to my territory today?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t much older than me, though as he¡¯d grown quickly and inherited his father¡¯s height, you could hardly tell. ¡°My territory¡± implied the barony was his (though he¡¯d yet to inherit it), but if he was accused of undermining his father¡¯s authority, he could claim it referred to the caf¨¦ he had rented.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the administrative exams.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s quite admirable. Women like you usually don¡¯t hold such lofty aspirations, let alone achieve them. Do you suppose you¡¯ll pass?¡±


    ¡°I intend to, at least.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude to have. You shouldn¡¯t get your hopes up, since you never know what could happen¡­ the quotas could be reduced, or a mistake could be made during grading. You could even fall sick and miss an exam entirely. Such things are known to happen.¡±


    His companions chuckled on either side of me. Well, these threats didn¡¯t mean much, since excluding me would require shrinking the quotas to nothing. That, and I didn¡¯t plan on giving him my name. Perhaps he intended to get me blackout drunk and ruin my exam scores with a hangover? In that case, good luck.


    The waitress returned carrying a large bottle of wine, along with four empty glasses on a serving tray that she could barely hold steady. You can do it, honey. Just take a deep breath.


    ¡°Would you like me to pour your drinks, my lord?¡±


    ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    The waitress placed our glasses down in front of us and then bowed after leaving the bottle in front of the ringleader. He removed a large multipurpose knife from his pocket and used it to uncork the bottle in a swift, violent motion. Oh, you¡¯ve got a temper, don¡¯t you?


    He proceeded to fill his glass halfway and then fill mine to the very top before handing the bottle to one of his companions, so they could pour their own drinks. This was to be a drinking competition.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin our new friendship with a toast, shall we?¡± He lifted his glass into the air and gestured in my direction.


    I nodded and raised my glass to match his. ¡°A toast¡­ to the bright future of the baron¡¯s noble lineage.¡±


    I felt his companions flinch on either side of me. This was a sore subject, and he would vent his frustration on them later.


    He narrowed his eyes and laughed. ¡°To the baron¡¯s noble lineage indeed! A fine sentiment.¡± He emptied his glass in one go, then gestured for us to do the same.


    Our impromptu drinking party continued through the afternoon and into the evening, with a brief interruption for dinner (though his companions were barely coherent enough to eat). When he wasn¡¯t regaling us with tales of his wit or physical prowess, he tried to coax personal information out of me, like my name or hometown. I refused, naturally, since it wasn¡¯t yet time for him to know those details.


    In any case, the end of this incident was within sight. By this point, he was clearly tipsy, and the others were napping on the table and the floor respectively. (When lackey #2 passed out and toppled off his chair, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. At least lean onto the lady you¡¯re meant to intimidate, you chump.)


    ¡°I must confess¡­ I underestimated you.¡±


    I did my best to feign surprise. ¡°Oh? How so, my lord?¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected such a monster hidden in¡­¡± he hiccupped. ¡°¡­ a frail visage like yours.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. You¡¯re not the first person to mistake a beast for livestock.¡±


    He grinned and drowsily responded, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to tame a beast¡­¡± before collapsing face-first onto the table. I was able to grab his glass before he landed on it ¨C the last thing I needed was to be accused of injuring a noble¡¯s face. In any case, my role was complete, so I excused myself and headed to the counter with the half-finished bottle of wine in tow. I could finish it off in my room to calm my nerves before bed, and try to forget it was her favorite kind.


    The waitress regarded me with shock. ¡°Um¡­ will you be settling the check?¡±


    ¡°Oh, heaven forbid. My companions will probably leave without paying, so you can send the bill to Baron Rydberg. Just note that his son visited and you¡¯ll be paid promptly.¡± I reached down to add a tip to the bill¡¯s total ¨C 80% ought to be enough, I think ¨C and smiled.


    I looked back at the baron¡¯s now¨Cunconscious son. You¡¯re twenty years too early to out-drink me, kid.


    She glanced over at the table and then back to me. ¡°Okay¡­ should I¡­ do anything else?¡±


    ¡°You may want to close up and head home before they wake. They¡¯ll be sore and irritable, for certain. Perhaps they¡¯ll learn something from this? In any case, you did well.¡±


    She nodded and walked over to open the entrance for me. ¡°Thank you very much, madam. Please be safe as you head home.¡±


    Well, that wasn¡¯t too bad. I can get through this.

 How My Fresh Start Began (1)

    <h2>How My Fresh Start Began (1)</h2>


    The proud screeching of my neighbor¡¯s rooster woke me at the crack of dawn. I opened the window and took a deep breath. The morning dew hung in the air like fog and had condensed on the windowsill, a reminder that winter had finally passed even if spring weather in these parts was cold enough to demand long sleeves and lit stoves.


    As expected, Helian hadn¡¯t returned since our sudden farewell. In the weeks since, I stayed busy to distract myself: keeping up with my sword practice as much as I could without a sparring partner, refining my agenda, and looking after my uncle¡¯s animals while he waited for his broken leg to mend. While I had mostly failed to distract myself, I knew that if I succeeded, I would, at the very least, get to see her again.


    As I approached the goats¡¯ pen, a stern voice called out to me. ¡°XXXXX! Good morning!¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Uncle.¡± I gave him a polite nod. ¡°Your limp is almost gone ¨C is your leg doing better?¡±


    ¡°It hardly hurts at all! I fear Expy and Reci will miss your care and attention, though¡­ are you sure we can¡¯t convince you to stay?¡±


    Uncle¡¯s two goats owed their peculiar names to Helian. She was the only other person in the village who could pronounce them correctly, so poor Exponent and Reciprocal had to settle for nicknames. Not that they seemed to mind.


    ¡°I¡¯d really like to, but I promised Papa and Helian that I¡¯d live a vibrant life. I¡¯ve still got dreams, so I¡¯d like to chase after them while I¡¯m still young, if only for a little while. Who knows, maybe I¡¯ll meet someone special and the two of us will come back here to settle down?¡±


    Not that I had time for that. I had more important concerns.


    He nodded. ¡°Well, I can understand that. This place will be a little boring now that most of you kids are off to start your big city careers, but it would be a shame to waste all that talent. I still can hardly believe that three little geniuses grew up here in one generation!¡±


    While Uncle was prone to exaggeration, he was right about this. Helian was obviously a world-class talent due to her status as a heroine, but the local kids had all learned a lot from her. Until recently the two of us had spent a lot of time with the baker¡¯s son, Julian, but he moved away to become a librarian thanks to his prodigious talent and hard work. I had to admit that things had gotten boring without him around, even if sparring with Helian and discussing novels over tea was pleasant. In any case, I couldn¡¯t blame him for his lack of interest in bread, so I wished him well.


    After some contemplation, I had decided my path forward was to apply to join a knightage. While knighthood was still restricted to members of the nobility, the king¡¯s egalitarian decrees resulted in a policy of universal admission to the knightly orders if the applicant could meet their exacting standards. Thanks to Helian¡¯s patient instruction, my soft skills were nearly on par with hers, and with the sword, I could easily call myself her match.  This all meant I could hope for a comfortable administrative role after distinguishing myself during training and enlisted service.


    In any case, I wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve my goals by staying here. I decided to travel to the western county and enlist with Countess Solana¡¯s order. Most other orders were less selective, which meant more competition for a limited admission quota. With any luck, I might be able to catch the attention of the countess ¨C herself a famed swordswoman ¨C and leverage that to sharpen my skills and form connections. I certainly wouldn¡¯t be out of place there, as she made a point of welcoming talented young women to a predominantly male profession.


    It didn¡¯t hurt that she was Helian¡¯s favorite character; I was curious to learn more about her. And most of all, this would put me within striking distance of the novel¡¯s first two villains.


    ------


    After strapping my suitcase to the back of the saddle, I went back inside to take a last look around the family home and grab the rest of my things. After making sure I¡¯d emptied the hidden compartment, I took the sword we found in the cave out of the closet and strapped it to my hip, put on the earrings she gave me, and took my cloak off the wobbly coat rack, knocking it over. Let¡¯s pretend that¡¯s not a bad omen and move on.


    A carriage ride would be a more convenient way to reach the county, but I decided to take the family horse, so that I¡¯d be able to travel freely in the future. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem to keep her in the stables of a typical knightage ¨C if anything, it should increase my appeal as a candidate.


    As the sun rose, I gave Uncle a farewell hug and mounted Rime, setting off for the west.


    ¡°Too soon for you, son. Come back in a year or two.¡±


    The knight in charge of recruitment was pacing back and forth in front of the waiting applicants, picking some to dismiss one at a time, seemingly at random.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He drew close and stood, staring at the applicant next to me for an uncomfortable period without speaking, then waved her away. ¡°Work on your confidence and try again.¡±


    The countess¡¯s order could afford to be selective like this because her knights rarely chose to retire and their injury rate during ordinary deployments was low. The war was long since over, so there was no need to recruit warm bodies just to replenish the ranks. They had their pick of the best candidates and plenty of time to train them.


    The knight took a few steps back and shouted. ¡°Alright, you punks! Form two lines opposite each other, standing eight paces apart from your neighbors, and await my orders.¡±


    He nodded, seeing how we quickly split up into two groups and rearranged ourselves to ensure every applicant had a partner in the opposing group. ¡°Exactly what I want to see!¡±


    He pointed to an applicant at random. ¡°You there, what do you think comes next?¡±


    The young man blinked in confusion, and then announced his guess in a quiet voice, ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll be sparring, sir?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! But next time, I expect a prompt and loud response! Can you all handle that?¡±


    The assembled crowd responded in unison. ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    ¡°I assume you came prepared with real blades suitable for a battlefield, but if you don¡¯t have one, raise your hand and we¡¯ll supply a weapon! This is not a beginners¡¯ session with wooden swords, so if you¡¯re afraid of getting cut, bow out now!¡± Six of the applicants raised their hands, most of them obviously commoners who couldn¡¯t afford a weapon of their own. Hopefully they had managed to practice sufficiently despite that.


    ¡°The commoners gathered here may think you have no chance against a spoiled brat with an heirloom sword and twenty years of instruction under their belt. But as far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re all trash until you prove otherwise! So, show me the results of all your training and determination in these sparring matches. Show me elegance worthy of a knight, stamina to survive on the battlefield, and the strength to overpower any opponent!¡±


    The knight grinned widely as he stared at us. ¡°On my mark, you will begin sparring, and you will continue until one of you has no choice but to yield! I will not accept early surrender. Even if you feel outmatched, I expect you to find your partner¡¯s weaknesses and exploit them. If your weapon breaks, step back and raise your arm and we will supply a new one. If I give you an order during your match, I expect you to follow it without question. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the crowd responded. Nodding in satisfaction, he gave the order. ¡°Begin!¡±


    My sparring partner was a blonde-haired young man, perhaps 20 years of age. His clothes and armor were unassuming but of high quality and obviously brand new ¨C meant to communicate that he should be respected as a noble but didn¡¯t expect special treatment. I could tell he had been training for most of his life ¨C he had the muscle mass to show for it.


    I drew Pretense from its sheath and bowed politely. He smiled and bowed in return. ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful sword, miss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my lord. I found it in a cave.¡±


    He took a formal stance, holding his pristine short sword in front of him with both hands, so I did likewise. Applicants desperate for attention would start off with something fancy, but that was asking for trouble against an unknown opponent. Better to keep it simple until I understand the situation. As the sound of clashing metal rang out on both sides of us, he took one step forward.


    In an instant, his posture shifted, and his blade flung towards my chest loaded with momentum. Blocking would destroy my balance. I recoiled and the tip of his blade bit through the air. He quickly followed with a second strike opposing the first, this time nearly landing upon my shoulder. Each strike would have lightly grazed me, but I still felt the fear of death.


    The massive inertia behind his strikes was a liability, though. He may have been able to bring his weight to bear quickly, but each swing was a commitment that was hard to adjust. I had to keep my distance instead of parrying his blows with my thinner frame and lighter weapon.


    A third strike followed like lightning, this time sweeping up to strike my chin. I moved to swing beneath it, then hesitated, realizing that this swing was bait ¨C fighting gravity, he could reverse at a moment¡¯s notice to bring it down on my arms. I clenched my fists and pulled back, dragging the rest of my body along.


    As expected, at the apex of his swing he shifted his feet to strike down into the void I left behind. As a flash of recognition appeared on his face, I rushed rightward and drove my blade up with all the force I could manage, shaking his grip on his blade and forcing him to backpedal. I followed with a quick thrust, the tip of my blade slicing through the air and nicking his left shoulder, then retreated. He was fast, to be certain, but Helian was faster, so it was no challenge to keep up.


    The examiner announced himself from behind me. ¡°Is this a party, young lady? If not, why¡¯re you ballroom dancing? Show me something more interesting.¡±


    I nodded as the two of us returned to our starting positions. ¡°Yes sir.¡± My sparring partner beckoned me forward with his left hand. ¡°Your turn, miss.¡±


    I gripped my sword tightly with one hand and lunged forward, rotating into a narrow profile. He shifted his weight and ducked under my blade, releasing a one-handed swing aimed at my exposed ankle.


    I pulled back and adjusted my stance to retreat. His blade rushed forward, only to be stopped by the steel tip of my boot, which I drove down with all my weight, pulling him forward. At the same time, I reversed my grip and drove my blade between his fingers.


    The knight clapped behind me. ¡°That¡¯s more like it! You¡¯d both be corpses by now on a real battlefield, but regardless, I¡¯m quite entertained. While I see to the other applicants, I expect you to practice basic forms until your arms are numb.¡±


    ------


    Countess Solana leaned back in her chair and took a long sip from her teacup. ¡°The fencer with the blue blade¡­ what house is she from? Do you know their swordsmanship instructor?¡±


    The vice commander reached down to the table next to her and flipped through the stack of paperwork. ¡°She¡¯s lowborn. No family name or affiliation.¡±


    The countess grinned and closed her eyes, constructing a picture in her mind. ¡°Fascinating. Send the girl to my office tomorrow. I¡¯ll find a good use for her.¡±

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (2)

    Despite my best efforts, I was hung over. But today¡¯s exams were particularly easy, since they emphasized reading comprehension and logic puzzles ¨C basic material for a college graduate, even if they weren¡¯t in my first language. Unlike yesterday, Marie and Evan seemed to take to the challenge as well, and they both finished within a few minutes of me.


    Once the exam had concluded and the proctor took our papers, I leaned back and stretched. I could already feel the wrist strain setting in, and there was more to come.


    ¡°Was everything okay yesterday, Helian?¡± Evan asked, looking at me with concern.


    I shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t make any new friends, but¡­ he doesn¡¯t know my name, so it should be fine as long as I don¡¯t run into him again.¡± I would, of course, but he didn¡¯t need to worry about that.


    Marie frowned. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good. Do you need our help? I could talk to my father about this¡­¡±


    ¡°I doubt that would help, Marie. His father runs things around here.¡±


    Evan frowned, now matching his sister, and scratched his chin. ¡°What? But this is a government building, so wouldn¡¯t that make him¡­¡±


    Marie shushed him with her right hand. ¡°On second thought, this is really none of our business¡­ let¡¯s drop the topic.¡±


    Discussing the baron¡¯s son was an easy way to attract trouble in this city, doubly so in a government building. Despite being an incompetent bastard with a mean streak, he was still next in line to inherit the territory, and he already had the status necessary to ruin the lives of anyone who caught his attention.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a great idea. Since our tea was so rudely interrupted yesterday, why don¡¯t you visit our home for the evening?¡±


    ¡°That sounds fantastic, Marie. Are you sure I wouldn¡¯t be intruding?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Helian!¡± Evan interjected. ¡°Mother would love to meet you.¡±


    ------


    ¡°Mother¡± turned out to mean Lady Herschel, a businesswoman who had married up, becoming the wife of a baronet of good repute. The Herschel family dwelt in a four-story manor a few blocks from the exam hall, within walking distance of the agriculture office where the twins¡¯ father worked.


    To my surprise, the lady greeted us at the entrance when we arrived. I suppose Marie had sent notice ahead of us so I wouldn¡¯t be showing up unannounced. ¡°Welcome home, you two! And this is Helian, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± I bowed politely.


    ¡°No need for the formalities, sweetheart! And the pleasure is all mine ¨C it¡¯s always a delight to meet another rising star. I¡¯m certain you three will leave a mark on history together.¡±


    I could feel Matchmaker Radiation coming off her in waves, and Evan looked deeply uncomfortable. I suspect this wasn¡¯t the first time she had welcomed a guest to the manor this way. No need to worry, I suppose. He¡¯ll probably find someone nice once he leaves the plot.


    After directing the butler to lead us to the sitting room, Lady Herschel returned to her office ¨C according to Marie, she typically worked late into the evening ¨C and we settled down to review arithmetic.


    Despite my expectations, Evan proved to be an eager student, asking clear questions any time he had trouble understanding something. In contrast to her usual outspokenness, Marie sat quietly through most of our session and listened. I worried she was holding back, but when I handed them a simple test exam, they both breezed through it without an issue.


    As I gathered my things to leave, their mother entered the room. ¡°Oh, you three are finished already? Helian, dear! If you don¡¯t have any plans for the evening, why don¡¯t you join us for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure, madam? I don¡¯t wish to impose.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I was hoping for a chance to speak with you, so if you like, you can think of it as doing me a favor.¡±


    We headed to the dining room, finding a table already set for four. I suppose the lady was certain that I would stay, given that the twins¡¯ father tended to work late into the evenings and rarely made it home for dinner. (I was certain that he would be impossible to meet, as this story¡¯s author tended to entirely ignore ¡°unimportant¡± parts of the setting.)


    We passed the time with light chatter about local events, and I shared some anecdotes from my childhood with the eager audience. Evan was entranced by the tale of when XXXXX and I fell into the lake, though I had to omit some details like the fairy ¨C I had a feeling if I mentioned it, they¡¯d treat me like a lunatic, or worse, like some sort of storybook character.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    As the servants brought out dessert, the topic shifted to our careers.


    ¡°So, Helian! Do you have any plans for after the exam?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to apply to the finance ministry and the courthouse, madam.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the finance ministry would be perfect! With your sense for sums you¡¯ll have the run of the place in no time, I suspect. If you¡¯d like, I¡¯d be happy to introduce you to some old acquaintances ¨C one of them is a department supervisor, and I bet he¡¯d be eager to hire you.¡±


    Ah, nepotism! I was never fond of it, but I suppose it made no difference whether I got hired through normal procedure or back-room deals, as I¡¯d be working at the ministry either way. That at least meant I could cross one more item off my to-do list and focus on the rest.


    As we waited for the exam results to be posted, Marie was holding my hand and trembling with excitement. Given her level of skill, I suspected she would pass this time with flying colors, and I was curious to see for myself. For whatever reason, this moment was left out of the novel. I suppose there was no need to waste time with narration like ¡°her first-place ranking was the beginning of the young woman¡¯s fame, marking the start of her meteoric ascent from humble commoner to ¡­¡±


    Well, there wouldn¡¯t have been something like that in the novel anyway, since it never really specified how things were going to end (even though the author loved to sprinkle in ominous foreshadowing). By now I was convinced that the plot points were made up on a chapter-to-chapter basis, so committing to an ending that early was out of the question.


    Most likely some sort of stereotypical ¡°discover you were a royal descendant all along¡± ending, though. At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about marrying a king or something¡­ and the number of suitors was set in stone so there was no possibility of ¡°Act 5: Pursued by the Perverted Prince¡± or anything of that nature. Probably. Best not to think about it.


    The chattering crowd grew silent as a pair of administrators walked to the announcement board and began posting up the result sheets. As if to maintain the suspense, they began with the lowest-ranking (that is, failed) applicants, and proceeded to pin up the rankings in ascending order. The crowd thinned as hopes were dashed one by one. Eventually, only a dozen people remained, and the last two sheets were posted.


    <ol>


    <li>  XXXXXX XXXX Jr</li>


    <li>  Helian</li>


    <li>  XXXX X XXXXXXX</li>


    <li>  XXX XX XXXX</li>


    <li>  XXXX</li>


    <li>  Marie Herschel</li>


    </ol>


    Well done, Marie! Beyond my expectations. Second place, though¡­ how strange. Maybe the author didn¡¯t want to make the story¡¯s heroine too perfect? Seeing an unnamed character in first still made me uncomfortable for some reason, but the exams were over, so there was no point in thinking about it. I suspected that if XXXXX took this exam, she would have at least placed third.


    Marie leapt off the ground and gripped me in a tiny bear hug. ¡°We did it! What an impressive score, you¡¯re really something. I can¡¯t believe this was your first time taking the exam!¡±


    Evan nodded in agreement. ¡°You should be proud. Any employer with half a lick of sense would hire you on the spot.¡±


    I had expected his mood to be lower since he barely missed passing this time, placing 33rd out of 32 ¨C but it was apparently his first time taking the exam, so he had still performed admirably. His mother would probably be in the mood to celebrate as if both had passed regardless.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Mother will be thrilled to hear about this. Will you join us tonight to celebrate?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯d love to, Marie, but I have plans¡­ and I need to get my job applications in order so I can turn them in first thing tomorrow and get ahead of the pack. Maybe we could get together next week?¡±


    It would be good to keep my distance from the pair for the next few days, since the little lord would use the exam results to figure out my identity. It was critical to avoid involving outsiders in the plot until we were in a safer environment like the finance ministry ¨C anything could happen in the gap between scenes with him in play, and it still made me sick to my stomach to think of it even after all these years.


    She sighed and looked at Evan, who shrugged. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I should probably prepare my applications too¡­ next week then, it¡¯s a date!¡±


    ------


    I bid the twins farewell and returned to the inn, and after bringing some food up from the common area, locked my windows and barred the door. My agenda for the evening was to fill out job applications, update my plot notes, and then try to get some rest despite the men loitering outside in the hallway. I hadn¡¯t expected them to turn up so quickly. I guess taking a rain check on my visit to the Herschel manor was the right call.


    The soup from the inn¡¯s kitchen was filling and paired well with the sour notes of the loaf of bread I had picked up on the way back. The story¡¯s author didn¡¯t know anything about food, so it was a surprise when meals in this world managed to be delicious even though cuisine in this era was generally awful. My anxiety kept me awake until nearly dawn, but I managed to get some sleep, at least.

 How My Fresh Start Began (2)

    The order¡¯s tryouts continued for an eternity, until the biting chill of the evening breeze made every applicant shiver and the moon hung high in the sky. At this point roughly half of the applicants had been dismissed, and most of the remainder were resting on the ground after becoming too exhausted to continue. A few had begun chatting happily with their sparring partners, having discovered a mutual interest in swords, each other, or both. Even though the practice session used actual weapons, surprisingly, no one had lost an arm.


    My partner and I, however, were still standing. As the knight requested, my hands were thoroughly numb, and I had discovered a newfound hatred for all twelve basic forms ¨C especially number six, which never felt quite right no matter how much I practiced it. It was some consolation to see that Rufus ¨C that was the young lord¡¯s given name, though he had refused to provide his surname ¨C struggled equally with forms three and seven, perhaps because they emphasized agility and precision.


    ¡°What do you say ¡­ we call this one a draw, XXXXX?¡± he asked, panting with exhaustion.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure the examiner will let us off so easy, but I¡¯m willing to give it a try if you are.¡± I sheathed my sword and shook his offered hand. ¡°Been a pleasure learning from you.¡±


    He smiled and replied in turn, ¡°Likewise! I look forward to your company in the order.¡± before snapping to attention.


    The examiner¡¯s voice boomed from behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourselves! You may stand taller than most of these saplings, but that doesn¡¯t mean you meet the order¡¯s standards!¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. I was merely paying a compliment to the lady¡¯s skill.¡±


    The knight chuckled and waved us off. ¡°Fair enough. I can see you two are barely on your feet, so I¡¯ll grant you a pass for this exercise. I expect to see improvements in your third form when we next meet!¡±


    Rufus sheathed his sword and dusted himself off. ¡°How do you fancy a stiff drink and a warm bowl of soup to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°Why not? I think I¡¯ll pass on the drink, though. I doubt showing up with a hangover would impress whoever¡¯s in charge tomorrow, even if it¡¯s typical behavior for a squire.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to be careful, I suppose. And I hope you don¡¯t take offense if I say that you look like a cheap drunk.¡±


    I reached to punch him in the shoulder, then stopped once I remembered I had jabbed that same spot eight times today. ¡°Jackass. You¡¯re right, though. Any friends here you want to bring along?¡±


    He waved at a pair of girls leaning up against a low stone wall and threw his voice in their direction. ¡°The neighborhood ruffians over there seem to have made the cut, despite their parents¡¯ best intentions. Join us for dinner, you two?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± the two girls replied in unison and jogged over to meet us. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Amber & Rye, they¡¯re probably not too busy right now.¡± the taller one suggested.


    ¡°I hope the young Master hasn¡¯t spread any foul rumors about us.¡± remarked the spry one.


    ¡°Perish the thought¡± he replied, ¡°only hard facts and regrettable tales, like the carriage incident.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± shouted the elegant girl.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t mine either!¡± shouted the vivacious girl.


    Hang on, this is getting confusing. ¡°Sorry, we haven¡¯t been introduced. I¡¯m XXXXX. Could you two ladies grace me with your names?¡±


    The two girls took turns shaking my offered hand and introduced each other.


    ¡°She¡¯s Ruby.¡± explained the handsome girl.


    ¡°And she¡¯s Sapphire.¡± responded the ethereal girl, without missing a beat.


    They regarded me with clear anticipation, but I decided to skip the obvious remark and advance to small talk.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you. I take it you¡¯ve known Rufus for a long time?¡±


    ¡°You lose the bet, Sapphire!¡±


    ¡°I was sure a lady-killer like her would compare your eyes to gemstones¡­¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Sorry, my lady, but I can¡¯t see them in this light. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    Rufus chuckled and gestured for us to follow as he led the way to the tavern.


    ------


    We lined up on the practice field at dawn the next morning and waited for the order¡¯s vice commander to arrive. Ruby and Sapphire arrived shortly after me, hand-in-hand, and before lining up to my right, greeted me in unison. ¡°Morning, sunshine!¡±


    I tilted my head. ¡°First time hearing that one. I usually get called something like ¡®little bird¡¯ or ¡®smug bastard¡¯.¡±


    Rufus approached from behind us and stood to my left. ¡°Those two are pretty different.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I suppose. I didn¡¯t get along with everyone back home.¡±


    The crowd grew silent as a woman in full dress uniform exited the knights¡¯ administrative office and approached the field. She walked up and down the line, then unrolled a sheet of paper and began to read off a list of names:


    ¡°Rufus Florentine.¡± So that was the young lord¡¯s name. He clenched his fist to my left but maintained his composure.


    ¡°Ruby Hallian.¡± I guess these names are in alphabetical order.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    ¡°Sapphire Kansuen.¡± I¡¯d figured them for sisters. Their parents must be like-minded!


    I clenched my fist anxiously as the vice-commander listed four more names, then rolled the sheet up and pocketed it. ¡°The rest of you are dismissed.¡±


    Rufus turned to look at me, and Ruby grabbed my hand. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­¡±


    Sapphire tilted her head, and with a look of pity, responded, ¡°I¡¯m sure there were just too many good candidates! You¡¯ll make it next time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you two. I appreciate it.¡± I patted Ruby (the small one, in case you forgot) on the head, and she shooed my hand away before turning to look at Sapphire.


    Rufus opened his mouth as if to speak, but then reconsidered and closed it, turning to look at the vice commander who was now walking in our direction.


    ¡°Good work, you three.¡± Rufus and the girls turned to face her as she spoke. Rufus responded promptly with a respectful ¡°Thank you, Dame,¡± while the girls nodded, replying with a low-energy variation of ¡°Thanks.¡±


    The knight then turned to face me. ¡°XXXXX, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dame.¡±


    ¡°Follow me. The countess wants to see you.¡± After saying this, she turned on her heel and walked towards the main building without waiting for my response. I waved back to the small, confused-looking crowd and followed her with as much composure as I could.


    As soon as Sapphire believed I was out of earshot, I heard her mutter, ¡°Oh, she¡¯s in for it.¡±


    ------


    The vice-commander led me into the countess¡¯s office on the third floor of the main building. It was a wide, shallow room, with an ornate desk in the center flanked by large windows on each side looking out onto the training field. A large pair of doors, hewn from what appeared to be solid oak, sat behind the desk and led out onto a balcony, occupied by a table, two chairs, and an umbrella.


    The left side of the room was occupied by a coat rack (bearing the weight of two coats and three hats for varying social circumstances) along with a small bookshelf, housing what looked like a full set of encyclopedia volumes and some hand-bound books without labels on their spines ¨C perhaps personal diaries or family records.


    On the right side sat a low table (with the House Solana crest prominently emblazoned on its surface) alongside two comfortable chairs around 16 inches apart. The countess was sitting in the chair opposite the entrance, half-way through a cup of tea. Helian¡¯s description of her hadn¡¯t done her justice.


    ¡°There you are. Come, sit.¡± She waved me towards the other chair.


    I nodded and, after giving her a polite bow, approached and sat down.


    She turned to face the vice-commander and smiled. ¡°Pour us some tea, would you?¡±


    My shock was no doubt evident on my face. Treating a ranking knight like this in front of a commoner was unprecedented, even for a noble. The countess must have had something in mind, but I dreaded the possibility that this little joke would be held against me.


    Without missing a beat, the knight bent down and picked up the kettle, topping off the countess¡¯s cup and filling mine to the brim. Countess Solana nodded, thanked her, and then explained. ¡°Few would know it, but Dame Selene brews the best pot of tea you¡¯ll find in the county. And I must admit, it¡¯s amusing to insult her.¡±


    I nearly choked on my tea. Selene coughed to my left before responding. ¡°If that¡¯s all, Lady Solana, I need to attend to some administrative matters.¡±


    Solana waved her away. ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll do, dear. Tell the servants we¡¯re not to be disturbed.¡±


    Selene bowed and promptly left the room. I heard the office door lock behind me. Oh, hell.


    ------


    The countess leaned forward and looked me in the eye. ¡°XXXXX, was it? That¡¯s an interesting name. It feels quite unusual in the mouth, don¡¯t you think? It makes me wonder how it was chosen.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t rightly say, Countess. To me, it¡¯s just my first gift from my parents.¡±


    She smiled and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Not the only gift you were given, I¡¯m sure. I saw your performance yesterday. Did they gift you that blade, as well?¡± she asked, gesturing towards my sheathed blade leaning up against the wall next to the entrance. (It would¡¯ve been rude to bring it to my seat.)


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Countess. I was blessed with a family home and a loyal horse, but we lack the wealth necessary for gifts of that nature.¡±


    ¡°Stolen, then? Bought with your own pocket money? A gift from a wandering prince, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Please rest assured that I¡¯m not mocking you when I say this, but we found it in a cave.¡±


    Her eyes widened with delight, and she laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve not heard that one before. Fantastic. Who taught you to use it?¡±


    ¡°A girl from my hometown was my practice partner, so most of what I know was learned from her. The rest is¡­ improvised.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Where did she learn the blade?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t say, Countess. I¡¯d offer to ask on your behalf, but we no longer speak.¡±


    ¡°You must be quite the fool to earn the ire of a childhood friend, let alone one who could kill you where you stand!¡±


    ¡°Far from it, Lady Solana. We parted amicably, it¡¯s just¡­ our lives are set on different paths. Were it up to me, I would be at her side instead of in your distinguished company.¡±


    The countess nodded. ¡°I know that look in your eyes quite well - The sting of a recent break-up. I see it often, as any of my knights would attest were they certain I was out of earshot. I respect that you were able to move forward confidently after being cast aside.¡±


    I flinched. Somehow, I managed to stop myself from objecting, and she continued. ¡°If it¡¯s any consolation, you¡¯ve made the correct decision to find your own way. And I can scarcely imagine a better place for a woman like you to carve a path than in my service.¡±


    The countess placed her free hand on top of mine. ¡°But isn¡¯t toiling behind a desk at the knightage or, heaven forbid, dying on some forgotten battlefield in the mountains a bit of a waste? Why not aim higher?¡±


    ¡°For one of low birth like myself, Countess, there aren¡¯t many higher places to aim that I¡¯ve any hope¡­ of reaching.¡± As I said the word hope, she began to stroke my fingers. I sipped my tea and attempted to compose myself.


    ¡°This world is full of opportunities, young lady, and if you accept defeat so easily, they¡¯ll never cross your path. You should trust the path you chose, and traverse to its end. Textbooks and gossip rags alike claim that I inherited my prestige, my title, and my strength. All gifts from my ancestors. But you know better, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She switched from caressing my hand to gripping it tightly and continued. ¡°My title made these things possible, but I won every victory with my own hands, and I stepped on a mountain of corpses to get here. If I hesitate for a single moment, it will all be taken from me. I can tell you understand this. So, you should also understand that when a chance appears in front of you, you cannot hesitate. Why are you hesitating now?¡±


    ¡°May I speak frankly, Countess?¡±


    ¡°Proceed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived my life with a strict policy of not doing anything that might get me beheaded.¡±


    She let go of my hand and caressed my neck instead.


    ¡°I assure you, while your neck might feel the sting of a blade or chain, it shall remain firmly attached, so long as you behave.¡±


    I suddenly felt extremely thirsty, but my teacup was empty.


    ¡°You see, despite my sincerest wishes, Dame Selene is far too talented to spend all her time at my side. And she is likewise far too busy to spend much time away from it. An ambitious young woman like you, however, is the ideal choice for both. With some care and attention, we shall hone your skills razor-sharp until you¡¯re unmatched in all the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say, Lady Solana.¡±


    ¡°Then say yes, little bird.¡±


    Those last two words made my blood run cold.

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (3)

    Lady Herschel had been true to her word ¨C by the time I arrived at the finance ministry to submit my application, it seemed her friend was expecting me. He rushed out to greet me, quite eager to bring ¡°one of the kingdom¡¯s greatest minds¡± under his wing. I felt nervous about the high expectations, but it was better than being looked down upon by all the nobles.


    The work was mind-numbing. It was a loop of adding up sums, checking results and calculating percentages so that we could issue demands for unpaid tax or refunds in the event of mistakes by a merchant or landowner. I had hoped to at least find an abacus in this kingdom, but the state of the art was times tables paired with paper and pencil. Were this a different story, I could invent the slide rule or abacus and become fabulously wealthy¡­ perhaps after everything ended, I would do just that.


    At the end of my first week, I was called upon to prepare a short presentation on revenue trends for the southern part of the barony (which was still recovering from a drought last year). I was pleasantly surprised to discover that scientists in this world had an excellent grasp of optics, so I was able to use a sort of magical photocopier to create enlarged versions of my hand-drawn charts and graphs.


    As the meeting began, I entered the room alongside a handful of other clerks and mid-level administrators, and we all lined up along the back wall to wait for our turn to present. The meeting attendees were already seated, and most were facing the large display board where all our prepared documents would be displayed for the audience.


    As the meeting progressed it became clear that most attendees were content to sit back and listen, taking brief notes, while a few specific individuals ¨C no doubt nobles of significant rank, or at least significant ego ¨C made a point of quizzing every presenter and trying to identify weaknesses in their analysis or arguments.


    After an exhausted man in his thirties finished a proposal for a new progressive beverage tax based on alcohol content, it was my turn to present.


    I moved slowly through each page of my presentation, describing key conclusions to the attendees. Once I reached the fourth page, however, I hit a snag. Visible confusion spread across the table as I spoke, and a gentleman wearing a top hat cleared his throat part way through my explanation.


    ¡°Excuse me, young lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Could you take a moment to explain this illustration?¡±


    I turned back to look at the current page and considered it. Was there a mistake in the data? ¡°Of course. If you¡¯ll allow me a moment, I¡¯ll verify whether there are any errors in the figures.¡±


    ¡°I believe you misunderstand. The data isn¡¯t the issue.¡±


    An older man wearing a cravat chimed in and explained, ¡°I believe the gentleman shares my predicament and is uncertain how to interpret those horizontal marks that cover the chart.¡±


    I¡¯d made an obvious mistake. I prepared a chart with error bars and didn¡¯t verify whether they were used here. No one present had seen one before.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I sincerely apologize for my error, my lord. This is a new style of chart that is used in some academic circles, and I failed to account for a need to explain it. I¡¯ll begin from first principles, if those assembled can spare the time.¡±


    The man in the hat nodded. ¡°Please proceed.¡±


    ¡°As you know, last year¡¯s drought demolished revenue from the southern region, and it is likely to have a knock-on effect on next year¡¯s harvest. At this point it is difficult to predict whether enough rainfall will occur during spring and summer for the area to recover.¡±


    I paused for a moment to allow this to sink in, making sure that the audience seemed to be following along.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°As a result, a single projection for next year would be insufficient ¨C depending on rainfall levels there are multiple outcomes that emerge from our model. This chart is designed for such scenarios, where the likely answer to a question lies within a range of possible answers, instead of in an exact location.¡±


    I pointed to an example near the center of the chart. ¡°In this case, you can see two small horizontal marks above and below the main point that you are familiar with from other charts, and the upper mark is further distant than the lower one. The actual result could be anywhere between the two marks, with a high probability of low returns during that period.¡±


    The gentleman in the cravat nodded. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see the appeal of this approach. I had been concerned about the potential impact of another drought, so it¡¯s reassuring to have the possibilities captured in one chart like this.¡±


    The noble in the top hat added, ¡°Thank you for your detailed explanation, miss. Don¡¯t put too much weight on your mistake ¨C your career is merely getting started.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°I appreciate your understanding, gentlemen. Are there any other questions?¡±


    The young lord sitting in the back of the room cleared his throat and began to speak. ¡°Miss Helian, was it? I have a question.¡±


    While the baron¡¯s son was well known for his poor behavior and even worse attitude, the novel made it clear that he met a high standard with his education, ranking near the top of the class during his time at the academy. It was natural for him to take issue with my error. I considered it lucky that I hadn¡¯t made a larger mistake.


    ¡°You said this style of chart is popular in some academic circles. Is it relatively new?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, my lord. I¡¯ve only seen them a few times, so I believe they are a recent innovation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious how you would have become so familiar with an obscure technique like this. It¡¯s my understanding that you¡¯re from a small farming village to the south. What circumstances led to you encountering it?¡±


    His grin was akin to a bear trap with its jaws shut around a small animal. In this case, however, I was lucky.


    ¡°Due to my circumstances, I had no choice but to supplement my education by any means available. I made extensive use of the university¡¯s academic library for my studies and happened to run across charts like this in a few student papers.¡±


    While said papers did not exist, I could simply feign ignorance to the names of the papers in question, or if pressed, make up a convincing title and apologize for not recalling the author¡¯s name. Women were prone to forgetfulness, as the average educator was happy to remind us.


    Raising more objections at this point would try the group¡¯s patience, so he accepted defeat and nodded. I was able to finish my presentation without issue, and after bowing and thanking the group for their time, left the room as calmly as possible.


    As the young lord moved to follow me, I headed for the nearest restroom and took a few moments in a stall to collect my thoughts and calm myself. One step at a time.


    ¡°Miss Helian.¡± His voice rang out behind me as I departed the restroom. Wow, I hope you weren¡¯t just standing outside the door this whole time¡­


    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡±


    ¡°This is our third meeting, isn¡¯t it? Please, call me by my name. I¡¯m Arsen.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Lord Arsen. Thank you for honoring me with your name.¡±


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I asked you to call me.¡±


    ¡°It would set a bad example if I were to disregard common etiquette in such a manner in public, even if we were close friends. I apologize.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then I suppose we¡¯d have to be more than close friends.¡± He smiled. ¡°Anyway, I was hoping to invite you to a gathering of intellectuals tomorrow¡­ based on your performance in the exams and your presentation this afternoon, you¡¯ll fit in perfectly. Building connections with the circle members would no doubt advance your career.¡±


    It was only accurate to describe it as a ¡°gathering of intellectuals¡± in that the other attendees possessed some intellect, but their behavior in the novel suggested that they spent their waking hours driven by base appetites instead of a thirst for knowledge.


    Regardless, the plot demanded that I attend, so I agreed. ¡°Thank you for the kind offer. If it¡¯s not an imposition, I will gladly attend. Is there a dress code?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t think that will be a problem. After your work is finished today, I¡¯ll accompany you to a store to ensure you¡¯re properly dressed for the evening.¡±


    Even he wouldn¡¯t dare to barge into a fitting room in public, I hoped.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Lord Arsen. I don¡¯t want to take up any more of your valuable time, so why don¡¯t we meet around six? I should be able to finish my work by then without rushing.¡±


    ¡°That sounds perfect. I¡¯ll see you in the square outside the ministry. Have a good afternoon, Helian.¡± The young lord strode away with a spring in his step.

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (4)

    Arsen arrived at the square fashionably late. ¡°Miss Helian! I hope you didn¡¯t wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    He extended his arm for me to take. ¡°Follow me, we¡¯ll have you dressed to the nines in no time.¡±


    Well, at least he had the common decency to offer instead of grabbing me this time¡­ I accepted his arm and followed. We made our way out of the square on a circuitous path to the city¡¯s upscale shopping district, strolling slowly. He was intent on taking up the rest of my evening and stopped frequently to point out his favorite cafes or ask my opinion of items in shop windows.


    I hadn¡¯t expected a charm offensive this early, but it was preferable to the intimidation and bullying from our prior encounters. If possible, I would maintain this mood until the conclusion of the arc¡­ but of course, the plot would eventually turn our relationship sour no matter what I did.


    As the bell chimed to mark seven o¡¯clock, we arrived at the boutique he had selected. The sign out front read Madam XXXXXXXX¡¯s Elegant Pleasures in gold filigree. Some readers considered the tendency to omit names one of the novel¡¯s pleasant quirks or even called it an ¡°artistic flourish¡±, but cases like this felt more like a ¡°couldn¡¯t be bothered¡± situation. I hoped I would not need to pronounce the owner¡¯s name.


    Arsen stopped and gestured towards the entrance. I sighed and opened the door. ¡°After you, Lord Arsen.¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Ladies first, my dear.¡± He reached over me to hold the door open and waved me through, closing it softly behind him.


    One of the store clerks walked over to greet us, in a clear state of panic. ¡°My lord, what an unexpected pleasure to have you here today! And in such fine company, no less. Are you shopping for yourself?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The young lord shook his head. ¡°No, we¡¯re here for my partner today. We have a date tomorrow evening and she needs to look her very best.¡± He made a great effort to emphasize the word partner without sounding too awkward.


    ¡°Of course, of course! Follow me to the sitting room. You¡¯re in luck, as Madam XXXXXXXX is in the shop today. She¡¯ll be able to see to your needs personally!¡± The clerk led us back into a large room occupied by a sofa, table, and three full-length mirrors arranged so that one could see their own back by standing in the correct position. He then fled through a door labeled ¡°staff only¡±, returning a few minutes later with a kettle and two teacups.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting. I¡¯ve brought tea and am happy to inform you that the Madam will be here shortly ¨C she is in the middle of a delicate seam but said she would put a pin in it to make time for one of our most valued customers!¡±


    An energetic woman old enough to be my grandmother crashed through the door not a moment later and sent the clerk scurrying back to the front desk. She ran over to the young lord and embraced him. ¡°Arsen, sweetheart! How long has it been? It¡¯s so good to see you!¡±


    Arsen responded, somewhat sheepishly. ¡°Hello, auntie. Are you doing well?¡±


    ¡°Never better! Now, who is this young lady? I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met!¡±


    I bowed and introduced myself. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Madam. My name is Helian.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t Madam me! Inside this room, we¡¯re all friends! Call me Edie.¡± She pulled a measuring tape out of her pocket and began to collect my dimensions. ¡°Arms up, sweetheart!¡±


    The Madam worked quickly, measuring my arms, legs, and everywhere in between in a few short minutes. As she worked, she filled the time with small talk. ¡°So how did you two darlings meet? What do you do with your spare time?¡±


    ¡°A chance encounter at a caf¨¦¡­ and I work for the finance ministry.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°A classic start for a love story! Not too different from mine, in fact! And to think you have both beauty and intelligence! Arsen has found the perfect match this time, I dare say!¡±


    Without skipping a beat, Edie then turned to shout towards the front desk. ¡°Gabriel! Fetch me samples three, twenty-seven, and Q!¡± I heard the hapless clerk trip over something in the hall.


    ¡°I can scarcely believe how big he¡¯s gotten. It was just a few years ago that little Arsen would tug on my knees and ask me to read him a storybook about princes and princesses. At least now he¡¯s found a princess of his own!¡± She winked and I heard the young lord groan audibly behind me.

 How a Little Bird Learned to Fly (1)

    In practice, ¡°skills honed razor-sharp¡± meant that in addition to rigorous training during the day, I would devote my evenings to extra instruction from Dame Selene, Countess Solana, or a specialist she brought in for this express purpose. The topics ran the gamut from etiquette to exsanguination, which meant I had to get somewhat creative with my responses to the interrogations from Rufus and the girls.


    ¡°XXXXX!¡± Ruby spotted me from across the training field and ran over, with Sapphire trailing behind her. ¡°Are you alright? I haven¡¯t seen you in a few days¡­ the countess hasn¡¯t been working you too hard, right? If all those midnight rendezvouses wear you out, it¡¯s not too late to run away¡­¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡°midnight¡±, Sapphire turned bright red and grabbed Ruby by the ear in a panic. ¡°Have you gone mad? You can¡¯t talk like that in public! Someone might hear¡­¡±


    Ruby shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s nothing compared to what some of the knights have been saying¡­¡±


    ¡°But they have titles, you brat! They earned the right to run their mouths!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s a brat? You¡¯re not even older than me!¡± While saying this, Ruby pouted in a mature and sophisticated manner.


    ¡°Try acting your age for once, then, you little-¡± Sapphire¡¯s tirade was interrupted as Rufus approached and tapped them both on the shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s today¡¯s dispute?¡±


    ¡°Proper decorum.¡± I explained, ¡°and whether it¡¯s necessary to observe once you earn a knight¡¯s title.¡±


    ¡°I see, I see.¡± He nodded at me and then poked Ruby in the cheek. ¡°You should learn from the dame¡¯s example. You two have what it takes to be real knights, but you still lack the poise and determination befitting the role.¡±


    Sapphire blanched. ¡°You sound like my dad.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Your dad cusses more, though.¡±


    I smiled and waved goodbye to the trio. ¡°Sorry, but I have to go back to training¡­¡±


    Rufus returned my wave, while Ruby performed an exaggerated salute in my direction, earning a punch in the gut from Sapphire.


    ------


    One of the ¡°educational opportunities¡± available to me was joining the countess¡¯s meetings with her vice-commander. I quickly gained an appreciation for the vast number of convoluted schemes at play within the kingdom. As it happened, one of the names on today¡¯s agenda was familiar to me. My first target.


    ¡°Baron Rydberg again.¡± Selene explained, handing a sheet of paper to the countess, who skimmed it briefly before handing it to me in turn.


    Solana sighed with frustration. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t in such a good mood, I¡¯d have the man assassinated.¡± She turned to me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. ¡°Actually, maybe I should. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that goes against my beheadings policy. But from what I know about the man, it wouldn¡¯t be completely unwarranted.¡±


    The dame nodded. ¡°It¡¯d be one thing if his mismanagement only affected the barony, but we¡¯re up to 5 missing persons reports from the county alone, and the trail leads straight to his territory. Sooner or later, we¡¯ll have to do something about this.¡±


    The countess swirled the tea in her teacup and stared at it pensively. ¡°The king won¡¯t be pleased to hear that I¡¯ve killed another baron¡­¡±


    I attempted to lighten the mood. ¡°Perhaps you could just imprison him? Or if you prove that his son¡¯s behind the disappearances, what about blackmail?¡±


    Lady Solana¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Blackmail! Now that¡¯s a delightful suggestion. But you¡¯d best not defame the heir to a barony with such accusations, even in my presence.¡±


    I downed the remainder of my tea in one go. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Countess, it¡¯s only defamation if it¡¯s false. And I know where to find sufficient evidence to settle the matter.¡±


    The countess leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, ¡°has my little bird become a messenger pigeon?¡±


    Lady Solana enjoyed it any time I played up my unusual traits, and by offering tiny scraps of Helian¡¯s prophecies, I was able to further enhance my status as an entertaining novelty. I would eventually have to disclose the source of this information, but for now I could focus on proving myself useful.


    The dame, however, grew visibly uncomfortable any time I behaved this way. She clearly believed this was all an act engineered by a third party. Though that wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡­

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (5)

    The next day¡¯s ¡°gathering of intellectuals¡± took place at an upscale private club not far from the madam¡¯s boutique. To my surprise, most of them were closer in age to the baron, instead of being the young lord¡¯s peers. I suppose his attendance at the event was more an attempt to curry favor and earn respect than it was an opportunity to party with his friends.


    When Edie had suggested two different trend-setting evening gowns for me, Arsen had selected the one that showed the most skin and had the thinnest fabric. While he had been eager to show off his latest accessory at the beginning of the gathering, within an hour his mood soured ¨C he had clearly not anticipated how much time it would take to fend off all the wandering eyes that came my way. After another fifteen minutes, he sighed and offered me his coat.


    ¡°Cover that up, Helian.¡±


    I accepted the coat politely. ¡°A shame, though. Your auntie did a fantastic job with this dress, and you seemed to like it quite a bit. Does it not suit me?¡±


    He stared at me with exasperation. ¡°You know it does. I¡¯m just tired of dealing with all these animals. How are we supposed to have a proper conversation about algebra when half the group is staring at your chest?¡±


    ¡°A good question, Lord Arsen. A similar one came to mind during our first dinner together.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ should apologize for that. It was a poor way to start this relationship. I hope you at least understand now that I meant no malice. I should have recognized your value sooner.¡±


    I nodded and sipped my champagne. I had to remind myself that no matter how much this man¡¯s behavior might improve, he was still the same character from the novel underneath. My only option was to manipulate him and manage his worst tendencies until the plot progressed, at which point I could get out from under his thumb - hopefully without any lasting injuries.


    It was a shame the story left me so little freedom to move on my own in this period. If I had more time to myself, I could have helped the others¡­ but thoughts like that were a luxury I couldn¡¯t afford until the novel ended.


    Arsen interrupted my thoughts by taking my hand and leading me out of the club. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you. Follow me, we¡¯ll get dinner at my favorite place.¡±


    ------


    His favorite place turned out to be a small caf¨¦ in a part of the city rarely visited by nobles, with a cramped kitchen and enough room to seat around 7 people in total. As we entered, he was visibly nervous and looked back to me for reassurance.


    He was afraid I would look down on him. He had probably brought friends here in the past, or dragged along a girl he was hoping to impress. They had no doubt mocked him for it. What kind of environment had he grown up in if he was this desperate for my approval?


    There were only two people working in the caf¨¦, so we seated ourselves at an empty table and waited for the server. Upon spotting Arsen, he dashed over to greet us.


    ¡°Arsen! Good to see you again, and with company, no less!¡±


    Arsen smiled. ¡°Good to see you too, Rigo. This is Helian. She¡¯s had a bad night, so I wanted to take her somewhere special.¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course! Well, you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Rigo placed down two glasses of water and then offered me a menu, but the young lord quickly waved him away.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need a menu, thanks. We¡¯ll have two of the chef¡¯s special and a bottle of Ros¨¦.¡±


    ¡°Right away! Please, let me know if you need anything at all. I hope you enjoy your evening!¡±


    What a sad waste of a man. In other circumstances, I could imagine him being a truly righteous and satisfied person. But instead, every hint of growth he displayed was undermined by his habits, his insecurities, and his basest tendencies.


    ------


    After we finished our meal, Arsen walked me back to my lodgings in silence.


    ¡°Thanks¡±.


    What? I stared at him in confusion.


    ¡°I really mean it. Thanks for tonight, Helian.¡±


    ¡°¡­ sure. Dinner was delicious.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Father is hosting a party in a bit over a week. You should come. People will be attending from all over, you could make some great connections.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°We can meet next weekend to see auntie again to arrange a dress, and then have dinner. It¡¯ll be great.¡±


    For a moment, I wondered. If I said no, would he realize his error? Or would he seal his fate anyway? But interfering with the plot like that was asking for trouble, and things could easily become much, much worse. So, I smiled and bid him good night.


    ¡°See you then.¡±


    ------


    The baron¡¯s men had stopped lurking around the premises, so it was much easier to get a good night¡¯s sleep in my room. I finished my next day at work without any interference as well. My efforts had earned me at least a moment¡¯s rest, it seemed, which was a relief. Even if the plot was set in stone, it was possible to make adjustments, small though they may be.


    At present, Lady Herschel was interrogating me while Marie listened quietly.


    ¡°So, the young lord hasn¡¯t laid his hands on you yet, I pray?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, madam. He seems to have calmed his temper after I humored him a bit. I suppose he likes my personality.¡±


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t take him lightly regardless. He has a horrible reputation for good reason¡­ I shan¡¯t repeat the things I¡¯ve heard from other parents. Promise me that you won¡¯t be alone with him, and please let me or one of my children know before you go with him anywhere. If something happens, I swear I will do my utmost to help.¡±


    I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this promise, but I was certain the lady wouldn¡¯t hold it against me. ¡°I swear, madam. Thank you very much for your concern. I will take your advice to heart.¡±


    Marie clearly had a lot on her mind but seemed to realize that it would be dangerous to say the things she was thinking, even in private. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair. He just barged into your life for no reason, and now you must indulge his whims just because of who his father is.¡±


    I smiled and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not the only person in this kind of situation. We all do our best with the hand we¡¯re dealt.¡± I turned back to Lady Herschel. ¡°I¡¯ll be accompanying him to a dress shop and then a caf¨¦ on the weekend, before attending a party at the baron¡¯s manor the next day. I should be able to avoid any dangerous situations, I think, and I doubt he¡¯ll misbehave in front of a crowd.¡±


    Lady Herschel gripped my hand tightly. ¡°Okay. Inform me if anything changes. If necessary, my husband and I can cash in some favors¡­¡±


    While I wasn¡¯t looking forward to upcoming events, it was some consolation that I could expect to be rescued before things went too far. Even if this novel was morbid, it always pulled back before inflicting anything truly heinous on its heroine. And the next act after Arsen¡¯s might be fun, so I had that to look forward to.


    After we concluded our conversation, the twins¡¯ mother returned to her office (¡°I¡¯ll put my work on hold for you any time, sweetheart¡±) and Evan joined us for a chat about work. Marie was settling in well at the agriculture ministry, and it seemed he had begun an apprenticeship with a local accountant to pick up more skills while waiting for the next administrative exam.


    As the sun set, the head maid entered the sitting room to summon us for dinner. As before, the table was set for four.


    Marie looked with disappointment at the head of the table, and then muttered ¡°I hope he can take a vacation day next solstice, at least¡­¡±

 How a Little Bird Learned to Fly (2)

    Dame Selene came around once I explained my plan in more detail, though she clearly still didn¡¯t trust me. I made certain that the countess stood to lose nothing if things didn¡¯t work out, while if all unfolded as I hoped, she would be able to undermine the baron, eliminate a threat to Helian, and resolve the missing person cases in one fell swoop. To bait the trap, I promised Lady Solana she¡¯d meet a good friend of mine (though I wouldn¡¯t be able to make the introduction in person.)


    ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s settled. Let¡¯s consider this an early opportunity to demonstrate your value, little bird. I trust once all is said and done, you¡¯ll fly back to my side?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Countess. I wouldn¡¯t dream of doing otherwise. After all, I¡¯ve much to repay you for, and I hope for a long and fruitful relationship.¡±


    As it happened, the countess was already in possession of a detailed map of the Rydberg estate, so I was able to sketch out my intended path and mark the location where I believed she would find Arsen and Helian. As a back-up plan, we agreed on a signal I could use if something went wrong or circumstances changed, though I was confident they wouldn¡¯t. We were so early in the plot that events were unlikely to deviate.


    We agreed upon a balanced split of tasks for the near future ¨C the dame would utilize some contacts to acquire the estate¡¯s guard shift schedule, the countess would secure two invites to the party, and I would locate the young lord¡¯s ¡°vacation home¡± so we could send guards to secure the evidence before the baron could clean up the mess.


    Lady Solana leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and sighed deeply. ¡°Hm¡­ You¡¯ve worked hard today, I think. Consider this evening¡¯s training canceled. You should take some time to relax since you have a stressful week ahead of you, after all. I¡¯m sure your muscles are sore from all the exercise you¡¯ve been getting lately¡­ I know mine are.¡± As the countess uttered the word exercise, she opened her eyes and stared at me.


    Selene coughed quietly. ¡°Will you be needing anything further, Countess? If not, I have¡­ paperwork to see to in my office.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Solana smiled at her vice-commander. ¡°That¡¯ll be all, Selene. Thank you for your assistance, as usual. On your way out, please inform the servants to prepare dinner for two and bring it to my quarters.¡±


    I supposed my dinner plans were set, then.


    ------


    After dinner, the countess walked over to her bed and reached underneath, removing two rectangular leather suitcases. They were secured with pristine brass latches on each side, inset with small keyholes. She removed her gold necklace and used the small key hanging from it to open the suitcase on her left. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some equipment for you, XXXXX.¡±


    Once it was open approximately two thirds of the way, I was able to see its contents ¨C most notably a pair of small daggers, but also a long chain, a coiled length of rope, and what appeared to be cloth handcuffs. She chuckled. ¡°Oh, my mistake. This case is for later.¡± She promptly closed the case but neglected to re-secure the lock.


    She then slid the other case over from her right, placing it atop the ¡­ toybox, and swiftly opened it. She gestured for me to approach and inspect the contents. ¡°We can¡¯t have you using that relic of yours at the baron¡¯s estate, my dear. It¡¯s too recognizable. And our agenda requires more than a single blade anyhow. Consider these an advance on your first month¡¯s pay.¡±


    The case was padded with red velour, indented precisely to protect its contents from any damage during handling or transportation. Those contents being five small daggers with notched blades (for carrying poison or tranquilizers, I expect), a rapier with a curved grip, a short main-gauche with an attached chain that could be bound to one¡¯s wrist, and finally a concealed dagger with a stitched leather thigh holster. She had thought carefully to select the right tools for my mission.


    ¡°I thought it unwise to secure any beverages to pair with the appetizers under my own name, so that task falls to you.¡± She accompanied the word beverages with a slight wave towards the throwing daggers, to ensure I understood what she meant.


    I nodded. ¡°This is a tremendous honor, Lady Solana. I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations, and with such fine equipment I couldn¡¯t be better prepared.¡±


    ¡°Now then, little bird,¡± the countess took both of my hands in hers. ¡°Let¡¯s set business aside and devote some time to recreation, shall we? Tonight feels like the perfect time to introduce you to one of my favorite hobbies.¡± Saying this, she handed the tool case to me, and reopened the toybox.

 How a Little Bird Learned to Fly (3)

    The younger Lord Rydberg¡¯s vacation retreat sat on a quiet street in the common quarter of the city, next to a small caf¨¦ large enough to seat six or so people. When I arrived, they were closing for the evening. I waved politely to the waiter who was bringing in the signboard.


    ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am. Can I help you?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Are you familiar with the owner of this home?¡± I gestured at the unassuming two-story townhouse. ¡°I¡¯m here to return something he forgot at a meeting, and I was given this address.¡±


    The waiter thought for a moment. ¡°He was here the other day for dinner, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him or any of his companions recently other than that. I expect he won¡¯t visit until next week at the earliest, so you might want to deliver the item to the Rydberg estate instead. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be grateful for your assistance.¡±


    I smiled at the waiter. ¡°Thank you so much for the information. I¡¯ll have to stop by his estate tomorrow. Have a wonderful evening!¡±


    He waved goodbye as he returned to the signboard and brought it inside, locking the caf¨¦ door behind him after dimming the lights.


    After a few moments¡¯ pause, I walked quietly to the ornate wooden doors at the front of the young lord¡¯s home and removed my lock picks from the pocket of my dress uniform.


    ------


    The wooden floorboards creaked as I crossed into the townhouse¡¯s entrance hall. There were locked doors to my left and right that lead into the dining room and the living room respectively. The hall ahead split off into a narrow staircase leading up to the bedroom, then continued into the kitchen and the restroom. My destination lay behind a concealed door in the hallway. There was a hidden staircase between the dining area and kitchen that led down into a secret basement.


    I placed my gloved left hand on the wall and dragged it back and forth, searching for the mechanism that would open the concealed door. Though it took me a moment, my fingers located two separate mechanisms, one at waist level and the other down lower, near my foot. The first mechanism likely would set off a silent alarm or release a weight to seal the hidden door¡ªin short, bait.  I went with the less obvious choice. The path to the staircase opened smoothly in response to the pressure from my boot, revealing a flight of narrow wooden steps lit by a row of lightstones in unassuming fixtures.


    I walked on light feet to the lower level, taking care to step over two different trip wires before disarming their mechanisms. It wouldn¡¯t do for any of the countess¡¯s agents to get injured later.


    The stale basement air stank of blood and sweat. The chamber was lined on three sides by rusty iron cages with bars that ran from floor to ceiling, while the wall behind me was occupied by a long wooden counter and wall-to-wall plywood shelves.


    The shelves were filled with vials labeled carefully in the sophisticated handwriting one would expect from a noble¡¯s upbringing. On a near-empty vial, I recognized one name as the anesthetic I had recently purchased, while the vial next to it ¨C a weak acid, I believe ¨C was two-thirds full.


    I made my way to the cages on the opposite side and waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, covering my nose to endure the stench. Still, once my vision cleared, bile rose in my throat. After gently checking the cages¡¯ occupants for a pulse (alas, none to be found), I removed the small notebook from the right pocket of my dress uniform and made note of everything I had discovered, alongside the testimony of Rigo from next door. The order would take care of the rest.


    Yes, this will meet Solana¡¯s expectations. Now for the finale.


    ------


    Two ¨C no, three ¨C men began tailing me the moment I left the townhouse. I had been sloppy. No doubt they had been watching when I entered, though it was an odd decision not to corner me inside. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Perhaps it had been a precaution. Attacking me inside would only create more witnesses.


    In any case, I¡¯d have to deal with them.  I couldn¡¯t have one of them running off and reporting to either the baron or his son. Not now¡­ It would compromise the evidence.


    I selected a conveniently dim alleyway, and as I entered, they hastened their steps to follow me.


    ¡°Oi.¡±


    Announcing yourself first? Stupid. ¡°Good evening, gentlemen.¡±


    The angry one belted out a pointless question. ¡°Who do you work for?¡±


    ¡°If I tell you that, I¡¯ll have to kill you.¡±


    The tallest one made a show of his sturdy wooden bat, balancing it with one arm before letting it drop into the palm of his hand. ¡°You oughta worry about yourself, missy.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°Just so you know, this is self-defense.¡±


    The thin ringleader¡¯s face contorted into an even thinner smile. He drew a pristine blade from his side and rushed towards me.


    Slow. How are they so slow?


    The man with the bat swooped in alongside the thin one, likely in an attempt to close off my movement. The angry one simply stood there, watching. Hm, he might have a crossbow or something, better keep an eye on-


    As I sidestepped the ringleader¡¯s thrust, the bat swept low towards my shin ¨C Good fundamentals, at least, that¡¯s a decent place to aim ¨C only to uselessly bounce off the greaves I had hidden beneath my slacks.


    The tall assailant stepped back, confused, and re-evaluated his weapon. A poor craftsman blames his tools ¨C you¡¯re the issue here. Anyway-


    The ringleader maintained excellent posture, closing in with a feint, then followed up with another thrust. Not bad. Better kill this one first.


    The angry one was still just watching. He might run for help if things turn south¡­ Better make him the second course.


    As I held it firmly in my grip, Pretense¡¯s comforting warmth radiated through my hand and all the way up my arm. I drew the sword from its sheath in a clean, elegant motion ¨C like she taught me ¨C and swung it directly against the ringleader¡¯s blade in a hard parry forceful enough to drive it from his hand. The shock of the impact resonated through my whole body.


    Oh, this is why Helian likes swordplay so much. This is fun! Totally different from sparring.


    The bat-wielding man realized his error and charged, going for my exposed arm. You need to be faster than that. Your boss is going to die!


    As the ringleader¡¯s blade went soaring past his shoulder, he stumbled backward. Meanwhile, my blade continued on its trajectory, so naturally that it felt as though it was pulling my arm along with it. My whole body felt light.


    Pretense¡¯s tip bit into his neck, tasting blood for the first time. Is it supposed to be this easy?


    Blood escaped from the ringleader¡¯s neck, spraying through the gaps between the fingers that he pressed desperately against the cut. The bat once again made for my other arm. Just a moment, Pretense.


    I released my blade. As it dropped to the ground, I used my now-empty hand to effortlessly catch the bat mid-swing. I wrenched it from the sidekick¡¯s grip, sending him tumbling face-first.


    As expected, the third one now looked more scared than angry, and turned to escape. I should have brought throwing knives or something¡­ this will have to do.


    The bat soared towards victim #2, twirling in the air before it struck him square in the back of his skull, cracking the bone with a satisfying thud. Oh, that sounded nice!


    Without his weapon, the last assailant seemed to have lost his wits. He was backed up against the wall, paralyzed as he stared at the ringleader¡¯s corpse. My hand still stung from catching the bat ¨C no doubt it would leave a nasty bruise, but at least it was better than a broken arm ¨C so I retrieved Pretense from the ground with my uninjured spell hand. I squatted down to look at the tall man, who now seemed so very small.


    ¡°A quick question before you go¡­ Should I tell your mother you¡¯re sorry for being such a bad child?¡±

 Helian and the Barons Bastard (6)

    A chandelier loomed over the audience hall, adorned with chain links made of glass that filled the room with iridescent light. The baron and baroness¡¯s seats sat empty as both worked the crowd.


    As we entered the hall, Arsen was determined to evade the notice of both his parents, likely because they would object to him lowering the evening¡¯s standard by bringing a common girl - finely dressed though I was. When the servant at the entrance made to announce our arrival, the young lord shushed him as he dragged me by the arm towards the right side of the hall where a small group of businessmen had gathered.


    ¡°Ah, the young Lord Rydberg! How kind of you to join us!¡± the eldest man in the group greeted us as we approached. I recognized him as the man with the top hat from my presentation at the finance ministry. After a moment of confusion, he paid me a shallow bow and I bowed in return. ¡°And Miss Helian as well! A pleasure to see you again. I was quite impressed by your presentation last week.¡±


    Arsen smiled with pride as the other gentlemen turned to examine me. The youngest member of the crowd tilted his head. ¡°Helian, you said? I¡¯ve not heard her name before. Is she from overseas?¡±


    The young lord shook his head. ¡°No, she¡¯s a rising star in the finance ministry who grew up here in the barony! I had the good luck of encountering her in a caf¨¦ during the administrative exams. Imagine my surprise when she ranked second¡ªand on her very first attempt!¡± The assembled gentlemen murmured and nodded their heads.


    ¡°Quite impressive. I¡¯ll anticipate great things from your partnership, you two.¡± A gentleman with a heavy eastern accent raised his glass and gestured towards the rest of the assembled men. ¡°A toast to the bright future of the barony!¡±


    The greasiest member of the group raised his glass and, with intoxicated wisdom, responded ¡°And to the bright future of the baron¡¯s lineage!¡±


    Arsen¡¯s eyes narrowed and the man in the top hat cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence, Lord Arsen. Perhaps you and the young miss should go and mingle? I¡¯m sure she would benefit from meeting the members of the northern delegation.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The young lord nodded. ¡°Thank you, sir, that¡¯s an excellent suggestion. Enjoy your evening, everyone.¡±


    As he said this, Arsen grabbed me by the wrist and stormed off.


    ------


    Arsen led me through the audience hall up to the second floor. There were four doors, the first two leading to the guest restrooms, while the last two led to separate sitting rooms for guests and esteemed guests respectively. The young lord dragged me to the rear room, making me an esteemed guest, at least temporarily.


    When we arrived at the door, he nodded to one of the two armed men guarding it.


    The worst part of the novel soon approached.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be using this room until further notice. We¡¯re not to be disturbed.¡±


    The guard opened the door for us and nodded. ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    Arsen pushed me inside and I heard the guard lock the door behind us. The room was dimly lit by the moon shining in through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the west wall. Farther up ahead, a pair of double doors opened onto an exterior balcony.


    Once he released my wrist, he practically sprinted towards the large sofa at the center of the room and collapsed onto it. He sat alone with his back hunched over.


    ¡°The nerve of those men.¡± He was trembling enough that I could see it from the doorway. ¡°Even after everything I¡¯ve done to prove myself, they still doubt me. Even though it¡¯s obvious they¡¯re no better than the dirt that lines the roads in outskirt villages like your hometown.¡±


    He lifted his head and stared at me with clouded eyes. ¡°You understand, right? It¡¯s always been like this for me. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been the same for you¡­ worse, even. It will never change unless we show them the truth with our own hands. Engrave it in their hearts and minds, with the tip of a blade if necessary.¡± He nodded, as if to reassure himself, then stood up and swung the double doors wide as he stepped onto the balcony.


    Arsen leaned against the balustrade and stared up at the moon, clearly waiting for me to follow. I approached and stood at the threshold, waiting for him to speak. When he turned to look at me, he wore a dead expression on his face. ¡°I nearly forgot our first meeting. You¡¯ve been looking down on me too, haven¡¯t you? I can see it in your eyes ¨C the eyes of a wild beast. That can be fixed, though, and we¡¯ll get along just fine.¡±


    Arsen leaned away from the railing and made to approach me, and from the corner of my eye, I saw a gloved hand reach out from the darkness.

 How a Little Lord Learned to Fly

    A giant chandelier adorned with chain links made of prismatic glass loomed over the audience hall, filling the room with iridescent rays that coiled and twisted as it swayed gently back and forth. The baron and baroness¡¯s seats atop the raised part of the hall were empty, as both were busy working the crowd and attending to visiting dignitaries.


    Helian entered the hall in the company of the baron¡¯s son. She looked fantastic in the dress, and from her posture, it seemed she wasn¡¯t under too much stress¡ªat least not at the moment. It was difficult to stop myself from staring at her for too long, but eventually, I managed to tear my gaze away. If we made eye contact, this would all fall apart.


    I tapped the countess on the shoulder and gestured in Helian¡¯s direction. Lady Solana nodded, and I left through the kitchen door in the rear, striding confidently past a group of stressed waiters. The scent of boiling vegetable stock followed me outside and condensed into a cloud of fog as I pushed through the servants¡¯ exit into the cold air outside.


    My watch read 7:10¡ªI had ten minutes until the next shift change.


    I strolled casually to the large oak tree next to the west wall of the estate and picked up the burlap sack we¡¯d thrown over the wall earlier. It contained everything I needed. I exchanged my dress uniform for a hooded cloak, gloves, and boots, then removed the tool case. The inside of the cloak had cloth loops sized appropriately for my throwing knives and rapier. This just left my main gauche, which I¡¯d successfully smuggled past the baron¡¯s guards on the way in after leaving Pretense in the countess¡¯s possession. Once I strapped the dagger to my wrist, I was ready to go.


    I returned the now-empty case to the bag, and after stowing it away in the tree branches, I threw the grappling hook up over the wall to create the appearance that I¡¯d entered from outside. If the baron¡¯s guards were on schedule, I had a minute or so left to prepare, which was more than enough time. I concealed myself in the shadow of the oak and dipped two daggers into my hip flask that was filled with anesthetic.


    The two guards arrived right on time, walking slowly as they casually discussed the outcome of the previous day¡¯s horse races. Once they passed underneath the tree and were fully concealed within its shadow, I whipped both wrists forward. My daggers grazed their necks, leaving thin, precise cuts.


    The anesthetic worked quickly, bringing them to the ground before their confusion could turn into audible shock and alert the rest of the estate. I quickly dragged them behind the tree and propped their bodies against the trunk before placing a bottle of whiskey in one of their hands. With luck, the next guard rotation wouldn¡¯t spot them, and once they were eventually discovered, the cause for their unconscious state would be obvious from the evidence I¡¯d just planted.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    And now, my path to the balcony was clear.


    ------


    I grabbed Arsen Rydberg firmly by the neck and wrenched, forcing all 85 kilograms of his frame backward over the railing. He flailed in panic, forcing words through his constricted and bruised windpipe.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    I did not. As his body hurtled over the railing, I wrapped my cloak tight around my body and dropped down to follow him two stories down. I landed effortlessly on his chest with my full weight, driving the last traces of air from his lungs.


    The young lord gasped for breath and clawed at my boots with his fingers, his nails scraping against the steel tip of my boot. Blood flowed from the back of his head and soaked into the dirt. His skull had probably cracked from his fall. I could tell by how he struggled under my heel that the force of my weight had broken multiple ribs. And still, I desperately wanted to break the rest of them one by one. Sadly, there just wasn¡¯t enough time for that.


    I drew my face close to his and whispered, ¡°give the devil my regards, you piece of shit.¡±


    And with that, I drove my main gauche deep into his chest. Blood flowed freely from his lips as he choked. His clouded eyes grew bright momentarily, then went glassy and dull as the rest of his body stopped moving.


    Helian screamed above me. At the same time, a strange black smoke fled from Arsen¡¯s body, dissipating into the evening chill.


    It was time to go. I cast the blood from my weapon with a flick of my wrist, then dusted off my cloak and sprinted towards the oak tree, using the shadows cast by the passing clouds overhead for cover. I climbed up into the canopy of the tree to return the rest of my items to the concealed tool case to take back with me to the audience hall.


    As expected, all the guards on shift promptly made their way to the area below the balcony I¡¯d just fled, allowing me to escape through the servants¡¯ exit and return to the hall unnoticed. Along the way, I¡¯d switched back into my uniform and discarded the main gauche and daggers. It was a shame to part with such a fine weapon, but only a fool would hold on to evidence.


    As planned, the countess had already left the audience chamber and made her way to the second floor. I¡¯d done my job, now she could handle the rest. I waited, leaning against the wall hidden in the shadows.


    I told myself that everything would be fine. After all, things had gone according to plan thus far, hadn¡¯t they?

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (1)

    Emerging from the shadows, a shrouded figure grabbed hold of Arsen Rydberg. ¡°Let go!¡± Despite his struggles, the young lord was hoisted over the railing and down to the ground two stories below. The young lord flailed and gasped. ¡°Let go!¡± The assailant¡¯s hand held firm and the two disappeared from sight.


    What the hell was going on? With this change, the story was now suddenly unrecognizable. How was this possible?


    A knot formed in the pit of my stomach and my thoughts raced. Anything could happen now.


    A commoner found alone in the nobles¡¯ sitting room, the heir to the barony lying dead in a pool of his own blood just two stories below. A locked room with only one suspect trapped inside. The conclusion was obvious. I would be executed.


    As this thought took hold in my mind, I screamed involuntarily, then ran for the door. I pounded on the unyielding wood with all my might. ¡°Help! I need help!¡±


    I heard a guard chuckle. This was not Arsen¡¯s first time in a locked room with a young woman, and they were confident he would triumph in any struggle. How could he be harmed? Everything would go as expected.


    Just not this time. ¡°The lord¡¯s been murdered!¡±


    I heard the other guard laugh raucously from the other side of the door. ¡°That¡¯s a new one.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an assassin on the estate! Please¡ªhelp!¡±


    At that moment, a voice rang out down the hall. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Countess!¡± The two guards responded in unison.


    The countess? What was she doing here? Was the plot dragging itself back onto the tracks?


    ¡°I said, what is the meaning of this? I clearly heard a woman in that room begging for help. If I¡¯m not mistaken, I heard the word ¡®assassin¡¯. Now what the hell are you fools doing? Open the door immediately.¡±


    The guard to my left coughed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Countess, but we¡¯re under strict orders that Lord Rydberg is not to be disturbed.¡±


    Light footfalls approached the door and I heard the countess¡¯s voice from the other side. ¡°Stand back, young lady.¡±


    I obeyed. Suddenly, both doors were forced off their hinges and landed on the ground with a thud, knocked down clean by a single, powerful kick.


    Lady Solana offered me her hand. ¡°You did well. Let¡¯s be going.¡± She led me out of the room.


    We fled into the audience hall as the guards crept into the room behind us. ¡°Lord Rydberg? Hello?¡±


    The countess gripped my hand tightly. ¡°Listen carefully. We¡¯ve yet to be introduced, but right now, you must trust me. Leave the talking to your elders and we¡¯ll have you out of here without a scratch. None of this is your fault.¡±


    Why was she here? Was she in league with Arsen¡¯s murderer? Everything had suddenly gone off course, but how? Why?


    None of my questions would be answered now, so all I could do was take a deep breath and listen to her directions. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡±


    Lady Solana walked in large steps towards the baron, who was currently sharing a drink with his wife. She called to him in a voice that echoed through the hall. ¡°Baron Rydberg.¡±


    He flinched and turned to us, obviously confused. ¡°Countess? What seems to be the matter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid a great many issues need to be addressed, and it simply cannot wait. We¡¯ll begin with your recently departed son and his behavior.¡±


    The baron¡¯s eyes narrowed and behind him, his wife gasped in shock. The guards flanking him each placed their hands on their weapons.


    ¡°What the hell did you just say?¡±

 How a Little Bird Learned to Fly (4)

    This was my first opportunity to watch the countess at work, and she was clearly in her element. The baron and his guards¡¯ attempts to intimidate were clearly failing. She confidently stepped close enough to grab the baron with her bare hands.


    ¡°The young lord Arsen Rydberg stands accused of myriad crimes, including abduction, torture, and murder. Upon learning of the evidence against him, his co-conspirators plotted his assassination before he once again tried to escape justice. Regrettably, I was too late to thwart the killing as your son had locked himself in a sitting room with a young woman and ordered the guards to block the way.¡±


    As the gathered crowd murmured, a vivacious older woman collapsed to her knees near one the appetizer table. I noticed Helian¡¯s gaze shift to the woman, her eyes filled with pity. I suppose she¡¯d been close with the bastard.


    ¡°Countess, I don¡¯t know what makes you think you can utter such falsehoods in front of those gathered, but even your title does not grant you the right to-¡±


    Lady Solana cut him off with a stern glare and continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not finished. The evidence we¡¯ve collected paints a clear picture of his entire family¡¯s involvement. During our investigation, we made a number of shocking discoveries. When I presented my findings to the king, he naturally expressed great concern, which is how we find ourselves in this present situation.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The baron audibly gasped for air and began to claw at his chest. Perhaps his poor diet and lack of exercise had undermined his health.


    ¡°Baron Rydberg, on the authority granted to me by His Majesty, I formally strip you of your title. If even a fraction of the accusations against you are confirmed, you shall be executed in the city square within the week.¡±


    The baron¡¯s wife began sobbing openly and uselessly grabbed at the countess¡¯s sleeve.


    The countess ignored her, continuing. ¡°Miss Rydberg, I would advise you to cooperate with my investigation. If the accusations against you are substantiated, you will share your husband¡¯s fate. However, a show of contrition might convince the king to take mercy upon you.¡±


    Lady Solana then turned to address the crowd. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I sincerely apologize for ruining your evening. It breaks my heart to bear such dire news. Had my tears not run dry long ago, I would weep at the tragic events that led to this moment. I pray you will all aid me in restoring the honor of this barony.¡±


    The noble lords and ladies looked back and forth at each other for confirmation, then responded in a cacophony of shouts. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°We¡¯re with you, Countess!¡± ¡°Justice for the weak!¡± ¡°No mercy for the wicked!¡±


    The diplomatic envoys from the north, visibly shocked, took their leave of the estate, followed by a slow trickle of other attendees.


    A satisfying outcome. Now that attention was off the countess, it was best that I make my exit to avoid being spotted. As I crept towards the servants¡¯ exit, a chorus of voices rang out behind me.


    ¡°Lady Saintess!¡± ¡°Oh, Metis have mercy!¡±

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (2)

    I could barely maintain my composure as the show went on.


    Lady Solana dismantled the baron¡¯s reputation and gathered the support of the crowd in the span of a few short minutes. As promised, none present concerned themselves with my arrival in the hall, and there were no questions about my involvement.


    The countess squeezed my hand and spoke quietly. ¡°It¡¯s done, Miss Helian. Follow me, let¡¯s get out of here.¡± As she led me towards the hall¡¯s main entrance, a group of voices erupted suddenly behind me.


    ¡°Lady Saintess!¡± ¡°Oh, Metis have mercy!¡±


    I turned to see a group of priestesses from the eastern territories scrambling toward me. The eldest member of the group stumbled and nearly landed on her face.


    The swiftest one got close and kneeled at my feet, shouting ¡°Oh, heavens be praised! The saintess!¡±


    The gathered crowd¡¯s eyes were on me, and the countess¡¯s expression was unreadable.


    In my panic, all I could muster was ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Ah, do not fear!¡± The elder priestess, having picked herself off the ground, rushed to explain. ¡°Young lady, you have been chosen by our patron most high and wise, the Goddess Metis!¡±


    The priestess still kneeling at my feet nodded in agreement. Between sobs, she spoke: ¡°To those in Her service, the light of a saintess is like the sun! It shone brightly the moment you entered the hall! This is truly divine providence!¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    The countess wrapped her arm around my shoulders to reassure me and spoke. ¡°Please forgive my ignorance, but what does it mean for the young lady to be a saintess?¡±


    The elder priestess resumed speaking. ¡°Of course, Lady Solana! As we all know, in the era of ancient myth, the Goddess Metis waged war against her brother, the vile trickster Loki, to put an end to the calamities he wrought upon the earth. It was at this time the first saintess was brought into our world.¡±


    The kneeling priestess gripped the hem of my dress. ¡°The saintess is an instrument of the heavens¡¯ will, brought from beyond the veil to purge evil from the realm and spread prosperity through her wisdom and holy power!¡±


    The gentleman in the top hat chose this moment to speak up. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that¡¯s the young Miss Helian! She placed second in the administrative exam on her first attempt and impressed the entire finance ministry with her wisdom.¡±


    Edie, her eyes still red from sobbing, concurred. ¡°I¡¯ve met the young lady on multiple occasions. Just being in her presence filled me with a sense of calm. Even then I wondered how a girl could be so radiant!¡±


    The crowd was rapt with attention. ¡°The saintess? That young woman?¡± ¡°I can see what they mean¡­¡± ¡°She does possess an ethereal quality¡­¡±


    The elder priestess cleared her throat, and, satisfied, offered her now-decisive conclusion. ¡°Any doubt in my mind was cleared when you returned to the hall with her, Countess Solana. The young lord Rydberg¡¯s sins were brought to light in part by the saintess, no?¡±


    Solana turned to face me and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s correct. Despite the risks involved, she endured Arsen Rydberg¡¯s mistreatment and provided key information so I could bring him to justice. If you insist that this was the will of the heavens, who am I to deny it? Let all gathered here rest assured. Miss Helian will be under my protection.¡±


    I found myself back in the trap. The story had once again taken an unfamiliar shape.

 How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (1)

    While the priestesses¡¯ intervention was unexpected, things had otherwise proceeded as planned. Helian was safely in the countess¡¯s custody, and I had been able to intervene before Arsen Rydberg danced to the author¡¯s tune for too long.


    For the first time in weeks, it felt like I could breathe again. And though the thing I wanted most was to rush to her side, the time wasn¡¯t right. Not yet.


    As for the unexpected events, it seemed that Helian¡¯s new status as the saintess was the story¡¯s way of adapting to the damage we had inflicted upon it. All I could do now was continue on my path and hope that nothing else of importance would change.


    As the countess was busy looking after her new ward and I was to remain unseen, the responsibility for my debriefing fell upon the dame. We sat in her personal quarters, waiting for the tea to steep.


    After checking the kettle¡¯s temperature with her hand, Selene turned to look me in the eye. ¡°Well done. Judging by your written report, I can understand why Sola was so smitten with you.¡±


    The past tense in this sentence was clearly a slight against me, as was using such a personal nickname for the countess, but it was only natural for her to remain displeased despite my performance, given that Lady Solana was at this moment happily behaving as I intended.


    Perhaps due to the story¡¯s grip, Solana had proven more vulnerable to my manipulation than I expected, and the dame was quick to recognize the resulting, otherwise inexplicable shifts in her behavior. Even if she couldn¡¯t identify the root cause of these changes, her confidence in my guilt proved that she was the right person for the countess¡¯s side.


    ¡°Dame Selene, may I speak freely?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± she replied without hesitation. She checked the tea again.


    I tried again. ¡°I am prepared to answer every question you have, if you only grant me an opportunity to explain this situation in its entirety.¡±


    She hefted the kettle and filled both our cups to their brims, then returned it to the table. She closed her eyes and took a sip. After a long moment, she opened her eyes and stared at me.


    ¡°Very well then. Sing your best song for me, little bird.¡± Another clear insult. She had learned from the best.


    ¡°Saintess Helian and I grew up together.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I expected as much.¡±


    ¡°Most of the information I¡¯ve given to Lady Solana was in turn provided by the saintess.¡±


    ¡°I see. She has the gift of prophecy, then? Why only gift you this knowledge and otherwise keep it to herself?¡±


    ¡°Her actions are constrained, perhaps by the will of the heavens. I¡¯ve witnessed the outcome when those constraints are violated. Every action she takes is under the duress of a prophecy she calls the ¡®Novel¡¯.¡±


    I sipped my tea and continued.


    ¡°For whatever reason, I¡¯m free from those constraints if my own set of rules are followed. Those rules are the result of first-hand experience. I¡¯ve already explained them to the countess, but I wanted to inform you as well. Do you enjoy reading, Dame? If you¡¯re familiar with fiction or fairy tales, this will be much easier to explain.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Selene tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve read a book or two, yes. Do you mean to say that this ¡®Novel¡¯ is a literal story book, not just a prophecy?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes. Its contents were revealed to Helian a few pages at a time, over the course of multiple years. It was at that point she traveled to our world.¡±


    The dame cleared her throat. ¡°The priestesses¡¯ fable is true, then? She is not from this earth?¡±


    ¡°There is no other explanation that fits. If you¡¯ll allow me a question - when did you first learn to read and write?¡±


    ¡°My lord father hired tutors for us around the age of 3.¡±


    ¡°A quick study. In my case, I learned around the age of 6 according to my father. But Helian knew how to read and write since the day she spoke her first words¡­ perhaps even before that.¡±


    Selene nodded. ¡°Knowledge from a past life, then? Or a divine gift of language?¡±


    ¡°Every page of that prophecy has come true without fail until recently. She calls the prophecy a ¡®Novel¡¯ because it takes the shape of one, and therefore its predictions are limited. The future comes from the perspective of a story¡¯s reader, not the position of an omnipotent god or all-seeing eye.¡±


    Selene refilled her teacup, then topped off mine. ¡°The prophecy has¡­ what is the term for it? A point of view?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. The future is set in stone, but only the parts of it that would be known to the story¡¯s reader. Which means that if you or I remain in the shadows ¨C places outside of sight, between the lines, unworthy of mention ¨C we may act unbound by the prophecy. Though even then, the future can be quite difficult to change.¡±


    ¡°And what have we changed so far?¡± Selene regarded me with skepticism.


    ¡°Less than you¡¯d expect. Helian was always fated to end up under the countess¡¯s protection, and as you¡¯ve seen, Lady Solana¡¯s attention was easy for her to gain. No action of mine could prevent Helian from becoming her latest pet.¡±


    The dame laughed. ¡°Would jealousy drive you to do such a thing? I thought better of you.¡±


    ¡°Dame Selene.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We both know what kind of person the countess is. You most of all.¡±


    ¡°Watch your tongue.¡± She was no longer amused.


    ¡°From my perspective, the prophecy is not a gift. The author that crafted it is a vile being, determined to make Helian suffer. Her encounter with Arsen Rydberg was merely the beginning. I gives this warning with all sincerity: The woman you love will become a monster.¡±


    Selene stood and faced the window. ¡°Then why drive your childhood friend into her arms in this way? Did you offer her up as a sacrifice in the hopes of gaining wealth and privilege?¡±


    Because Solana was Helian¡¯s favorite character, I think she would have sought after the countess even if I tried to keep them apart. I felt some guilt for not trying, though.


    ¡°What changed was the manner of their meeting. The prophecy foretold difficult weeks ahead of Helian before her rescue, and more lives claimed by the wretched Rydberg family. With the help of the countess ¨C with your aid, Dame Selene ¨C we saved multiple lives and I was able to spare Helian from some suffering. All in exchange for one life claimed ahead of schedule.¡±


    She turned back to me. ¡°But that¡¯s all, then. The prophecy continues, and now you seek my help to manipulate it once again for your own benefit.¡±


    ¡°If we do nothing, this estate will be reduced to ashes by the prophecy. Helian will be delivered from the arms of one monster into the clutches of another, and she will be all alone. I don¡¯t expect you to trust me, but I believe you understand why I¡¯ve chosen to confide in you. This future is one beyond my ability to change.¡±


    ¡°And I possess the power to change it?¡±


    ¡°If we follow the rules, I believe that together, we can defy fate. We can free the countess from the story¡¯s grip, and Helian can escape the worst of the author¡¯s schemes once more.¡±


    ¡°And you, XXXXX?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the luxury to think of myself with what¡¯s at stake. If I manage to survive all this, I¡¯ll consider that reward enough.¡±


    Selene walked over to me and extended her hand. ¡°Partners, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°I will not betray your trust, Dame Selene.¡± I shook her hand firmly.


    ¡°We¡¯d best make plans, then. I¡¯ll fetch a pen and paper from my office. Boil more water while you wait.¡±

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (3)

    After a day, I arrived at the Solana estate. As I walked through the front gates, I could see knights and squires sparring on a large practice field. The sight made me nostalgic ¨C I hadn¡¯t practiced swordplay in months, and I suppose I missed my routine back home.


    A maidservant rushed out from the main building to meet me. ¡°Lady Saintess! Thank you for coming. If you like, I¡¯ll lead you to your quarters.¡± She gestured for me to follow and began walking to the entrance.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything you require, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. It¡¯ll be my honor to attend to you during your stay on the estate. I assume you¡¯re tired from your journey and wish to rest, but I can have a bath or a meal prepared if you like.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you very much. A bath sounds divine¡­ you can call me Helian, by the way. What is your name?¡±


    The young lady blushed. ¡°I¡¯m honored, Lady Helian! My name is Rosa. To tell you the truth, I just started working here recently, so I hope you¡¯ll forgive me if I make any mistakes¡­ or if you see fit to have me replaced, I¡¯ll understand completely. You can just ask the head maid!¡±


    ¡°Do all the servants here have self-esteem problems, Rosa?¡±


    She tilted her head and thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure! The head maid is quite full of herself, but that¡¯s only proper since she¡¯s in charge of everything and very good at her job.¡±


    I made a mental note to be careful before asking Rosa questions in public. I wouldn¡¯t want the girl to get fired for her honesty.


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared a full-sized room for you with an attached bathroom and closet, up on the third floor. The countess sent strict orders ahead that we should have everything prepared. Oh, and that the room we selected should be on her floor, as well as without line-of-sight to the training field. She must like you a lot!¡±


    The training field? Does the countess think I¡¯m afraid of knights?


    Rosa¡¯s chatter continued.


    ¡°Most of the servants live in the annex next to the knights¡¯ administrative office, but the higher-ranking servants live on the fourth floor, so if anything happens while I¡¯m not around, just climb one flight of stairs and knock on random doors until someone comes out to help you! You might need to shout or really show the doors you mean business but that¡¯s just how it is!¡±


    And continued.


    ¡°The guest quarters are on the second floor, but right now we only have one guest, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll end up needing to visit that floor. In fact, according to Susan ¨C she¡¯s in charge of the kitchen, by the way ¨C we rarely get guests here at the estate in general, which must be why the countess was so eager to roll out the red carpet!¡±


    ¡°You said there¡¯s another guest? Who are they?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not rightly sure, Saintess Helian! I¡¯ve never had cause to visit the second floor, there being no guests other than the one guest, and she apparently doesn¡¯t have any attendants or companions so there¡¯s nobody for me to ask about her! I did hear a rumor from the steward though ¨C she¡¯s apparently an expert swordswoman! The guest, that is, not the steward. The steward walks with a cane and I¡¯m pretty sure it doesn¡¯t have a hidden blade inside or anything. Probably.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you anyway.¡±


    Just when I thought Rosa had finished talking, her face lit up as we passed an ornate dining room.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the first-floor dining hall! We have a smaller one on the third floor for when the countess wants to dine with her ¡®friends,¡¯ but when we¡¯re entertaining visitors or having a big party, we use the first-floor dining hall! The view through the windows is divine¡ªfloor-to-ceiling, by the way¡ªyou¡¯ve just got to see a sunset through them at least once! Don¡¯t go in at night though, it¡¯s haunted. People say the ghost of one of the estate¡¯s former lords stalks the halls of the first floor out of rage after being poisoned during his birthday dinner! Just the other day¡­¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all, Rosa. Thank you for the explanation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Lady Saintess!¡±


    ------


    At sunrise the next morning, a handsome woman knocked on the door to my quarters to deliver a breakfast invite from the countess. The woman introduced herself as Selene, the vice-commander of the Solana Knightly Order. Upon hearing the words ¡°dining room,¡± Rosa shrieked from inside of the closet (where she had been organizing my small collection of dresses and personal items).


    ¡°Breakfast in the third-floor dining room? But you don¡¯t have anything to wear! And I still need to do your hair and makeup! You don¡¯t even have any makeup in this bag¡ªdid you forget it? Is there another bag that got left behind? Should I go check the carriage house?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rosa! It¡¯s just breakfast!¡± I shouted.


    The tiny creature sprinted out of the closet and ran to me. ¡°Just breakfast? You don¡¯t understand! Even distinguished guests rarely visit the third-floor dining room! The people who¡¯ve even set foot inside probably number in the dozens at most! And you¡¯ll be dining with the countess! You need to look your best!¡±


    Dame Selene cleared her throat. ¡°Unless you need anything, I¡¯ll be going¡­¡±


    I turned back and bowed. ¡°Thank you so much for delivering the message, Dame. Please have a wonderful morning.¡±


    Rosa waited for the knight to leave and resumed chattering. ¡°She¡¯s so handsome! Sometimes I catch the other maids staring at her when they think she won¡¯t notice, but she practically has eyes in the back of her head! I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s because all the men she slayed on the battlefield were seduced by her beauty and their spirits follow her even in death, so she can see everything they see!¡±


    ¡°Rosa.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Helian?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d best get started on my hair.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Saintess Helian! I¡¯ll get right to it. But what will we do about your makeup? The bag with it must have gotten lost! I¡¯d offer to loan you some of mine, but I don¡¯t have anything that would suit your skin color, and we can¡¯t ask to borrow makeup from the countess because the last person who asked her what kind of makeup she used got fired and nobody ever saw or heard from her again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rosa. I don¡¯t use cosmetics.¡±


    ¡°I see, Lady Saintess! It must be a divine blessing! Your skin certainly looks fine without embellishment, if you don¡¯t mind me saying that. If I was a more jealous person, I¡¯d be standing in front of a full-length mirror, chanting ¡®mirror, mirror, mirror,¡¯ begging it to reveal the secret behind your beauty! But I guess I already know the secret, what with you being a gift from the heavens bearing historically unprecedented levels of wisdom and holy power!¡±


    I saw that word about events in the barony had already spread. To the girl¡¯s credit, she was skilled with her hands and managed to arrange my hair in a sophisticated style within minutes. It seemed appropriate for a holy woman, even if I didn¡¯t feel particularly holy.


    ¡°Now we just need to see to your dress! While we don¡¯t have many options, I have to say your taste is quite good, so I¡¯m sure we can find something workable in here.¡± The young maid wandered back into the closet and sifted through the clothing before emerging with a cream-colored dress I had purchased on Marie¡¯s suggestion (we went shopping to celebrate her new job).


    ¡°I think this one will work quite well! It¡¯s cheap, but not in an ¡®I¡¯m cheap¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯m poor¡¯ way. It¡¯s more cheap in an ¡®I¡¯m the saintess¡¯ way, you know?¡±


    I smiled and stared at her.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d agree! Do you want me to help you change into it?¡±


    ¡°Sure, Rosa. Go ahead.¡±


    In a state of near frenzy, Rosa stripped me out of my night clothes and zipped me into the dress within seconds. ¡°Thankfully we won¡¯t need to find a matching pair of heels for this dress because the shoes you brought are dreadful! I can tell you¡¯ve been wearing them for a while, and we really need to get you some new ones! Anyway, it¡¯s perfectly acceptable to wear slippers here in the main building, it¡¯s encouraged even since it protects the flooring. It¡¯s quite old¡ª¡±


    ¡°Rosa.¡±


    ¡°Right! Let me lead you to the dining room.¡±


    The dining room was just two doors down from mine. Rosa knocked three times, then opened the door for me as she announced quietly, ¡°Countess Solana, the saintess is here as you requested!¡±


    The young maid winked before closing the door behind me, and I felt my heart beat faster as the door slammed shut.

 How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (2)

    Selene had agreed that I should prioritize staying hidden while Helian was at the estate, which meant significant changes to my daily routine. I had to admit it was making me nervous, but there was no other choice.


    The longer we kept my presence secret, the more opportunities we would have to prepare for the climax of the next part of the story. I had to stay hidden (even as my exact motives were kept secret from the countess), but with the dame¡¯s help it was relatively easy. We worked together to ensure Helian wouldn¡¯t see much of the training field, and that I¡¯d remain undisturbed in my room on the second floor.


    Even if I wanted to be by Helian¡¯s side, it was a relief to know that she would be somewhere safe, if only for a while.


    Predictably, the countess rapidly lost interest in me after our new guest arrived. This meant my schedule and responsibilities were entirely up to Selene. I had my evening instruction from a rotating group of specialists, and every morning, one of the vice commander¡¯s aides delivered a tall stack of documents to my desk. When I asked her about it, Selene smiled and responded, ¡°if the saintess walks by, you can hide behind the paperwork.¡±


    A significant portion of our workload was related to the Rydberg barony, which had now fallen under the countess¡¯s purview. The continued investigation had resulted in the demotion or firing of a dozen ministers so far and we had identified a suburban manor used by the baron for his own weekend entertainment, resulting in a steady influx of evidence that the Lady Solana would review (and eventually forward to His Majesty).


    The week¡¯s end arrived swiftly, and as our scheduled meeting with the countess ended, Lady Solana stared into her wine glass and spoke to Selene. ¡°What of the tree-huggers?¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°My apologies, Sola, but that investigation has been going poorly. I have nothing new to report. The marchioness seems to have identified our agents and, as such, become selective about recruitment.¡±


    Solana smiled and glanced over at me. ¡°What a dilemma. Perhaps the saintess is a solution for our problems? I¡¯ll wager Lady Marigold would salivate at the thought of recruiting such a prestigious young lady to her little cult. And Helian has certainly demonstrated a talent for wrapping nobles around her finger¡­¡±


    The countess relished identifying a staffer¡¯s weak points and exploiting them for her amusement. Selene had cautioned me about this at length during one of our planning sessions, and I was starting to understand why. Were I not preoccupied with the vast quantity of work assigned to me, tonight¡¯s harassment would probably weigh upon my mind for days.


    Despite my best efforts, my expression soured and the countess laughed in response. ¡°Not to worry, little bird. I¡¯ll ensure your treasure doesn¡¯t come to harm. I¡¯ve taken good care of her thus far, have I not?¡± She swirled the wine in her glass, then downed the rest in one gulp. I really needed to work on my poker face.


    ¡­ what was a poker face, again? Another thing to search for in my notes.


    This mention of a cult had me on edge because as far as I knew, it was never in the novel. Either Helian had kept this information to herself, or worse, still, it was a new introduction to the plot. If only I could ask her...


    The revelation of Helian¡¯s status as the saintess had already put much of my plan in jeopardy. It filled me with dread to imagine some sort of religious power struggle entering the picture. If the priestesses managed to sequester her in the temple, we would have no choice but to beg for the king¡¯s assistance.

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (4)

    The countess frequently invited me for meals in the third-floor dining room or the occasional private drinking party in her bedroom. To my surprise, she refrained from calling me into her office after my first visit, perhaps because she noticed my reaction to the sight of the balcony. I should really work on that¡­ I can¡¯t let simple architecture rattle me.


    My anticipation for this part of the story was quickly tempered. Her personality was worse than the impression given by the novel, and based on what the maids whispered when they thought I was out of earshot, it seemed that I was subject to unusual treatment compared to the countess¡¯s previous ¡°friends.¡± She seemed to delight in making me uncomfortable, often staring at me with a strange expression, as if comparing me against some private, unknowable standard.


    Regardless, she quickly capitalized on my apparent vulnerability to her charms. I had to exercise caution because she took every opportunity to keep my glass filled with wine, plying me with sweets and honeyed words at the same time. My spartan diet and villager¡¯s upbringing had left me unfamiliar with these types of indulgent experiences, so it was hard to stay focused and restrain my feelings. While her confidence and way with words had appealed to me when I¡¯d first read the novel, now that we were face-to-face, they felt threatening.


    It felt nice to be treasured, at least. There was a sense of familiarity to it, and after my time spent in the young lord¡¯s company, it was a welcome comfort and change of pace. The countess was careful to pull back when necessary, ever guided by her refined sense of decorum and gift for reading people¡¯s emotions ¨C skills honed over the course of dozens of flings with maids and noblewomen.


    By this point, my stay at the estate had lasted into a few weeks, long enough for the countess to be comfortable enough around me to lower her guard. During one of our drinking parties, I decided to raise a question that had been weighing on my mind all this time.


    ¡°Lady Solana, I remain grateful for the assistance you provided at the baron¡¯s estate those few weeks ago. I¡¯ve grown curious, though. How was it you knew to come for me?¡±


    The countess narrowed her eyes and smiled. ¡°While I must protect my sources, suffice it to say a little bird fluttered her wings and brought a message to me. This led to us uncovering the young Lord Arsen¡¯s crimes, and it was only natural to seek him out at the party. I consider it a blessing from the heavens that I arrived in time.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    The countess emphasized the word ¡®fluttered¡¯ by wiggling her fingers, and both the gesture and word gave way to discomfort deep in my chest.


    Little bird? It can¡¯t be.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you raised the topic of that incident, however. As much as I¡¯m reluctant to ask this of the saintess, there¡¯s a matter with which I require your assistance, as it may be akin to your past experiences. I won¡¯t demand anything of you, but I would be sincerely grateful if you¡¯d give it your consideration.¡±


    At the very least, I sorely needed a distraction from all the questions that had been swirling in my mind. I nodded.


    ¡°A marchioness from a neighboring territory hosts frequent parties at estates throughout the kingdom, and the rumors I¡¯ve heard have me quite concerned. If there¡¯s any truth to the reports, heresy of a grand scale may be involved. I dread the possibility that some of the king¡¯s vassals could get swept up in this matter and face excommunication, or worse.¡±


    While royal decree had established formal freedom of religion in the kingdom, the temple of Metis still represented the official faith, and as such, charges of heresy carried severe implications. At minimum, heretics could be sanctioned by the temple. In more severe cases one would be excommunicated, resulting in a prohibition from holding public office or having one¡¯s marriage formally recognized.


    And while it hadn¡¯t occurred in decades, the law still allowed for summary execution in the event of great offenses against the Goddess Metis. If a cult rose in profile to the point of meriting the countess¡¯s attention, it was possible the temple could make such a demand.


    ¡°If these gatherings are truly the work of a cult, Lady Solana, would they welcome a saintess into their midst? I can¡¯t imagine they adhere to the teachings of Metis.¡±


    ¡°Under normal circumstances, certainly not. But the sudden announcement of your status at the baron¡¯s party gives the impression that you are yet unfamiliar with the temple¡¯s teachings. With some coaxing, I suspect Lady Marigold could be convinced to see you as a frail little doe that could be influenced to share her way of thought. Your lack of religious upbringing should be an asset, as you lack habits common to Metis¡¯s loyal worshippers.¡±


    The countess paused and narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°In any case, Miss Helian, give the matter some thought. Discussing this has soured my mood, so I¡¯ll ask for some privacy for the rest of the night. I apologize if you had any other expectations for the evening¡­ I¡¯ll make it up to you tomorrow.¡±

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (5)

    The previous evening¡¯s discussion left me with a tangle of racing thoughts, so after concluding breakfast with Lady Solana the next morning, I excused myself and took some time to wander the estate.


    The countess had given me free rein of the property so long as either Rosa or Dame Selene accompanied me. ¡°We can¡¯t have you straying too far from my side, after all¡± she had explained while caressing my cheek.


    Why is the countess so different from my expectations? Was the novel written to be misleading? Or did something cause her to change?


    And what had caused the plot itself to change? The identity of Arsen¡¯s murderer remained a mystery and it was unclear how they had made their way up to the balcony undetected. No matter how many times I asked, the countess refused to divulge the identity of her informant. The fondness with which she referred to them made me anxious enough that I eventually gave up on the topic entirely.


    My walk led me to the stables next to the knights¡¯ training field. A pair of young squires leaned up against the neighboring wall chatting, while a stable boy stood near the entrance tending to one of the horses. Rosa recognized the squires immediately, and after getting my consent she scurried over to speak to them. The tall squire¡¯s eyes glazed over as the maid unleashed a fusillade of words, and then the smaller squire gripped Rosa¡¯s hands tightly as she began a monologue of her own. As I entered the stables, I chose to let their conversation pass in one ear and out the other.


    The spacious building was dimly lit and filled with the familiar scent of fresh hay. I glanced at the troughs and saw that they were filled with fresh water. Good. The way a person treated their horses reflected their virtues, so it was reassuring to see that the countess and her staff understood that. Most of the berths were occupied by young war horses, with a few exotic breeds near the front ¨C likely the personal property of the countess or ranking knights.


    The horse being attended to by the stable boy caught my attention. As I approached, she raised her head to greet me and nudged my hand with her nose.


    Suddenly, it became very hard to breathe.


    How did you get here, Rime? Why are you here?


    ¡°Excuse me, stablehand. Whose horse is this?¡±


    The young man thought for a moment, then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam, but I don¡¯t know. I only started here last week.¡± It seemed I had a knack for only encountering new hires, and I began to wonder if that was truly a coincidence.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Overhearing us, the two squires stepped into the stables, followed by Rosa.


    ¡°I happened to overhear your conversation, my lady ¨C were you asking about that horse?¡± the handsome squire asked.


    ¡°Yes, I was hoping to learn who she belonged to¡­ I¡¯ve met this horse before, in my hometown.¡±


    She shouldn¡¯t be here.


    The energetic squire walked up to Rime and patted her on the head. ¡°She¡¯s an affectionate old girl, isn¡¯t she? She belongs to one of the applicants from the order¡¯s tryouts during the spring.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°A squire brought his own horse?¡±


    The elegant squire paused for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°The horse doesn¡¯t belong to a squire ¨C her owner wasn¡¯t selected.¡±


    This made no sense. Ignoring the question of how XXXXX could have ended up here in the first place, why would she leave her horse behind?


    ¡°Then why is this horse still here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can answer that!¡± replied the other trainee. ¡°Her owner failed to become a squire, that¡¯s true, but it¡¯s because the lady caught the countess¡¯s eye! I see her around the estate from time to time, coming in and out of the servants¡¯ entrance and the administrative building. I haven¡¯t had a chance to speak with her about it, though¡­¡±


    I struggled to focus on the conversation. My mind filled with white noise. What the hell was going on?


    Rosa grew excited upon hearing this. ¡°Oh! She must be the lady guest from the second floor! Just the other day, Julia told me ¨C Julia works in the laundry room, you see ¨C that the guest¡¯s clothing always comes back covered in dirt and bloodstains! She has a dress uniform, as well, so perhaps the rumors were right and she¡¯s a dashing swordmaster? Could she be one of Dame Selene¡¯s secret agents, or even the Lady Solana¡¯s personal-¡±


    The tall squire shushed Rosa before she could finish. ¡°My lady, how about you join us for tea? Ruby and I share a room in a quiet corner of the annex where we¡¯re not likely to be overheard. We could continue our conversation there.¡±


    How could XXXXX possibly have ended up working for the countess? Did I slip up and tell her too much about Solana? Why hadn¡¯t I seen her around the estate even once?


    The vivacious squire nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s a fantastic idea! She¡¯s Sapphire, by the way.¡± She grabbed her companion by the shoulder as she said this.


    Rosa clapped her hands. ¡°Okay! Why don¡¯t you follow them to the annex, Lady Saintess? I¡¯ll prepare tea and bring it to their room in no time. And snacks! We¡¯ve got to have snacks to replenish our energy. Do you have your own cups, Ruby? If not, I¡¯ll bring some, and I should prepare a blanket for Lady Helian in case the room is too drafty¡­¡±


    Does she know I¡¯m here? If so, why didn¡¯t she come to me immediately? Is she in trouble somehow? Is she¡­ angry with me?


    Sapphire smiled and patted Rosa on the shoulder before pushing her towards the main building. ¡°Okay, dear. I¡¯ll leave you to it. Please bring four teacups.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Did she call you Lady Saintess? You¡¯re the woman who exposed the evil baron! I¡¯ve been dying to meet you!¡±

 How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (3)

    My concerns had suddenly multiplied.


    After reviewing a stack of invoices, I stretched and idly gazed out my room¡¯s window, only to see Ruby dragging Helian to the annex, with Sapphire trailing behind her. Was this a coincidence?


    Then, I realized: they were leaving the stables.


    Rime.


    I should have moved her off the estate. That was foolish of me.


    I needed to notify Selene about this immediately, and the countess would surely mock me for this slip-up. If we hurried, I could potentially relocate to an inn near the estate to avoid encountering Helian for the time being. It would interfere with my training and worsen Selene¡¯s workload, but it could be the right choice¡­


    I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d made such an obvious mistake. Everything was at risk now.


    A knock came at the door, just in time. "XXXXX.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Dame Selene. Come in.¡±


    She frowned as she closed the door behind her. ¡°What¡¯ve you done now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve stepped in it. I think Helian recognized my horse¡­ she¡¯s talking with two of the squires right now.¡±


    ¡°The childhood sweethearts, I assume?¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Guessed it in one.¡± I sighed. ¡°This is a disaster.¡± I paused before continuing. ¡°I should have been more careful¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to do now. Now that she knows I¡¯m here, she¡¯ll probably figure everything out. The rest of the plan is a wreck. Should I leave the estate?¡±


    Selene shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Even if you leave, the little chatterbox will tell her all about you. We have no choice but to come up with new plans and pass this all off as a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure she¡¯ll believe it. I¡¯m rather bad at lying¡­ what should I do if she asks about the barony?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me. I interact with her on a regular basis, so it won¡¯t be strange if I take the lead on this matter. I¡¯ll introduce you as one of my aides who works here in the county. It¡¯s not false, not technically, so you can see it as being honest¡­ what¡¯s more, an administrative aide would have no reason to attend a nobles¡¯ gathering in the barony.¡±


    I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m truly sorry to trouble you with this¡­ I¡¯ll need to be far more cautious going forward. I think I got too comfortable here.¡±


    Or maybe some part of me had made this mistake on purpose. I couldn¡¯t deny I wanted to see her again, speak to her again, hear her voice again ¡ª no matter the consequences.


    ¡°More time to yourself, you say? I must not be assigning you enough work.¡± The dame smiled. ¡°You¡¯d best prepare your dress uniform. I¡¯ll be inviting you and the saintess to dinner in the first-floor dining hall tonight, so be on your best behavior and try not to look like a convicted criminal facing the guillotine.¡±


    The countess¡¯s previous words about my neck rose unbidden from my memory. I hoped she wouldn¡¯t count this as poor behavior¡­ Perhaps she would let me off with a couple evenings of strict instruction and then return to flirting with Helian.


    Selene excused herself. After replacing the cap on my fountain pen, I made sure both of my desk drawers were securely locked before getting my dress uniform out of the closet.


    After some thought, I returned to the desk and retrieved my earrings. The ones Helian had given me. Wearing personal jewelry on duty was frowned upon in the order, but I couldn¡¯t have Helian think I had forgotten her just because we parted ways.

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (6)

    As Rosa and I returned to my room after our gathering with the squires, Selene¡¯s voice roused me from my thoughts. ¡°Lady Saintess.¡±


    This was convenient timing. ¡°Yes, Dame Selene? Can I help you?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, your presence would be appreciated in the first-floor dining room tonight. Some of us are gathering for a meal and it would be my pleasure to introduce you to the staff.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That sounds nice. I¡¯ll get ready in my room. Please send for me whenever you like.¡±


    Rosa clapped. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! I¡¯ve been wanting to see you in one of the new dresses from the countess. The one with the black lace would be a perfect match for the grim atmosphere of the dining hall, and you ¨C¡±


    Selene waved politely and walked away.


    ¡°¨C could pair it with the onyx hairpin and necklace set as an accent. We¡¯re not in a hurry, so we should braid your hair this time! Since it¡¯s a group gathering, we should make sure to pick an elegant and understated perfume that will accentuate your beauty without drawing too much attention, perhaps lavender? Oh, and as a contrast to the onyx you could wear the opal bracelet on your left wrist¡­ I wish you were going out on an evening date so you could wear your new heels, but I suppose slippers will have to do. Let¡¯s get to work!¡±


    With this, the little chatterbox gestured towards the mirror and waited for me to sit.


    The sudden invitation from the dame right after my encounter with the childhood sweethearts felt like yet another coincidence. I hoped it wasn¡¯t a bad omen.


    ------This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The countess loudly greeted me as I entered the dining hall. She was sitting at the head of the table, and before my arrival she had been speaking with Dame Selene, who sat to her left. ¡°Lady Helian, I¡¯m so glad you could make it! I worried you would sleep early after wandering the estate this afternoon. You seemed so tired after last night.¡± Selene frowned in response to this. The countess beckoned me to sit at the empty seat to her right. ¡°Please, have a seat! The staff will be bringing out an appetizer in just a few moments.¡±


    I bowed politely, then made my way to Lady Solana¡¯s side and took my seat. A waiter strolled over from the corner of the room and politely asked for my choice of beverage. I had a feeling I would need a stiff drink, so I requested the strongest wine available. The countess chuckled. My gaze drifted to the right, past Selene.


    And there was XXXXX. Looking right at me. A familiar discomfort made its return¡ªonce again, I found it hard to breathe.


    You shouldn¡¯t be here. Why are you here? How can I make you leave?


    My chest was painfully tight. I saw that Selene¡¯s lips were moving, but I couldn¡¯t hear anything.


    The countess squeezed my hand and pulled my attention back to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Helian? You look as if you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    I thought back to Rosa¡¯s stories and made my best excuse. ¡°To tell you the truth, Lady Solana, I¡¯ve heard some worrying tales about the first-floor dining hall¡­ I guess I can¡¯t help but feel some trepidation.¡±


    Solana clapped. ¡°Ah, yes, the dearly departed lord! You needn¡¯t worry, we had him exorcised last year. In any case, were he to return to haunt the estate, I would merely kill him again to ensure he learned his lesson.¡± Selene cleared her throat. ¡°But where are my manners, we¡¯re overdue for introductions!¡±


    ¡°To my left we have the legendary moonlight swordswoman, terror of the battlefield, champion of the seven years¡¯ campaign, Dame Selene. She is my closest ally and if any trouble should visit you during your stay here on the estate or at any point in the future, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask for her assistance.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°The dame and I have already met. She¡¯s been very helpful.¡±


    ¡°Good! I expected no less.¡±


    The countess then gestured towards XXXXX.

 How a Little Bird Hid in the Boughs (4)

    The countess had clearly been day drinking. As such, anything could happen.


    I prayed fervently to no god in particular for their mercy, hoping that Lady Solana would refrain from saying anything reckless and allow the evening to proceed without any disruptions.


    As I looked to Selene for reassurance, the countess gestured in my direction.


    ¡°This young lady here is XXXXX. I can see you were struck by her beauty just a moment ago, and I completely understand! The little bird found her way onto my estate earlier this year and she¡¯s been a fantastic addition to the staff. I¡¯m sure Selene would gladly sing her praises as well, were she not so reluctant to pamper the aides and trainees.¡±


    As the countess said ¡®little bird,¡¯ I flinched involuntarily.


    ¡°Now that I think of it¡­ when we first met, she told me she grew up in the southern part of the Rydberg barony. There must be something in the water for two talents such as you young ladies to emerge from there in the same year! In any case, XXXXX, this fine visage in front of you is the Saintess Helian, from the rumors, right here in the flesh!¡±


    I nodded and did my best to reply without my voice cracking. ¡°We¡¯ve met, Countess.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°You have?¡±


    Helian frowned. ¡°Yes, Lady Solana. We grew up together.¡±


    The countess grinned from ear to ear and lifted her glass for an impromptu toast. ¡°What are the odds? Marvelous, marvelous. To fated reunions, then!¡±


    After our toast, the countess proceeded to introduce the rest of the aides and knights seated at the table.


    The wait staff entered the room with a selection of appetizers.


    After filling her plate with the sweetest items available and gesturing for the waiter to refill her drink, Helian turned to stare at me ¨Cat my earrings, to be precise ¨C then asked one of the few questions I hoped not to hear.


    ¡°What have you been up to?¡±


    I sipped my wine. ¡°Not too much¡­ Dame Selene keeps me busy with paperwork, and I train with the squires during the afternoons to keep my sword sharp. I¡¯m truly grateful to Lady Solana for giving me an opportunity like this.¡± I gestured towards the countess with my glass.


    Helian drank her wine without breaking eye contact. ¡°The countess is a remarkable woman, so I¡¯m not surprised that she recognized your talent. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve learned a lot from her.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Ah. I¡¯m screwed.


    I cleared my throat. ¡°Ah¡­ yes, she¡¯s an example for any aspiring swordswoman. I¡¯ve learned a great deal by being here. Anyway¡­ how are you doing? It¡¯s great to see you again.¡±


    Helian finished her glass in one large gulp. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a surprise to see you too. I¡¯ve been busy, as you know, but my stay here with the countess has been a nice chance to relax. It¡¯s a shame that things are going to become complicated again.¡±


    The countess was having the time of her life. Meanwhile, I could feel Selene¡¯s discomfort rolling off her in waves. And Helian looked like she wanted to kill me. I couldn¡¯t blame her.


    Still, I had to keep up appearances. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Helian. Let me know if I can do anything to help, though I¡¯m not sure how much time I¡¯ll have to spare¡­ there¡¯s been a lot of paperwork to handle lately.¡±


    Lady Solana finally saw fit to rescue me from my predicament. ¡°Helian, darling, if you keep staring at her like that, I¡¯ll get lonely! If I¡¯m not mistaken, you were XXXXX¡¯s swordplay tutor, am I right? You must tell me about your instructor. And if you feel up to it, perhaps you could grant me the pleasure of a sparring match during your stay? It¡¯s always a delight to get some exercise with a beautiful young lady.¡±


    ------


    After Helian excused herself at the end of dinner, I bid the countess a polite farewell. ¡°Have a good evening, Lady Solana. Thank you for the meal.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! Thank you for your company tonight.¡± She nodded towards Selene. ¡°Please make sure she makes it safely to her quarters.¡±


    It¡¯s not as if I was drunk¡­ probably. As I carefully stood from my seat and left the table on mostly-steady legs, the dame walked ahead of me and waited at the door, watching me with concern.


    Don¡¯t look at me like that Selene, I¡¯m fine¡­


    As I thought this, I stumbled over a thick wrinkle in the ornate rug and fell right into the arms of the exasperated knight.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I tripped.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you did. Be careful.¡±


    We slowly made our way up to the second floor and she led me to my room, entering briefly to remove the spare bottle of wine from my cabinet. Yes, that was probably wise. Thank you, Dame Selene, for your consideration and wisdom.


    ¡°Thank you, Dame Selene, for your consideration and wisdom.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to say that¡­ I think I should go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Good night, XXXXX. I¡¯ll see you at the meeting in the morning.¡±


    With that, she turned and closed the door behind her.


    ------


    I carefully hung up my dress uniform, then took off my earrings and placed them in my desk drawer, making certain to lock it afterward.


    As I turned out the lights, a knock came at my door. I moved to answer it.


    ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    The door flew open and hit me in the face, knocking me flat on my rear. A woman entered, silhouetted by the light from the hallway.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot to answer for.¡±


    My visitor shut the door, locking it behind her.

 How Two Little Birds Hid in the Boughs

    Good evening Helian. You¡¯re looking wonderful as usual.


    ¡°Good evening, Helian¡­ you¡¯re looking wonderful as usual¡­¡±


    I took Helian¡¯s offered hand and attempted to get up off the floor. She promptly grabbed me by the neck with her other hand and slammed me up against the wall.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she screamed.


    ¡°Going to bed.¡±


    ¡°You promised!¡± Her grip loosened.


    ¡°I kept my promise.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me! This isn¡¯t what I wanted and you know it.¡± Helian¡¯s breath was hot on my face.


    ¡°What do you want, then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t make sense anymore, and it¡¯s all because you had to screw with things! None of this is going right!¡± She collapsed onto my bed and looked down at her feet.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call what happened before ¡®going right.¡¯¡± I sat down next to her.


    ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m a saintess now! Am I supposed to cure the blind? Will my tears be holy water? This is your fault!¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I took her hand gently. ¡°I know. None of this is your fault; it¡¯s mine.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t see her face clearly in the dark, but I knew from the sound of her voice that she had started crying. ¡°You kept the earrings.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Rime looks healthy.¡±


    ¡°I visit her whenever I can.¡±


    ¡°What are we going to do? You¡¯re in danger.¡±


    ¡°No one can see us right now, Helian. No one knows you¡¯re here.¡± I hugged her tightly. ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± She gripped me tightly. ¡°What have you told them already? What do you know?¡±


    ¡°I told the countess as much as she needed to know to protect you. And all I know¡­ is what you¡¯ve already told me.¡±


    ¡°I told you to stay out of sight. You shouldn¡¯t be here. We can¡¯t be together.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. Why can¡¯t we just keep one more secret?¡±


    Helian flipped me onto the bed, pressing her nose flush against my neck. ¡°You smell like roses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The perfume was a gift from the countess.


    ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡±


    ¡°I thought of you.¡±


    She traced the back of my ear with the tip of her fingernail and whispered. ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always on my mind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She bit gently into my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll always be my little bird.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°This all exists for me, you know? So, you do, too.¡±


    The moon hung high in the dark, night sky. Helian began to unbutton my shirt.

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (7)

    As the sun rose, I quietly entered my assigned room on the third floor. Rosa got up from her chair and greeted me politely. ¡°Good morning, Lady Saintess! I hope you had a pleasant evening.¡±


    Yes, I did.


    ¡°Thank you, Rosa. If you could prepare a bath for me, that would be wonderful.¡±


    She nodded and went to run the water, speaking to me from the other room while she did so.


    ¡°Are you hungry? I can get a snack from the kitchen if you are. It¡¯s important to restore your blood sugar after vigorous exercise, otherwise you¡¯ll experience a ¡®crash¡¯ and feel weak. We wouldn¡¯t want you to pass out in the tub¡ªyou could drown! Do you want me to add flowers or oils to the bathwater, Saintess Helian?¡±


    I followed Rosa into the bathroom and undressed. ¡°Yes, that would be nice. Do you have rose oil?¡±


    ¡°We do, Lady Helian. I¡¯ll add it to the water now.¡± After doing so, she turned to face me and blushed. ¡°Do you¡­ need me to get any ointment for¡­ bug bites? Or some bandages?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Rosa. Can I ask you to get me that snack now? I promise not to fall asleep in the tub.¡±


    ¡°Right away. I¡¯ll be back to wash your hair in no time.¡±


    The air inside the main building had not yet been warmed by the sun, and the bathroom tiles were cold to the touch. As I climbed into the hot bathwater, I shivered involuntarily. I sank in and lied back, closing my eyes.


    I needed to convince XXXXX to leave the estate somehow.


    I could tell now that she was determined to protect everyone, but that just wasn¡¯t an option. The situation couldn¡¯t be resolved through simple subterfuge this time, and she had no hope of defeating the kingdom¡¯s greatest swordswoman, even if she had assistance. If the two of us worked together we could probably defeat her, but then it would be impossible to avoid the author¡¯s interference.


    I can¡¯t risk everything just to keep her by my side.


    Rosa quietly returned to the bathroom and began shampooing my hair.


    ¡°Hello, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you, Lady Saintess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. You¡¯re doing a good job.¡±


    We both remained silent as she continued her task. I suppose she knew how to read the mood when the situation called for it.


    The problem I faced was finding a way to compel XXXXX to listen to me. It was clear that simple requests wouldn¡¯t work, and it was impossible to threaten her with any sincerity. Perhaps there was someone else she¡¯d listen to? I could trick the countess into sending her away on some sort of mission, and then she wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse ¨C and even if she did, she¡¯d be ejected from the estate, which would solve the problem. That would do.


    I felt some guilt when I thought of the trainees and estate staff dying needlessly, but it would be too dangerous to try and send additional people away. Such behavior would attract attention. With any luck, Ruby and Sapphire would be away from the estate at the time this all went down.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with your hair, Lady Helian. Would you like me to heat the water back up?¡±


    I should make sure to send Rosa out on an errand when the time is right. Maybe she can pick out a nice dress for me. ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    I remained in the bath for a while longer until my skin was bright red. Until my arrival at the estate, I hadn¡¯t had a proper bath in decades, so I now found myself in the habit of overindulging.


    ------


    As usual, the countess invited me to the third-floor dining room for dinner, but tonight, the invitation was delivered by Dame Selene instead of one of the servants, and she had an unreadable expression on her face.


    When I entered the dining room, the door locked behind me. The table was only set for one.


    ¡°Good evening, Helian. What have you been up to?¡±


    ¡°Since we last spoke, Lady Solana, not very much. I had a bath this morning, which was very relaxing ¨C thank you for assigning me quarters with a full-sized tub. I sincerely appreciate it. After my bath, I ate lunch outside, and then I went for a short horseback ride around the outskirts of the estate. After that, I retired to my room to read.¡±


    The countess nodded. ¡°I see. Do you remember my words when I gave you permission to wander the estate?¡±


    Was this a trick question? ¡°You said that I could explore freely as long as I was accompanied by Dame Selene or my assigned maidservant."


    "Yes, precisely. Did you heed my words?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Countess. I¡¯ve had one or both at my side any time I ventured outside or explored the estate. To be honest, I feel guilty for wasting so much of the dame¡¯s time.¡±


    Lady Solana narrowed her eyes and frowned. ¡°Which one of them was with you last night?¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Last night. You didn¡¯t return to your room. I know where you were, but I want to know who was accompanying you. Which of them was it?¡±


    ¡°Neither, Countess. I wasn¡¯t aware that visiting the second floor counted as exploring the estate. And I believe you know who was accompanying me. I was in no danger.¡±


    The countess closed her eyes and spread her arms wide. ¡°That isn¡¯t the issue, Helian. I fear that in my excitement to welcome you to the estate, I wasn¡¯t clear enough about what I expect from my people. The first and foremost virtue you are to demonstrate is obedience.¡±


    I had been foolish. If I¡¯d wanted XXXXX to stay out of sight, the last thing I should have done was look at her. But I couldn¡¯t pull my gaze away.


    I could have just gone back to my room. I should have.


    ¡°The condition I set for your freedom is not onerous, is it?¡±


    ¡°No, Countess. It is not.¡±


    ¡°And it is simple to comply with my conditions, is it not?¡±


    ¡°It is very straightforward, Countess.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you neglect to do so last night? Was your maidservant away without leave? Did Selene refuse your request for assistance?¡±


    ¡°No, Countess. The fault does not lie with them.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to this indiscretion of yours, I believe I¡¯ve come to understand the cause of a few different problems weighing on my mind as of late. You see, I have a little bird in my possession. She sings quite beautifully, and I need only wave my hand and she will flit to and fro as I wish.¡±


    She looked seriously at me.


    ¡°But this little bird once had a mate, and that mate taught her some bad habits. Now I find another little bird has flown onto my estate, and it shares the same unacceptable tendencies. I realize now that allowing the two to flock together was a significant error on my part. The only appropriate step in this situation is to return them to their cages where they can¡¯t misbehave until I have a chance to educate them properly.¡±


    The countess¡¯s eyes were clouded, and though she stared at me, she did not see me. She stood and walked to the door, knocking three times before speaking. ¡°Selene, please escort Saintess Helian to her quarters, and have someone ensure she remains there.¡±

 How a Lily Flourished Among Weeds

    A knock came at my door late in the evening. Having learned my lesson, I asked who was visiting before opening it. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Dame Selene opened the door without waiting for permission, then closed it and locked it behind her. ¡°We¡¯re out of time.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± I hurried to unlock my desk and remove the stack of notes from the left drawer. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­ everything else has gone mostly according to plan. Does this mean the rest of the plot is going to proceed early, too?¡±


    Selene set the kettle down on my desk and placed two cups alongside it before taking a seat on my bed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Helian made a mistake this time.¡±


    This was about last night. I should have sent her away¡­ or skipped dinner entirely. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s what happened. Was the countess furious?¡±


    ¡°She was. The saintess has been confined to her quarters. And¡­ it seems your other prediction was correct.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Already? That¡¯s not right. The countess wouldn¡¯t take leave of her senses so easily, even with the author¡¯s interference. It¡¯s not supposed to happen until much later¡­¡±


    ¡°Sola didn¡¯t even listen to me when I spoke to her. Even now she¡¯s just sitting in her office, staring out the window. The good news is that she neglected to give me any specific instructions on how to handle you. I expect she plans to deal with that matter tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°I see. We¡¯ll have to make do with the time we have left and figure out a solution.¡± The plan was already a mess before this, but now our only option would be to improvise.


    After checking the tea¡¯s temperature with her hand, Selene filled our cups to the brim and took a small sip from her own. She looked into the distance.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste the same as it used to.¡±


    ------


    Selene knew Solana well. As she¡¯d predicted, I was summoned to the countess¡¯s office late in the morning


    The dame was waiting by the door. She did not turn to face me as I entered.


    ¡°You asked to see me, Countess?¡±


    ¡°That I did.¡± She gestured for me to stand in front of her desk, so I did as instructed. She stared at me for a few moments, expressionless.


    ¡°Do you understand why I¡¯ve summoned you?¡±


    ¡°I understand the situation quite well, Countess.¡±


    ¡°Then in that case, do you know what I expect of you?¡±


    ¡°I understand what you expect of me, as well, Countess.¡±


    ¡°How do you plan to go about meeting my expectations, little bird?¡±


    ¡°I have no such intention, Countess. You are not in your right mind.¡±


    In one fluid motion, Lady Solana stood and drew her sword, pointing it at me from across the desk.


    ¡°This is the second time this week that one of my pets has disobeyed my instructions. I like to think that my instructions are easy to understand. Do you struggle to understand me, little bird?¡±


    ¡°I do not, Countess.¡±


    ¡°Then when I told you how you could keep your head attached to your shoulders, did you believe I was joking? Or did you merely deem me unworthy of your obedience?¡±


    ¡°Neither of those guesses are correct, Countess. You always speak truth with sincerity.¡±


    Solana¡¯s face flared red with rage. ¡°Then why are we having this discussion right now?¡±


    ¡°Because the saintess¡¯s prophecy has you caught in its jaws, Lady Solana, and if you do not let her go, it will devour you whole. I hoped to have time to explain before the situation came to this point.¡± I took a breath. ¡°I¡¯ve failed you.¡±


    The countess pressed the blade of her sword against my neck. ¡°An insect like you dares to counsel me? Give me one reason not to kill you where you stand right now. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    Dame Selene shouted. ¡°Sola!¡±


    The countess and I whipped around at the sound of her voice. It was enough of a distraction to make me forget my situation. I felt blood trickle down my neck. A shallow cut, at least.


    ¡°You¡¯ve strayed from the path.¡± The vice commander¡¯s hand was trembling, but she kept her fingers firm around the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°If you continue like this, I¡¯ll drag you back by force.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You as well, then?¡± Lady Solana¡¯s voice dripped with contempt. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t trust the little bird to stay in its cage, but I thought at the very least, my loyal attendant would take my side. Do you covet my possessions? Or have you merely grown tired of me?¡±


    The dame¡¯s face darkened with anger. ¡°For you of all people to say that¡­ Perhaps you¡¯re right and I¡¯ve grown tired of all this.¡±


    The countess sheathed her sword in its scabbard and wordlessly left the room. Selene quickly followed after her.


    My neck stung.


    ------


    All the knights present on the estate had gathered around the training field, along with many of the servants and administrative staff. Lady Solana and her retainer stood opposite each other in the center, wearing aged leather armor from their days together on the battlefield.


    The countess spat on the ground before loudly addressing the audience.


    ¡°Dame Selene has disrespected me and my authority. In tribute to her long and distinguished service, instead of executing her on the spot, I¡¯ve granted the dame a chance to redeem her honor¡ª with a duel.¡± Her voice was strong and steady with authority. ¡°Watch carefully and understand what it means to challenge me.¡±


    Ruby stood off to my left with a practice sword limply hanging from her right hand. It seems she and Sapphire had been sparring before this scene interrupted them. They were now holding onto each other tightly by the arm and the elder girl was on the verge of tears.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if Rufus was present, but given his admiration for the dame, it was probably best if he only learned of this second-hand.


    Lady Solana¡¯s back was turned to us and while I couldn¡¯t see her face, I could easily imagine her expression. It burdened my heart to think that she would wield it against someone as devoted as her vice-commander. In the end, no other member of the order stood a chance against the countess. This was the only way to pull her from the pit she had fallen into.


    ¡°Since you took the initiative to defy me in this manner, Dame Selene, I¡¯ll grant you the opportunity to strike first. I¡¯ll be claiming the last strike, in any case.¡±


    The countess drew her sword and held it one-handed, patiently waiting.


    Instead of drawing her blade, the dame placed one hand on its grip and began walking towards the countess. Her hands no longer trembled as they had earlier in the office. As she crossed the center point of the field, her expression shifted instantly. Lady Solana flinched.


    The sound of clashing steel reached our ears before our eyes could process what was unfolding in front of us. The sun gleamed off the tip of the dame¡¯s sword, tracing an elegant after-image behind a movement so swift my gaze could scarcely follow it.


    I had never seen Dame Selene draw her sword before, and from the expressions of the gathered crowd, it seemed few of them had either. The war veterans watched with a mix of resignation and satisfaction, as if to say ¡°well, this had to happen eventually¡± or ¡°serves you right, Countess.¡± The civilians and new recruits, however, were openly terrified. The elegant vice-commander had transformed before them into a herald of death, with the eyes of a starving animal.


    I realized she was exactly that. She had been starved of the attention she deserved for a very long time, and now, at last, the countess¡¯s eyes ¨C clouded by the author¡¯s interference as they were ¨C saw her, only her.


    Her blade slashed wildly from every angle, each time crossing within a hair¡¯s breadth of the countess¡¯s chest, arms, or legs. The pace of her advance left no room to breathe, and Lady Solana began to retreat as she was pushed toward the perimeter of the training field, approaching us with every forced step backward.


    The countess struck out with her blade in return, meeting one of the dame¡¯s swipes head on, interrupting it immediately. With a hard flick, the sword was wrenched from Selene¡¯s hand. As it flew into the air, Ruby whispered ¡°no!¡± while a group of trainees scattered to avoid the flying projectile. No matter¡ªas the dame leapt backward, she effortlessly snatched her sword from the air before landing gracefully back down on the ground, maintaining her poise.


    Solana pressed her attack.


    In contrast to the wild onslaught of Selene¡¯s blows, the countess¡¯s technique was elegant and restrained. She was the embodiment of the twelve forms that were often drilled into our bodies during training. She swung, thrust, feinted, and parried effortlessly as if it were as natural as breathing. The dame had no choice but to slowly retreat. For the moment, the roles had flipped, and the hungry beast was now prey.


    As the duel continued, the two women danced back and forth, pressing the advantage for minutes at a time before feverishly defending. Their armor accumulated countless gashes and scratches while their blades went slick with blood and sweat.


    At some point in the melee, the countess¡¯s hair tie had snapped, and strands of her hair littered the ground alongside bloodstains and deep footprints. The aged leather wrapped around the grip of the dame¡¯s sword had worn rapidly over the course of the fight and fell in tiny scraps like ashes. Fatigue eventually took hold of the two elder swordswomen, and it appeared as if either could collapse at any moment.


    The countess pressed forward, locking their swords together once more. With a mad grin, Dame Selene abandoned her blade and, in a surprise attack, leapt forward and drove her knee into Solana¡¯s groin. She grabbed her by the collar and threw her straight to the ground.


    With her sword arm pinned down in the dirt, all the countess could do was kick and flail in an exhausted panic as she tried to free herself from Selene¡¯s weight and force. Selene brought her face close to Solana¡¯s. They stared at each other, faces dripping with sweat. Then, Selene pushed forward and pressed their lips together in a kiss.


    With a free hand, she caressed the countess¡¯ cheek and loosened her hold on her now-limp sword arm. Lady Solana closed her eyes as she finally stopped struggling. Now free of her weapon, she wrapped her arms around her beloved vice commander.


    As they embraced, faint wisps of black smoke fled from the many cuts on the countess¡¯s skin, carried away by the breeze.


    As it became clear that the two no longer cared that they were being watched, it was Sapphire¡¯s turn to shout in surprise. She rushed to cover Ruby¡¯s eyes to protect her innocence.


    It¡¯s a little late for that, isn¡¯t it?


    Now that the lovers¡¯ spat had reached its surprising outcome, I led the girls away to a tavern to give our elders some privacy. Most of the onlookers reached a similar conclusion, with the head butler attempting to shoo away a small group of clearly still-fascinated maids. From the look of things, a few of them would be inspired to spend the evening together. I envied them slightly, but knew better than to risk a night like that again anytime soon.


    As we reached the estate¡¯s front gate, Rufus sprinted up and asked me, breathlessly, ¡°what did I miss? Is it true that the dame and the countess fought a duel?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d call it exercise more than a duel.¡± This made Ruby blush. ¡°Come join us for drinks! Big sister will explain everything.¡±


    Rufus frowned and swatted my hand away as I reached to pat him on the head. ¡°You¡¯re not that much older than me, XXXXX¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe so, but I¡¯m an expert on this subject, and you deserve a balanced education.¡±

 Helian and the Cunning Countess (8)

    The next day around noon, someone knocked on my door and whispered. ¡°Lady Saintess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Rosa? What is it?¡±


    ¡°How did you know it was me?¡±


    ¡°Rosa. Where are the guards?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re outside because of the fight. Can I come in?¡±


    The fight?


    ¡°Of course. Make sure to close the door behind you.¡±


    Rosa scurried in, bearing a tray of food. After setting the tray down on my desk, she removed a handful of different ointments and salves from her pockets.


    ¡°What are those for, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Just in case. I¡¯ve heard some nasty rumors, you know. Though I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine!¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I appreciate it. You should leave before the guards return. I don¡¯t want you to get into any trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay! I¡¯ll stay here with you. We youngsters have to stick together, you know? We can¡¯t let those old fogeys and incredibly beautiful cougars have their way all the time! And the only way to resist the overwhelming power of the nobility is for the common men and women to unite as one and cast off their shackles! Which is why I brought some bread and ingredients for sandwiches. Do you want mayonnaise on yours, Lady Saintess?¡±


    This girl¡¯s going to get herself killed by opening her mouth one of these days. ¡°Yes, please. No lettuce, though.¡±


    Rosa nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a strange vegetable, now that you mention it. It hardly has any nutritional value, and it barely tastes like anything! I don¡¯t know why I even put it on my own sandwiches. Sometimes eating lettuce makes me feel like I¡¯m a helpless rabbit idly munching on leaves in the forest, totally unaware of the vixen slowly creeping up from behind, just ready to snap her jaws tight around me and drag me off to her den to do unspeakable things to my body!¡±


    ¡°Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Sorry. To tell the truth, I can¡¯t get the fight out of my head¡­ it was really pretty.¡±


    ¡°Who fought, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°The countess and Dame Selene! It was incredible. They moved so fast I could barely make sense of what was happening, and then suddenly bam, pow, the dame had the countess pinned to the ground, and then they were kissing and then she shoved her hand down the countess¡¯s ¨C¡±


    ¡°Rosa! The countess and Selene fought. Why did they fight?¡±


    ¡°The countess said Dame Selene had ¡®disrespected her authority¡¯ and I think she said she was going to slit her throat and coat the ground with her dishonorable entrails? Or something like that. And then they fought a duel like a pair of knights from a fairy tale! Except it was more like one of the fairy tales you¡¯d find in the adults only section of a shady bookstore in the red-light district. It was incredible! Especially the part where the two of them renewed their love through physical contact without the slightest concern for who was watching! I knew Susan was full of shit when she said the countess and the dame didn¡¯t have feelings for each other. Susan works in the kitchen, by the way.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    I nodded. ¡°Please watch your language, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°My sincere apologies, Lady Saintess. If you need to fire me, I completely understand. Oh! Before I forget, I have a written message for you!¡± Rosa pulled a folded scrap of paper from her pocket and handed it to me.


    ¡°Who is it from?¡±


    ¡°The wandering swordswoman from the second floor! She said it was very important, so I promised I wouldn¡¯t forget to give it to you. Oh, and she said you absolutely mustn¡¯t read it until the next time you¡¯re on a balcony. She¡¯s very pretty. Is it true that you two were pledged to be wed, and you confessed your love for each other underneath a waterfall during a solar eclipse, only to have your bonds mercilessly severed by the cruel blade of fate?¡±


    On a balcony? ¡°Thank you very much for delivering the message, Rosa. You did well.¡±


    Rosa nodded while munching on her sandwich, then looked over at the pile of salves and ointments on the desk. ¡°This mayonnaise tastes weird¡­¡±


    ------


    I spent the rest of the day confined to my quarters and used the time to catch up on exercise. Rosa was inspired to join in, and to my surprise, she was able to keep up¡ªeasily, even. I concluded that a maid¡¯s work was more demanding on the body than I expected.


    On the bright side, my imprisonment gave me another opportunity to relax with a bath. After I was done, I goaded Rosa into taking a bath of her own since she had some spare time to herself for once.


    I returned to the main room. While Rosa splashed around in the tub, I retrieved a pen and paper from my handbag and plotted my escape.


    My excursions on horseback had given me a sense for the estate¡¯s geography, and just recently, I had spotted a few small holes in the fence that I could likely fit through. Over the course of the last week, I studied the guards¡¯ schedule. Shift changes occurred at the same time every day, on the clock, which made it rather straightforward to plan the timing of my exit.


    All that remained was to quietly break my room¡¯s window, descend to the first floor unharmed, and get a message to XXXXX so she would leave the estate. Perhaps she could bring Rosa with her to keep the girl out of harm¡¯s way.


    When I was done, I returned my notes to my bag and called out to Rosa. ¡°Are you okay in there, Rosa? You didn¡¯t fall asleep in the tub, did you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Saintess Helian! Did you know there are three different kinds of hair conditioner here? Do you suppose my hair is dry, regular, or oily? It¡¯s hard to tell since I don¡¯t get to wash it very often, and I¡¯m not sure whether the conditioner categories are intended for one¡¯s natural hair type or for the hair¡¯s present status, so I don¡¯t know which one to use¡­ maybe I should mix them together?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there, Rosa.¡±


    ------


    ¡°I sincerely apologize.¡±


    The countess had summoned me to her office the next morning, but when I arrived, she was standing in front of her desk waiting for me with Dame Selene by her side. They were holding hands.


    ¡°Pardon me, Countess? Did I mishear?¡±


    ¡°You did not. I sincerely apologize for how I¡¯ve mistreated you. While it¡¯s no excuse, I¡¯ve felt a bit out of sorts as of late¡­ I didn¡¯t realize it until Selene politely knocked some sense into me.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I see. I appreciate the apology, Lady Solana. I can understand how someone in your difficult position might make a mistake from time to time.¡±


    ¡°For the time being, I¡¯ve decided it would be best for you to temporarily leave the estate. You ought to rest in a different environment that won¡¯t remind you of the things you endured here. Of course, you are welcome to return at any time once you¡¯ve recovered. When you¡¯re ready, I will have a detachment of guards sent to follow you, along with your maid if you wish.¡±


    In response to my visible shock and confusion, Selene looked me in the eye, raised her eyebrows, and tilted her head. I see. Thank you, XXXXX. This would simplify things tremendously. I noticed then that the dame¡¯s collar was unbuttoned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Countess. I feel as if I will never be able to repay the many favors you¡¯ve done for me.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it, Helian! If you wish to do me a favor, living well and staying out of trouble will suffice. Our little bird would be beside herself with worry if you did otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that, Lady Solana. Thank you very much.¡± I bowed and left the office.


    Dame Selene called out as I left. ¡°Shut the door behind you, please!¡±

 How a Little Bird Stayed in the Nest (1)

    After some explanation, Selene and I convinced Lady Solana that matters involving the remaining suitors should only be handled by her aides ¨C us, in particular. The original plot called for her death at the hands of another suitor. This meant it was simply too dangerous for her to even encounter them. It didn¡¯t matter if circumstances had changed. The idea of her dying just to move the plot along made me sick to think about.


    Now that Helian had safely been moved off the estate, the next suitor would ideally find her there, though it was possible that they would come here instead. We needed to be ready to repel them with force without escalating the conflict.


    Few of the knights present on the estate had experience fighting mages. Out of all of them, Selene was easily the most qualified, so the countess, while reluctant, agreed to entrust the responsibility to her. In the event that the dame was unavailable, the role would fall to me. I lacked Selene¡¯s battlefield experience, but due to my two decades of training with Helian, I was confident that I would at least survive the encounter.


    Probably.


    To justify my new role, the countess invented a new post and appointed me as captain of the guard. This unfortunately meant additional responsibilities. When I asked politely for a raise so I could save for my future, my suggestion seemed to amuse Selene, while the countess took the opportunity to pivot to a new topic.


    ¡°Looking to create a nest egg for yourself? We can¡¯t have my little bird leaving the nest so quickly, can we?¡± She turned to the dame and they both nodded to each other. I had a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°As we¡¯ve agreed, it¡¯s unwise for me to encounter Coroban at present. You¡¯re in a similar position, XXXXX. It would be dangerous for you and the saintess to be around each other, lest we complicate the situation further. And I regret to say that you¡¯ve demonstrated a prior lack of restraint in this regard.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    I groaned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault¡­¡±


    Selene smiled. ¡°Even so, Sola is right. For the foreseeable future, consider yourself confined to the estate. As you promised not to betray my trust, I assume I can rely on you to comply with this restriction. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll have plenty of work to keep you busy.¡±


    Solana agreed. ¡°Yes, we¡¯d best prepare you for your future. You have considerable potential, after all.¡±


    Since Helian¡¯s departure, the countess had resumed favoring me with meal invites, flattery, and teasing¡ªmuch to my surprise. The invites to her bedroom had ceased, however, though that seemed natural now that she had rekindled things with the dame. Unfortunately, she had also developed a new interest in honing my skills, which meant I had gained an unwanted familiarity with the abilities of the kingdom¡¯s greatest swordswoman. When I complained about the cuts and bruises from our sparring sessions, she merely remarked that this was ¡°only proper for any member of House Solana.¡±


    My evening instruction resumed as well, now with a larger variety of tutors and specialists. The subject matter had expanded to cover duties normally under the purview of the countess, like managing the county¡¯s affairs or how to best make decisions as the head of a house. I began to fear that she had concocted a plan to somehow appoint me the new head of the barony. When I confessed this concern to Selene, however, she insisted that I had nothing to worry about in that regard, and that Solana merely wanted another person to pawn her work off onto.


    On that note, my promotion to captain of the guard naturally implied a much larger volume of paperwork. At times, it felt as though the work had been manufactured by Selene for the specific purpose of tormenting me.


    The additional work at least served as a useful excuse to turn down the veteran knights¡¯ attempts to cajole me into joining them at the tavern, supposedly ¡°so the men can get to know the new lady captain.¡± While their verbal jabs and light bullying so far had been harmless, I detected an undercurrent of envy and wanted to avoid escalating it.


    Ruby, Sapphire, and Rufus now made a point of regularly visiting my office with tea and snacks. It seemed as if Helian¡¯s conversation with the girls had left the trio with the impression that I was ¡°prone to loneliness¡± and ¡°needed looking after.¡± As such, they took it upon themselves to keep me company, though in practice, they weren¡¯t terribly good at it. While Ruby did her best impression of a mother hen, the other two mostly spent their time laughing at my obvious discomfort.

 Helian and the Demonic Duke (1)

    ¡°Wow! That is certainly a manor!¡±


    Rosa pressed her face up against the carriage¡¯s window as we neared the off-estate housing the countess had prepared for me. At a glance, it appeared to be as large as the Herschel family¡¯s residence. I could see through the windows that the staff were preparing for my arrival. Such a large building would likely be lonely to occupy all on my own, but hopefully the servants would at least make for pleasant company.


    I should really send Marie and Evan a letter to tell them how I¡¯m doing. Perhaps it would be safe to invite them for dinner? I should have asked Lady Solana whether I could have guests before I left¡­ I could always claim that my guests had arrived unannounced and that I couldn¡¯t turn them away¡­


    During my stay at the countess¡¯s estate, I had managed to accumulate a large number of dresses, hats, coats, and accessories¡­ which meant a total of four suitcases were to be loaded onto the carriage. Once we dismounted, Rosa insisted on dealing with the luggage all on her own. To my bemusement, she effortlessly hefted two bags onto her shoulders while clutching the other two under her armpits. She¡¯d transformed into a beast of burden. I made a mental note to stop underestimating her.


    As we approached the main entrance, an older woman came out to meet us. Upon spotting Rosa, she stood upright and waved for us to follow her up to the second floor. As we walked up the stairs together she introduced herself as the head maid.


    The master bedroom on the second floor was something to behold. I had thought the Solana estate was extravagant, but this room must have easily cost more than all the estate¡¯s bedrooms put together. At the center of the massive room was a canopy bed, easily large enough for five people.


    Oh. This is the countess¡¯s vacation home, after all.


    After depositing the four bags in front of the closet, Rosa explored my new quarters. She was quite pleased to discover there were attached sleeping quarters ¨C ¡°now I can be at your beck and call whenever you need my assistance!¡± ¨C and squealed with delight upon entering the bathroom.


    ¡°Lady Saintess, there are two bathtubs! Right next to each other! How romantic!¡±


    ------


    In response to my invitation, Marie arrived in the late afternoon two days after with Evan in tow. She hand-delivered a note of apology from the elder Lady Herschel:


    Dearest Helian,


    I am so very sorry to refuse your invitation! It was so exciting to hear of the events at the baron¡¯s party, and I am thrilled to learn that you¡¯re in the care of a woman so remarkable as Lady Solana.


    Alas, my dear hubby managed to secure a day off for the first time in nearly six months, so we intend to spend every single minute of it together! To tell the truth, you¡¯ll be doing me a great favor by taking our darling children off my hands for the day! Please tell them they have my approval to spend the night there.I¡¯m sure you have spare bedrooms, as I¡¯m told the countess¡¯s vacation home is magnificent. I¡¯ve long wanted to see it for myself, and will certainly attend at your next invitation!This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    xoxo


    P.S. Even if you and Evan have a really good mood going, don¡¯t go too far, okay sweetheart? You haven¡¯t even been introduced to his father yet!


    Confused, I looked up at Marie. ¡°Where did your mother get that impression?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯ve tried to tell her before, but she doesn¡¯t listen to me¡­ and Evan seems to be in no hurry to set her straight¡­¡±


    Evan, for his part, was idly examining the stitching on the curtains near the entryway while he chatted with one of the servants.


    ------


    As I had feared, Marie and Rosa were getting along swimmingly. The two seemed to be kindred spirits and were chatting like old friends within an hour or so of meeting. Since they¡¯d clearly taken to each other, I invited Rosa to join the three of us for dinner.


    ¡°Are you certain, Lady Saintess? This is such an honor! I will do my very best to not ruin the mood. It¡¯s been a while since I practiced table etiquette, but I¡¯m pretty sure I know which fork to use for which dish, and I haven¡¯t eaten with my mouth open since I was fourteen, so it should be okay! Will there be alcohol? If so, please make certain that I don¡¯t have more than one glass of wine! The last time I got slightly tipsy there was an incident, and Bella ¨C she works in the kitchen, by the way ¨C made me promise never to drink that much again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain, Rosa. We¡¯ll have a wonderful evening.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my utmost to ensure so, Lady Helian! If the worst comes to pass, I¡¯ll understand if you need to discipline me.¡±


    At this last remark, Marie tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Helian, you said those rumors about the countess¡¯s estate weren¡¯t true¡­¡±


    I sighed. ¡°They aren¡¯t, I assure you. Rosa, please don¡¯t give her any ideas.¡±


    The two made conversation throughout dinner and dessert, smoothly and easily switching from topic to topic¡ª economics, theater, politics. It was mildly surprising that Rosa possessed a noble¡¯s education. Some noble ladies chose to become maids or ladies-in-waiting to establish connections with those of higher rank, and this must have been one such case. Meanwhile, Evan was content to enjoy the meal in silence, though we spoke at some length about matters like his work and the latest happenings in the barony.


    By the time we finished our meal, the moon hung high in the sky and Evan wished to retire for the evening. The servant he met in the entryway earlier arrived and offered to escort the young lord to his room, so I bid him farewell for the night. Marie accompanied me to my bedroom so she and Rosa could continue their conversation.


    Now that I¡¯d put a few days between me and the conclusion of events with the countess, the time felt right to review my notes and determine what to do next. I sat down at my desk with pen and paper and got to work, occasionally stopping to eavesdrop on Rosa and Marie¡¯s conversation. While it tended to stray towards matters that ought not be discussed in mixed company, I was sure I could trust the two not to organize a coup or anything of that nature. At least not before they got to know each other better.


    I focused on the task at hand. Duke Coroban. He would finish his preparations soon.


    If word of my exile from the countess¡¯s estate had already reached him, he would come here first, which meant I could not rely on advance warning from Selene. If events proceeded as they did in the novel, I would not be able to refuse. All I could do was make the best of the current situation. As much as it pained me to admit, bringing Rosa along was essential. It was necessary to have at least one loyal servant by my side, and thanks to her great skill, she would be able to handle any matters I couldn¡¯t entrust to the duke¡¯s servants.


    After an hour, I was satisfied with my progress. I returned my notes to the desk drawer and made my way to the entrance of Rosa¡¯s room. The two girls were curled up on the bed reading political literature. I made a mental note to talk to Marie later about the many risks that activism and civil uprisings carried. As I left the girls to enjoy their evening, I quietly made my way to the bathroom and filled the tub.

 How a Little Bird Stayed in the Nest (2)

    Naturally, when it all went south, Selene happened to be away.


    As the sound of an explosion shook the main building, I reflexively grabbed my sword and sprinted out of my office toward the entrance of the estate.


    As I passed the barracks, I saw that the squires were in a mild state of panic, hurrying to put on their armor. I waved them off and told them to return to their training. More warm bodies wouldn¡¯t help with this problem. I selected the most reliable of the new recruits and told him to leave through the rear exit and bring word to Dame Selene, though I hoped such an intervention would not be necessary.


    I neared the entrance and was met with the sound of crying and the scent of burning flesh. A pair of maidservants were collapsed in a bawling heap near the main building¡¯s front steps, and seven guardsmen stood in a semicircle around our unwanted guest, blocking their path. Between the guards and Coroban sat a smoldering pile of ash and the remains of a dented short sword, warped by heat.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I demanded.


    The eldest member of the guards present turned to face me. ¡°My apologies, captain, but an uninvited guest means to enter the estate. When Gerald ordered Her Grace to halt, she unleashed some sort of cantrip on him.¡±


    We would need to send our sincere condolences to Gerald¡¯s family and ensure that his young wife was cared for. Only one guard perished - things could have been much worse.


    ¡°I see. You¡¯ve done well to keep the others in line. You can go now.¡±


    The elder guardsman regarded me with shock. ¡°Pardon me, captain? We¡¯re allowing her in?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°No. But you and the others should leave now. I will stay to resolve matters with the duchess. Please remove the maids from the premises as well.¡±


    Her Grace watched our conversation with some degree of amusement. Her status meant that she could largely do as she pleased in any circumstance, doubly so now that she apparently carried a written order bearing the king¡¯s seal. Still, if she planned to use our guardsmen for target practice, I would have to stand in.


    ¡°Duchess Coroban, I presume.¡± I gave her a polite bow. ¡°What brings you to the estate this afternoon?¡±


    She smiled and looked up at the sky. ¡°Where is Solana?¡±


    ¡°My apologies, Your Grace, but I am not at liberty to disclose that information.¡±


    She tore her gaze away from the sky and stared at me with ink-black eyes. ¡°Were she present, she would have already confronted me, blade in hand, so I¡¯ll have to assume she is away. All the better. Because I am here for the Lady Saintess.¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°I regret to inform you that the Lady Saintess is also not here.¡±


    As she tilted her head in curiosity, her long black hair swayed in the wind. ¡°Oh? I take it you¡¯re not at liberty to disclose her location, either?¡±


    ¡°That is half-correct, Your Grace. All I know is that she is not here.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that I come bearing the king¡¯s authority? Withholding information can be considered an offense against the crown.¡±


    ¡°I intend no offense against the crown in this or any other matter, Your Grace. I simply was not informed of her new location. The same applies to all but a few residents of the estate, so I beg your understanding.¡±


    She grinned. ¡°And I assume those few residents are all away at present?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Your Grace. If you wish to leave a message with me, I can ensure the countess receives it at the earliest possible moment.¡±


    The duchess considered the blade at my hip for a moment before looking me in the eye.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I believe I will be leaving a message.¡±

 How a Little Bird Stayed in the Nest (3)

    Heat.


    I felt the vellus on my arms vaporize as flames erupted from the duchess¡¯s fingertips and grazed my body, setting the ribbon on my dress uniform alight. Stumbling back, I quickly extinguished the fire with my off hand and drew my blade with my right.


    ¡°Your Grace, are you certain I can¡¯t convince you to settle for a written note?¡±


    The duchess shrugged. ¡°Solana tends to let letters pile up unopened, you see. She only truly gets a message if it¡¯s delivered physically. Judging by the heirloom at your side, I suspect engraving my feelings on your flesh would suffice to get her attention.¡±


    Solana¡¯s tutoring ran through my mind.


    Coroban wielded fire on instinct, totally unbound from the constraints of magical schemas or the delay of invocations. In short: the worst possible opponent for a swordsman. Her flames would devour the air I needed to breathe, set my hair alight, and melt my weapon. And on top of that, she could fight up close, unharmed by her own magic.


    At least we were alone. No bystanders to set on fire and use against me.


    The duchess stretched her arm up into the air. A massive scythe materialized in her grip, its blade razor thin and made entirely of roiling fire.


    Oh, that looks very hard to parry.


    She bowed politely, then swept the flaming scythe straight at my neck.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    My vision blurred. Where was I? Was I still standing? My head seemed to be connected to my shoulders, at the very least. Pretense was still gripped in my hand, its familiar warmth spreading through my fingers. Right¡ªI was still armed.


    The duchess paused and looked me over, the magic scythe smoldering in her idle hands. ¡°How interesting. Please, show me more.¡± The scythe flew forth once again, this time aimed at my waist.


    Instinct took hold of my spine and sent my sword rushing forward. Blade clashed against flame, halting the scythe. Pretense glowed blinding red in my vision.


    The scythe dissipated, and the duchess clapped her now-empty hands with delight. ¡°Oh, wonderful! Solana must care deeply to gift a treasure like that to you. I¡¯ll have to ask her where she found it.¡± She paused. ¡°Hello? Can you still hear me?¡±


    I could, though it was a struggle. Something was very wrong. Was it fear that gripped me so tightly, or had something else wrapped itself around my chest and crawled its way into my head?


    ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve still a message to send, so enough playing around. Do you think one arm will suffice?¡± With this, Duchess Coroban summoned a pair of scythes, and, wielding one in each hand, swung.


    An image rose from my memory: the fairy¡¯s lake, frozen over in the middle of winter. It shone beautifully in the midday sun. All around, icicles draped from the trees in shimmering curtains, ice bending the light into rainbows that refracted through Helian¡¯s eyes, making them look like gemstones.


    I shut my eyes tight, gripped Pretense tighter, and while recalling another memory, snapped my fingers.


    ------


    When I came to my senses, the sun had already set. The countess was staring down at me with concern, her figure framed by¡­ something unrecognizable. My whole body was numb.


    ¡°You¡¯d best lie still, little bird. The healer is on his way, so do your best not to flap your wings.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ still have my arms?¡±


    ¡°Despite punching your dance card with the duchess, yes. The frostbite isn¡¯t too severe, so a bit of love and attention from a proper healer should fix them right up. I doubt he¡¯ll be able to do anything about those singed eyebrows, however.¡±

 Helian and the Demonic Duchess (2)

    ¡°Pardon? Who¡¯s here to see me?¡±


    Rosa answered nonchalantly. ¡°Duchess Coroban, Lady Saintess. She is waiting downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Not Duke Coroban? I wasn¡¯t aware he had married.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Lady Saintess, but I¡¯m not sure how to answer that question. Should I politely ask Her Grace to leave? Do you need me to kill her?¡±


    What? ¡°No, Rosa, but thank you. I¡¯ll go see the duchess.¡±


    I searched my memories to try to make sense of things. It had been decades since I read the novel, but Duke Coroban had been unmarried, this much was certain. Perhaps he¡¯d originally been divorced, and due to XXXXX¡¯s interventions, the divorce was not yet finalized in this version of the story? Sending your estranged wife to pick up a woman on the eve of your divorce did seem fitting behavior for a demonic duke¡­


    As I rounded the corner and descended the staircase, the truth of what was happening dawned on me.


    Duke Coroban was not married. Duke Coroban no longer existed.


    As I stepped into the hallway on the first floor, I was met with the sight of a statuesque older woman with pitch-black hair and pitch-black eyes. Eyes that were as deep as wells.


    Upon seeing me, she bowed deeply and sang a greeting. ¡°Lady Saintess, an honor to meet you! I am the Duchess Coroban, one of the King¡¯s most loyal servants. It is my great pleasure to bring word from him personally.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± I croaked. ¡°What word do you bring, Your Grace?¡±


    The duchess grinned from ear to ear. ¡°We are to be married, Lady Helian!¡±


    I leaned against the railing for support as Rosa scrambled to catch me.


    ------


    Having distinguished¡­ herself during the conflicts of the seven-year war, Duchess Coroban was one of the most powerful and connected people in the kingdom. Nevermind her reputation for violent outbursts and flights of whimsy¡ªneither of which undermined her skill at governance or tarnished her beauty.


    In short, anyone would jump at the chance to marry her, and as such, the king saw fit to approve his loyal retainer¡¯s request for an arranged marriage without any consideration for the other party¡¯s feelings. Even though I had decided to follow the plot, this was so absurd that it was hard not to object.


    In response to my shock the servants had rushed me into the nearest sitting room, where I now sat next to the duchess. Rosa was preparing tea.


    ¡°Would you like anything in your tea, Your Grace?¡±


    The duchess shook her head. ¡°No, thank you. Lady Helian, would you like honey?¡±


    Rosa beamed. ¡°Oh, she loves honey in her tea! I¡¯m glad her new partner understands the finer details like this. So many people just don¡¯t understand the importance of a precisely balanced sip¡­¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Rosa, please see to it that the saintess¡¯ belongings are packed and ready. I plan for us to depart this evening, if at all possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it, Your Grace! See you soon, Lady Saintess!¡± Rosa gave me a wink for good luck before fleeing the room, leaving the door wide open in her wake.


    Duchess Coroban closed her eyes as she savored the aroma of her tea. ¡°Your maidservant is quite something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m reminded of that every day. She¡¯s an irreplaceable asset to me.¡±


    She nodded and took a sip. ¡°Well, it¡¯s only right for you to bring a trusted servant. At the very least, she¡¯s overqualified for the role. I fear none of the maids in my service would be eager to leave my side, in any case¡­ so this solves that problem nicely.¡± She paused and stared at me with those black eyes. ¡°I suppose we should move on to the next topic. Do you have any thoughts on the wedding?¡±


    I choked on my tea.


    Duchess Coroban patted me on the back as I coughed. ¡°Are you alright? I¡¯m sorry for alarming you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, I was just surprised. I hadn¡¯t considered the topic until you brought it up.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s too much for you, you don¡¯t have to pay it any mind. Just know that if you have any expectations for the wedding day, I¡¯ll ensure that they¡¯re met ¨C exceeded, even. You¡¯ll only ever have one day like it, so it must be special!¡±


    She certainly seemed excited. ¡°If it¡¯s not too presumptuous of me to ask, Your Grace, how do you feel about the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be reserved like that with me, Lady Helian. And thank you for asking. There are so many little things that come to mind when I think of a wedding! Like giving every attendee a paper lantern and holding a ceremony at the end of the night where the lanterns are cast up into the sky¡­ or hosting a private ceremony where the fated couple exchange their vows on wyvern-back while it soars through the sky. Things like that!¡±


    Duchesses think big. ¡°That last one sounds incredible, though I don¡¯t know how feasible it would be, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°The wyvern trainers I spoke to all agreed with you, unfortunately. But it¡¯s still nice to dream. To tell the truth, daydreaming about my ideal marriage is one of the things that keeps me sane during the endless hours I spend weighed down by the responsibilities of the duchy. I suppose once the wedding is over, I¡¯ll have to find new things to dream of!¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something, Your Grace.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, we¡¯ll find something, together! After all, that¡¯s what married life is all about: confronting every challenge that crosses your path as a duo, supporting each other through times of pain and misery, and sharing joy together in times of triumph. A married couple is a sum that¡¯s greater than its individual parts! Speaking of sums, I¡¯m told you¡¯re quite fond of them? Please, tell me more about yourself.¡±


    I described my childhood in brief, leaving out the most important parts, then related the tale of my encounter with the baron¡¯s son¡ªmostly unmodified. She seemed to be genuinely shocked by some of the details of that particular story, which made me wonder how much of the truth Solana had been keeping from the king and his other vassals.


    The duchess nodded and accepted a fresh cup of tea from the servant who arrived as a stand-in for Rosa. ¡°I see, I see. I¡¯m glad you were able to put that tragedy behind you. And Solana arrived in the nick of time to save you¡ªis that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace. She extracted me from the situation quite deftly. All else aside, for that alone, I am in her debt.¡±


    ¡°I had heard some distressing rumors about her estate and your treatment there¡­ but I suppose based on the expression you make when you speak of her, they couldn¡¯t possibly be true.¡±


    My expression? ¡°The countess and I did have some disagreements, yes, which was what led to me leaving her estate. But all that aside, she was good to me, so you needn¡¯t worry. I¡¯m alright.¡±


    ¡°I was concerned when I first learned that you had ended up in Solana¡¯s clutches. She has a well-earned reputation, one that even her old friends like the king and I can¡¯t overlook. But I am truly glad that in this case, the reputation was exaggerated. If any bad memories remain from your visit, rest assured, you¡¯ll forget them in no time!¡±


    Bad ones aside, there were some pleasant memories from my visit I wouldn¡¯t soon forget.


    It was clear that Her Grace seemed intent on driving a wedge between me and the countess, even though my exile from the estate meant that we were no longer that close. I couldn¡¯t figure out whether she held her own suspicions about Lady Solana¡¯s motives, or if she simply wanted to ensure I would have nowhere to go if I decided to flee.

 Helian and the Demonic Duchess (3)

    Once we arrived at the duchess¡¯s estate, Rosa made herself at home, becoming fast friends with many of the servants. I had expected a mixture of confusion and resentment from the staff since I was a commoner, but most of them seemed to view my situation as either amusing or a source of hope. I was living proof that they, also, might rise above their status one day.


    The duchess devoted a shocking amount of time to me.


    She insisted on sharing three meals together every day, accompanied me on walks or horseback rides around the estate, and even squeezed in time for leisurely chats on topics like literary arts and sciences. I welcomed the distractions; they kept my mind off of other things.


    Over the next week, I discovered that we shared many interests, and on top of that, she had a fantastic personality. It was a shame that we met under these circumstances, because I could imagine getting along with her quite well¡­ even if there was somewhere else I would rather be, and someone else I would rather be with.


    I began to wonder how she could devote so much time to me while also overseeing the entire duchy. Rosa¡¯s comments on the duchess¡¯ working hours quickly resolved that question, however.


    ¡°The duchess is really something, isn¡¯t she, Lady Saintess? I¡¯m not even certain she sleeps. Any time I get up early in the morning or rouse during the witching hour, her office is brightly lit and she¡¯s sitting at her desk sorting through papers. Do you suppose the rumors are true and that she¡¯s maintained her vigor and ethereal beauty by draining the life from innocent maidens, like the prior Duke Coroban was reported to do? Not that those accusations were ever substantiated, on account of all the witnesses mysteriously vanishing¡­¡±


    Rosa, I swear.


    ¡°Rosa, I swear¡­ you need to mind your tongue.¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve tasted anything weird lately, and I learned my lesson about licking flagpoles during winter when I was eight. Oh, you meant that metaphorically! I understand, Lady Saintess. I will take your advice to heart.¡±


    She had a point, though. I needed to remember I was dealing with a demon and not a regular human. It was only natural that she might be able to function without sleep. At times, the duchess would make off-hand comments that revealed a rather alien perspective on the world, like suggesting we watch a meteor shower together 80 years from now. When I reminded her that I¡¯d likely pass before then she seemed confused, so I let the matter rest.


    ------


    ¡°Lady Saintess.¡± Rosa¡¯s quiet voice made me snap awake.


    ¡°Yes, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to your room.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Now that she mentioned it, I realized I was not in my bedroom. I had somehow made my way downstairs after heading to bed. It seemed my tendency to sleepwalk carried over to this world as well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel too concerned, Saintess Helian. It¡¯s normal to sleepwalk if you¡¯re very stressed, and you¡¯ve been through a lot lately.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Rosa. Let¡¯s return to my room. Could you prepare me some chamomile tea once we get back?¡±


    She nodded and extended her hand to me. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll scrounge up some honey from the kitchen and see if they have any extra scones lying around.¡±


    When we returned to my room, someone was waiting for us.


    ¡°Lady Helian! There you are.¡±


    The duchess stood in the center of my room, blade in hand, regarding me with concern. Her sword and boots were freshly stained with blood. Suddenly, the midnight air felt very cold.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness,¡± the duchess said. ¡°I was so worried to find you gone when I arrived to tuck you in! I suppose you stepped out for some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°Something like that, Your Grace.¡± I observed the scene before us. ¡°What¡­ happened here?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°Oh, it seems some rats scurried in through the floorboards when I wasn¡¯t paying attention. Perhaps they thought they could find some delicious treats here. Not to worry though, I dealt with the matter swiftly! It was no trouble at all, and the servants will clean up the mess in no time.¡±


    Unfortunately, the mess included what appeared to be a dead assassin crumpled face-first onto the foot of my bed. I shivered involuntarily.


    Rosa saw the expression on my face and gripped my hand tightly. Turning to face the duchess, she spoke on my behalf. ¡°Where should the saintess sleep, Your Grace?¡±


    Duchess Coroban eyed the corpse and nodded. ¡°Good point, good point. Her bed is too crowded right now. Miss Helian, why don¡¯t you rest in my bed for the evening? I¡¯ll be busy for quite a while, so you can get some sleep there. You will be perfectly safe in my bedroom, I assure you.¡±


    Rosa nodded. ¡°How thoughtful of you, Your Grace. If it¡¯s not too presumptuous of me, should I lead the saintess to your bedroom? I¡¯ll prepare some tea to calm her nerves and keep her company until she falls asleep.¡±


    Coroban clapped her hands. ¡°That¡¯s perfect! Thank you for your service as always, Rosa. I¡¯ll see you later, Helian. Don¡¯t worry about a thing, I¡¯ll just finish up in here.¡± As she spoke, one of the ¡°corpses¡± on the floor began to struggle, and she promptly pinned it down with her boot.


    Rosa took me by the hand and led me outside, closing the door behind her.


    ------


    As we walked through the halls towards the duchess¡¯s bedroom, Rosa held me by the shoulder and whispered in my ear. ¡°Lady Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°I think it would be best if we don¡¯t make a fuss for now. Will you let me investigate this matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you certain, Rosa? I don¡¯t want you to get hurt on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, Saintess Helian. I¡¯m quite sturdy, and I received excellent grades from my instructors. And most importantly, I keep my promises!¡±


    It occurred to me now that this maid had been hired by Countess Solana. I likely had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°Rosa¡­ have you been pulling the wool over my eyes all this time?¡±


    Rosa smiled brightly and patted me gently on the back.


    ¡°Of course not, Lady Helian. I¡¯m no sheep, so where would I get any wool?¡±

 How My First Love Began (1)

    Helian and I first met when I was four. She had just moved into town, and her mother brought her over for a visit. Papa welcomed them in and we all sat around the kitchen table while he boiled water for tea.


    ¡°You¡¯ve just moved into town, have you? Welcome! My name is Paul, and this little treasure here is my daughter, XXXXX. She takes after her mother, as you can see.¡±


    He returned to the table with a pot of water and four wooden cups. I could see the steam rising from the pot and smell the leaves as they steeped inside. As he set the pot down, he looked me in the eyes and cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t burn yourself, okay sweetie? Wait for it to cool before drinking, and don¡¯t touch the pot.¡±


    I nodded and waited politely for the tea to finish steeping. The neighbor¡¯s daughter¡ªHelian¡ªstared at me from across the table with curious eyes, her small face hidden beneath the tabletop. Her mother gently nudged her on the shoulder. ¡°Go ahead, honey. Introduce yourself to XXXXX.¡±


    With a rather displeased voice, the older girl introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m Helian¡­ nice to meet you, XXXX.¡±


    Her mother sighed and patted her on the head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. While she¡¯s quite good at speaking, she has trouble with names. The physician said all we can do is wait for her to grow out of it. Please don¡¯t take offense.¡±


    Papa nodded his head and gently tousled my hair, then looked at me for approval. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. You don¡¯t mind, do you sweetie?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    I shook my head. ¡°No. Isaac doesn¡¯t say my name, too.¡±


    Papa sighed. ¡°That¡¯s just because he¡¯s a pain in the neck.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Pain in the neck.¡±


    Helian¡¯s mother leaned forward and spoke to me. ¡°XXXXX, dear, can I tell you something?¡±


    I nodded again. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so polite! While your papa can say things like that, you mustn¡¯t say them to anyone else. They might misunderstand or get angry.¡±


    ¡°Like bad words?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like bad words, dear. It hurts people if something like that is said about them.¡±


    I looked to Papa, who was pouring tea through the strainer.


    ¡°Like ¡®shit¡¯ or ¡®hell¡¯?¡±


    Papa nearly dropped the pot. ¡°XXXXX! We¡¯ve told you not to say those words!¡±


    I pouted. ¡°Isaac says them¡­¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why he¡¯s a pain in the neck.¡±


    Helian began to laugh, filling the room with her high-pitched voice. Her mother sheepishly patted her on the shoulder, trying to coax her into being quiet. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s not that funny¡­¡±


    In response, Helian pointed at me and smiled. ¡°The little baby talks like a sailor!¡±


    I stood up on my seat and stared down at her. ¡°I¡¯m not baby!¡±


    ¡°Only babies say that, XXXX!¡±


    Papa glared at me silently until I sat back down. ¡°That¡¯s better. Here¡¯s your tea, XXXXX. Hold it with both hands, drink it slowly, and don¡¯t stand on the chair again, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Papa.¡±


    Helian watched me from across the table with amusement as I struggled to drink the bitter tea.

 Helian and the Demonic Duchess (4)

    The next day, Duchess Coroban took it upon herself to help me forget the previous night¡¯s events. After breakfast, she treated me to a piano performance (her interpretation of the pieces was very energetic), then gave me a tour of the estate¡¯s greenhouse, offering a detailed description of each species of flower and tree.


    ¡°Lady Helian, are you feeling well? You look a bit exhausted. I hope I haven¡¯t tired you out with all my chattering.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Your Grace. I think the warmth of the greenhouse just made me a little drowsy.¡± I can¡¯t show weakness in her presence without Rosa to cover for me.


    The duchess nodded. ¡°Yes, it does seem to have that effect on people, now that you mention it. It must be the pollen!¡± She clapped her hands together. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling up for it, I was thinking perhaps we could travel to the city for the evening? There¡¯s a performance of If This Caged Wolf Could Sing scheduled for tonight, and if we leave now, we would have just enough time to enjoy dinner together before the show. How does that sound?¡±


    That was an adaptation of the latest work from one of my favorite authors. I had not volunteered this information, which meant the duchess acquired it either through observing me in the estate¡¯s library, or through espionage. I hoped it was the former. In any case, it sounded like a fun evening.


    ¡°That sounds lovely, Your Grace. I¡¯ll return to my room and get ready, then meet you at the first-floor entryway.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic! While you do that, I¡¯ll have a quick conversation with the head gardener to see if anything can be done about the pollen in here. Perhaps some selective breeding could take care of it¡­¡±


    ------


    ¡°No matter how much time passes, I never grow tired of a good performance!¡±


    Her Grace enjoyed the play more than I did, even standing up out of her seat in excitement during the climax of the second act. Maybe it really was just a case of overlapping tastes. Her private box appeared to be stocked with half-empty bottles of her favorite liquors, so it was clear she visited the theater frequently.


    Dinner had been relaxing. The duchess had chosen a restaurant on the outskirts of the city. The appetizers and main course had been substantial to the point of satisfaction, though not overly so that I was left feeling lethargic. I was filled with energy even after the play had concluded.


    As we made our way back to the estate, the duchess¡¯ carriage crossed over a large bump in the road and began to sway. Rosa snapped to attention and pulled me close. ¡°Lady Saintess! Watch your head, it seems we¡¯ve hit a pothole.¡±


    Duchess Coroban, for her part, casually glanced out the window, then threw the carriage door open. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid this is more than a bump in the road. Please stay inside, Helian.¡± With this, she leapt out of the moving carriage, leaving the door swaying in the wind.


    Rosa closed the door and removed a dagger from a concealed holster on her thigh. She gripped it tightly. ¡°Rather convenient timing, isn¡¯t it, Saintess Helian?¡±


    I did my best to remain calm. ¡°Yes, it does seem as if this is becoming a pattern¡­¡±


    Through the window to my left, I could see flares of light. Then, we heard screaming, the sounds loud enough to reach us inside. I kept looking out the window and saw the duchess eviscerating a group of would-be bandits who had attempted to stop the carriage. I foresaw another sleepless night ahead of me.


    Meanwhile, the carriage, still swaying in a disconcerting manner, continued its trek to the estate. A few moments later, something heavy landed on the roof. Then, a loud knock at the door. Even without an answer, the door swung open¨CIt was the duchess. With little effort, she launched her body off the roof and into the cabin,  landing gracefully on her seat. ¡°Pardon my intrusion!¡±


    ------


    The rest of the night proceeded without any disturbances, and after apologizing profusely for the trouble, the duchess excused herself to head to her office to work for the evening.


    ¡°I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on, but I intend to send a sternly worded letter to the local constabulary about tonight¡¯s incident.¡±


    Rosa encouraged me to retire for the night, so after taking a bath, I returned to my room. Once she¡¯d checked the space for any signs of an intrusion and securely locked the windows, she pulled a stool up next to the bed and beckoned for me to get under the covers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here until morning, Lady Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Rosa.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The young maid gently held my hand as she told me stories from her childhood. It helped my nerves  settle. As she described an encounter with a pair of sleeping bears in the forest, I started to drift off, drowsily imagining Rosa clad in Goldilocks¡¯ clothing, kicking down a door and holding the bears¡¯ cub at gunpoint as she demanded the occupants¡¯ most delicious porridge.


    ------


    ¡°Lady Saintess.¡± I snapped awake at the sound of Rosa¡¯s voice. Had I been sleepwalking again?


    ¡°Yes, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°I need your assistance. My hands are full and there¡¯s one more.¡±


    I blinked. The scene slowly came into focus.


    In the moonlight, I saw that Rosa had an assassin pinned to the ground with a knife to his neck. Yet another intruder was held up in the air by the throat, her fingers wrapped around his windpipe.


    One more. And there was the third assassin, standing free on trembling legs like a frightened newborn calf, holding out his blade in a poor attempt at threatening her.


    I climbed out of bed, allowing the rush of adrenaline to steady my nerves. I reached down to pick up the second assassin¡¯s dropped sword. I turned it around in my grip, getting a good feel for its weight and balance, then made my way toward the weakling still left standing.


    He waved his sword around in a panic. ¡°Stay back! If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll cooperate!¡±


    ¡°Cooperate?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to kill me?¡±


    ¡°What? Uh, yes! That¡¯s right! Surrender peacefully and we¡¯ll spare your maid.¡±


    I groaned. ¡°Is this your first time killing someone?¡±


    The young man adjusted his grip on his sword and turned his attention away from Rosa to face me. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you! I¡¯ve got what it takes!¡±


    ¡°Why are you using swords, anyway?¡± I lightly tapped his blade with the tip of my sword. He flinched. ¡°Daggers or poison are more appropriate for an attack like this. Who sent you?¡±


    His trembling stopped for the moment as he clearly mustered up all his strength to confront me. He lunged forward, wildly swinging, shouting, ¡°I¡¯ll never talk!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I parried his swing without a thought. As he stared at me in shock, I sliced through his exposed neck with a quick flick.


    As his body landed on the ground in a spray of blood, I heard Rosa make an impressed sound behind me.


    ¡°Well done, Saintess Helian. Do you want to interrogate this one while I finish with the man on the floor?¡± Rosa gently shook the assassin caught in her grip, his body swaying limply, almost comically.


    ¡°Rosa, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s breathing anymore.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I must have squeezed too hard.¡±


    ------


    Having seen the fate of his two comrades and with Rosa¡¯s knife still pressed to his neck, the assassin on the ground was more than willing to spill his secrets. After thanking him for his assistance, my maid politely knocked him out cold¡ªthen painted the floor with his blood.


    ¡°Was that really necessary, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Of course it was, Lady Helian. This way, it will be unclear how much you know.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I see your point. Well, what next?¡±


    ¡°I expect the duchess will arrive to check on you soon. She is likely waiting for you to scream or call for the guards so she can swoop in and play the role of your knight in shining armor.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping the assassins had been hired by friends of the baron¡­¡±


    ¡°As was I, Lady Saintess.¡± Rosa wiped the blood from her blade on the dead assassin¡¯s sleeve. She stood up. ¡°I regret to tell you this, but I have no choice but to leave your side for the moment.¡±


    Was I going to be abandoned again? ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°I know, but the best thing for me to do right now is go get help. It shouldn¡¯t take more than a few days. I would love to grab you and flee, but if the duchess were to pursue us with her full strength, there¡¯d be no chance of escape. If I leave by myself, though, I should be able to evade her agents, and she¡¯ll remain here to keep an eye on you. But before I go, Saintess Helian, one question, if I may?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Should this all be kept secret from XXXXX?¡±


    If XXXXX learned of this, she would drop everything and rush to my side. Without a doubt. And as much as I wanted to see her right now, it was just too dangerous.


    ¡°Please do that.¡±


    Rosa nodded. After giving me a salute, she leapt through the open window, skirt flowing in the breeze.


    ------


    After some consideration, I decided to climb back into bed and pretend as if the entire incident had occurred while I slept, unconscious and unknowing. When the duchess finally arrived to check on me, it was easy to feign absolute terror. Especially since I discovered that the fear I felt in that moment was, in fact, genuine.


    ¡°Not to worry, Helian! It seems your loyal maidservant kept watch over you in my stead, and now that I¡¯m here, everything is and will be fine. Do you know where she might be?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen her since I fell asleep¡­ she was in the middle of telling me a bedtime story.¡±


    Coroban nodded. ¡°I see. She must have scurried off somewhere. Perhaps she heard a noise beneath the floorboards and went to investigate. Rest assured, I¡¯ll have her found and ensure she¡¯s safe from harm.¡±


    The duchess would lock Rosa safely away in a jail cell, no doubt. ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡±


    Duchess Coroban extended her hand to me. ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of bed and to a safer room, shall we? My bed is unoccupied as usual, so you can sleep there. I¡¯ll have guards posted to keep watch until I finish my work and retire to bed myself at that point. Everything will be fine.¡±


    The rest of the night passed without incident, and hours later, as I lay awake, I felt the duchess gently climb into bed behind me.


    She whispered in my ear. ¡°Good night, Helian.¡±

 Helian and the Demonic Duchess (5)

    Rosa had become a stable reference point for me before I realized it, and now that she was missing, I felt adrift. Despite my exhaustion, I found myself unable to sleep the following evening. What if the duchess were to arrive slightly too late when intercepting the next set of assassins? What if she chose to be late on purpose for her own entertainment? Anything could happen while I slept.


    The knowledge that the assassins¡¯ direct employer never sought my death to begin with raised additional questions. Were they aware that they had different orders? Had they intended to drag me to some filthy cell in the castle¡¯s basement, where no one except the duchess would ever see me again? Or, even worse, had they planned on holding me there until I learned to behave?


    What would happen now? Would Coroban accuse Solana of hiring the assassins, and use the incident as a casus belli to raze her estate to the ground? And what of XXXXX and Rosa? What would happen to them?


    Using her own arranged intrusion as an excuse, the duchess had ordered for my things to be moved to her bedroom and assigned a new pair of maids to serve as Rosa¡¯s replacement. It was in her very bedroom that I endured multiple sleepless nights and exhausted days without hearing word of Rosa or the outside world.


    Then, suddenly, everything changed.


    Tonight was different. I awoke¡ªquietly¡ªto yet another intruder. Instead of hired killers, it was the duchess herself.  She stepped around the bedroom quietly as if not to wake me, despite knowing full well that I was not asleep. I knew the duchess could see perfectly in the dark, so my trembling would have been obvious to her inhuman eyes.


    Coroban drew closer.


    ¡°Your nerves are getting to you, aren¡¯t they? It¡¯s only natural.¡±


    Yes, you could say that, Your Grace.


    The duchess sat beside me on the bed and placed her hand over mine.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry! I have great news. I¡¯ve received the king¡¯s permission to hold the wedding tomorrow, so everything¡¯s going to be fine soon! All you need to worry about right now is getting some rest, and then in the morning the servants will help get you ready for the big day! I can¡¯t wait to see how you look in your dress. I almost wish I could forbid the guests from setting their eyes on you!¡±


    She caressed my face and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to wait, but since you¡¯re so special to me, I¡¯ll tell you a secret. You must promise not to let anyone know, okay?¡±


    She inched even closer.


    ¡°My real name is¡­


    XXX XXXXXXX


    XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXX


    XXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


    XXXXXXXXXXXXX


    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXStolen novel; please report.


    XX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX.¡±


    Despite the darkness, I could see the duchess¡¯s wide grin in my mind¡¯s eye. ¡°Now that you know my true name, part of me will always be by your side! You don¡¯t have to worry about anything ever again. After tomorrow, we¡¯ll always be together! I¡¯m so excited, I think even I¡¯ll have trouble sleeping!¡±


    Feeling quite satisfied with herself, she promptly left the room.


    Her name continued echoing off the walls like a literal curse. I felt it crawling around inside my ears.


    Escaping from the castle would no longer be enough.


    ------


    After another sleepless night, the duchess¡¯s servants laced me into my wedding dress and led me to the small chapel attached to the castle. There was already a small crowd gathered in the chapel, mostly loyal vassals of House Coroban.


    The duchess was waiting eagerly at the door, and once I entered, she took my hand and attempted to lead me down the aisle.


    ¡°Come now, Helian. It¡¯s almost over. Everything will be fine.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    She met my gaze with her ink-black eyes, deep like wells. At the bottom of the wells a river flowed slowly, and I felt the warm current pull me along through a narrow, winding tunnel. At the river¡¯s mouth the tunnel opened into a wide cavern, filled with glowing moss. Fireflies danced in the humid air until they were disturbed by my arrival, promptly forming a glittering path that beckoned me to follow.


    I blinked and found myself in the chapel once again. Now, I was standing at the end of the aisle.


    A priest stood behind the podium before me, and the duchess extended her hand for me to step up and join her at her side.


    Now that I¡¯d roused from my reverie, I shook my head and refused once again.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Why not? Everything is going to be fine. None of this is your fault. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    Familiar words, but in an unfamiliar voice.


    Those words were incorrect.


    Nothing had gone right so far. It had all gone awry since the moment I parted ways with XXXXX. Even now, things continued to go wrong.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t true; I bore some responsibility for all this. Even if the actions of others were out of my control, all of this¡ªthis novel, this world, these characters¡ªexisted for me, and I had let all this happen.


    I haven¡¯t done anything wrong? That was simply untrue. I had hurt people with my lies of omission and pushed them away. I had attempted to go along with the story even though it would hurt the people who cared about me most to watch me get hurt.


    Long before this all started, I¡¯d never told the author how I felt. I¡¯d never given them an answer. They were still waiting after all this time. I wished I could tell them.


    If I stayed here, I would never see any of the people ¡ªthe ones who cared about me so much, the ones I cared about¡ªever again. The story would cease to move forward, and, trapped here in stasis, I would slowly rot away.


    ¡°I refuse, Duchess Coroban. If you truly care about me, you should understand that.¡±


    The duchess frowned and narrowed those ink-black eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not how this works.¡± Her grip around my wrist tightened and she began to pull me up to the altar.


    At that moment, the doors to the chapel swung open. ¡°That¡¯s quite enough.¡±


    Help had arrived, and in the form of an old man with gray hair. With cane in hand, he slowly hobbled toward the altar.


    The duchess¡¯s face twisted with rage. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Atropa?¡±


    Archmage Atropa continued his slow march down the aisle. ¡°I should ask you the same thing, Your Grace. Why is there a magic circle around this chapel? And why is there a second circle inscribed around that altar?¡±


    The gathered crowd began to murmur. This was no ordinary wedding ceremony. Coroban was a demon, after all.

 How My First Love Began (2)

    Because Papa wanted me to learn from her intelligence and good behavior, he gave me permission to spend time with Helian whenever I liked, so long as she had approval from her mother.


    We spent most of our free time together, sometimes playing with the other children from the village. Helian seemed uninterested in most of them, however, particularly shying away from those whose names she struggled with. I did my best to look unbothered whenever she got my name wrong since I didn¡¯t want to see her cry.


    Helian spent a lot of time crying when she thought no one was around.


    One afternoon shortly after my fifth birthday, I found her lying prone on her bed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Helian?¡± I pointed at whatever she was holding in her hands.


    ¡°Oh, XXXXX. It¡¯s paper. You can put words on it using this stick called a pencil. Then other people can read the words and know what they mean. Does that make sense?¡± She demonstrated by scribbling some letters on the paper. ¡°This means ¡®goat¡¯. Like Expy and Reci.¡± She took care to use their nicknames, since most of us couldn¡¯t pronounce the full names correctly.


    I nodded. ¡°Your writing is pretty, Helian.¡±


    She blushed. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been practicing. The letters here are so unfamiliar¡­¡±


    I glanced over to the nightstand next to the bed. ¡°Are those papers for practice?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She looked over at the stack of papers. Her expression changed to one of concern and she replied, ¡°¡­ yes, they¡¯re practice. Don¡¯t bother trying to read them because my handwriting isn¡¯t good enough yet. You won¡¯t be able to understand the words.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Okay, Helian.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°In fact, how about this? If you promise not to tell anyone about my practice sheets, the first time I write a letter, I¡¯ll write to you.¡±


    ------


    As promised, I never told anyone about the practice sheets. But curiosity got the better of me, and the day before my seventh birthday, while Helian and her mother were out in the city (shopping for my birthday present, I hoped), I snuck into their home. Helian was the cleverest girl I¡¯d ever met, but she wasn¡¯t able to hide a big stack of papers from me in a house as small as theirs.


    The pile had grown since I¡¯d last seen it. After Helian noticed the way I¡¯d looked at the practice sheets, she made a point of hiding them whenever I came to visit. The topmost papers were as she said: messy sheets where she¡¯d practiced writing the names of people from the neighborhood, as well as difficult words I hadn¡¯t yet learned.


    The sheets underneath, however, were all written in a practiced hand, the words arranged into rows of neat lines. The pages had large headings, some containing elaborate diagrams with words in circles and boxes connected by lines.


    With an overwhelming sense of pride, I realized she was wrong. I could understand these words just fine! It was probably because her letters were so good. Though many of the words didn¡¯t make much sense to me, I could still recognize them. Helian¡¯s sheets were much easier than the storybook Papa had bought me after I¡¯d asked him why I couldn¡¯t write letters like Helian.


    Helian was so smart! I must have been reading the wrong kind of letters! This realization cleared my head and filled me with energy. But now I had a dilemma. If I asked Papa or Helian about this, they would know I¡¯d snuck in to read the practice sheets, and she¡¯d be upset with me. Maybe she would never speak to me again.


    I decided to return the papers to their hiding place and speak of it to no one. I¡¯d promised to keep them a secret, after all.

 Helian and the Ancient Archmage (1)

    The archmage turned to face me. ¡°Lady Saintess, I trust you know what needs to be done. I will create an opportunity.¡±


    The crowd, now openly concerned, began to make their way out of the chapel.


    The duchess summoned flame from her fingertips. ¡°You will not interfere!¡± she snarled at the archmage and I stepped back instinctively, clearing the path between her and Atropa.


    While the archmage focused on distracting the duchess, I took the opportunity to devise a plan. Obviously, we needed to defeat Coroban, but how? Simple magic would not be sufficient against her, and I lacked a weapon. As my thoughts raced, spears of flame and coiling hooks of lightning flew back and forth down the aisle, setting the carpet and curtains ablaze.


    Coroban whipped around to face me. ¡°What am I thinking? I need only finish what I started.¡± She strode down the aisle, easily shrugging off the archmage¡¯s onslaught, and grabbed me by the neck and lifted me into the air. With her fingers wrapped around my throat, she dragged me back to the altar.


    Atropa summoned two giant pillars of ice which encased the duchess¡¯ legs and locked her in place, at least for the moment. He shouted, ¡°get on with it already!¡±, but my lungs were empty and my vision was fading. I clawed at her hand with my fingernails, but she held firm.


    Duchess Coroban stared at me and frowned. ¡°If you¡¯d just go along with it, everything would be fine¡­¡±


    I was missing something. But what? As I felt my mind cloud over, I tried desperately to recall this part of the novel, but the only thing that came to mind was the expression on XXXXX¡¯s face when I last saw her and how much I wanted to see it again.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Words rose unbidden from deep in my chest, rising through my throat, bubbling like acid. ¡°A star shines high in the heavens, burning red.¡±


    Radiant light erupted all around us, piercing through the roof of the chapel and searing the duchess¡¯s skin. Coroban screamed in agony as the light grew brighter and frantically grasped at the tendrils of shadow that were now fleeing her body. I fell to the ground.


    Now, only a fraction of the duchess remained. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯ll do anything¡­¡± she begged pathetically.


    She crumpled at my feet and weakly grabbed onto my legs.


    ¡°Sorry, Your Grace. But I already have someone waiting for me.¡± And with that, I kicked her away.


    Finally, after one hundred years, Duchess Coroban drew her last breath.


    The archmage waved me towards the exit with his staff. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t be here when they discover what remains of Coroban¡¯s body.¡±


    The two of us boarded Atropa¡¯s waiting carriage and set off for the north. I expected Solana would send her men to the duchess¡¯s estate once Rosa brought word, so I didn¡¯t worry myself with the details.


    ------


    The journey to the archmage¡¯s residence took around two days. After a few failed attempts at conversation, Atropa finally gave up and left me to my thoughts, and we traveled the rest of the way in silence. We stopped at many inns along the way, and while word of the duchess¡¯s fate had reached one of the security checkpoints we passed, the guardsmen were largely uninterested in causing trouble for an archmage and a saintess, allowing us to pass through unhindered.


    Snow fell heavily all around us as we neared the estate, and the resulting chill made me shiver. I wished I had at least brought a blanket along, but Atropa warmed the cabin safely with his magic, which was enough to keep us from freezing.


    The carriage came to a halt. As I stepped down into the snow, I stopped to take a deep breath. The dry, cold air drew a cough from my lungs.


    This is the last one. The end is in sight.

 How My First Love Began (3)

    The morning before my tenth birthday, Papa called for me while I was rolling around in bed.


    ¡°Helian¡¯s here to see you, sweetheart! Get out of bed.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Papa!¡± I shouted as I frantically dug a shirt and pants out of the pile of laundry I had neglected to fold.


    When I arrived in the main room, Helian was sitting comfortably at the table, swinging her legs back and forth while she hummed a familiar tune. I was sure I¡¯d heard it before, but didn¡¯t know when or from where.


    ¡°Good morning, Helian.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, XXXXX!¡± she replied, grinning from ear to ear as she stood and took my hand in hers. ¡°Let¡¯s go take care of the goats!¡±


    As we carried water from the well, Helian leaned over and whispered into my ear. ¡°I¡¯ve got a present for you! But it¡¯s a secret.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t tell Papa you gave me my present early.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean you can¡¯t tell anyone about it at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Helian. I won¡¯t tell anyone. It¡¯s not a sword, is it?¡±


    Helian had recruited me to join her ¡°fencing club,¡± which in practice meant swinging wooden sticks at each other in the afternoons. She was very good at it, and she wanted to be a traveling swordswoman once she got older to go on adventures like the heroes in storybooks. I thought that sounded fun, so I did my best to learn from her.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a sword. Your papa would kill me if I got you a sword.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. He¡¯d probably kill me if I got you a sword, too. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t gotten you one for your birthday yet, Helian.¡±


    She smiled radiantly. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯m looking forward to my next birthday present even if it isn¡¯t a sword.¡±


    ------


    After we fed the goats, we went back to Helian¡¯s house where she led me to the bedroom. ¡°Mom¡¯s not here, so this is the perfect time.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t show my present to your mama?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s seen it. That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Helian knelt and removed the stack of papers from its hiding place.


    I did my best to act as if I didn¡¯t know where they¡¯d been hidden.


    ¡°These aren¡¯t practice sheets, XXXXX. You¡¯re clever, so you¡¯ll understand if I tell you what they really are. I thought about buying you something with my pocket money, but I remembered how curious you were¡­ I hope you¡¯re not disappointed?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± It was easy to smile. I didn¡¯t have to hide my excitement because I really was excited. Helian was going to tell me her secret, and I would finally learn what those strange written words meant.


    My excitement faded, though, once she began to explain.


    ------


    ¡°So¡­ this story is about you, Helian?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She nodded enthusiastically, happy that I was following along.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good story, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a very good story. The writer tried very hard to make it.¡±


    ¡°But if it¡¯s a good story, why do so many bad things happen in it?¡±


    ¡°XXXXX, would you say this is a good world?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Helian¡­ Papa is here, and you¡¯re here, so I think it¡¯s alright. But I wish people didn¡¯t get sick, and I wish we had water pipes so we wouldn¡¯t have to go to the well.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just like that. The bad things and the good things are all a part of the story, just like how good and bad things are all natural parts of the world. If I try to get rid of the bad things, the good things might go away too.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I can¡¯t do anything, either?¡±


    Helian tilted her head. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What if I want to help, Helian?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve told about this other than Mom, and she didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°You said you can¡¯t get rid of the bad things in the story. But that seems wrong to me. If something bad happens to people I care about, I want to help them.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re a good person, so if you see someone get hurt, you want to help them.¡±


    She always acted like she was guilty of something, like she had broken her mama¡¯s favorite plate or stolen a toy from Julian. But every time I asked what was wrong, she never answered me. Now I understood.


    ¡°You want to help them too, don¡¯t you? But you can¡¯t.¡±


    She nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s true. I do want to help them. I¡¯m worried, though.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not part of the story, XXXXX. I don¡¯t know what will happen if you try to become part of it. So, you must promise to be careful when you try to help, alright? We¡¯ll both be very careful so that nothing bad will happen.¡±


    I¡¯m not part of the story. Who else? ¡°Is Papa part of the story, Helian?¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What about your mama?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mom is also part of the story.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, you¡¯re not.¡±


    As far as she knows. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. ¡°Did your dad ever read you a bedtime story when you were younger?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, many times.¡±


    ¡°Did he always finish the story before you fell asleep?¡±


    Oh, I see. ¡°No, sometimes I fell asleep first. Did you fall asleep while someone was telling you this story?¡±


    She smiled bitterly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something like that. So, what I¡¯m saying is I don¡¯t know how the story ends. You could be part of it later¡­ but I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Then Helian, why are you so certain that it¡¯s a good story?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too hard to explain. I¡¯ll tell you later, OK?¡±


    ¡°Alright, Helian. Can you tell me something else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    I picked up one of the pages of the ¡°Novel.¡± ¡°Are these written in another language?¡±


    Her expression brightened. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s the language that¡¯s used where the writer and I are from. Do you want me to tell you more about it?¡±


    ------


    The early birthday present had ruined my day. Helian seemed confused by my bad mood, but she often struggled to understand me. I knew now that it was because of how different we were. She was special, and she knew lots of things I didn¡¯t know, and she was able to do lots of things I couldn¡¯t do. I wasn¡¯t part of the story, so I would never be special the way she was special.


    But I knew her language. How was that possible?


    When I returned home, Papa could tell I was in a bad mood, so he patted me on the shoulder and let me go to bed without asking questions. I opened the drawer in the bedside table.


    The drawer was padded, which made it ideal for storing precious items. Our village wasn¡¯t prosperous, so I didn¡¯t have anything fitting that description.


    I pressed down on the rear left corner of the drawer, then pulled the front right corner to reveal the hidden compartment. Papa said it was important to be able to keep secrets.


    I removed my copy of the Novel and looked through it with fresh eyes. There were important things in here that Helian hadn¡¯t told me about. Very bad things were going to happen.

 Helian and the Ancient Archmage (2)

    This is the last one. The end is in sight.


    Atropa cleared his throat. ¡°This is my estate, Saintess Helian. I regret that I can¡¯t offer you a grander welcome, but I had little time to prepare.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I understand. I assume you received word from someone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a young woman came to demand my aid not very long ago. Once she informed me of the situation, I departed for the Coroban duchy immediately.¡±


    That must¡¯ve been Rosa. And if she¡¯d come straight here instead of going to the countess for help, that means someone had warned her in advance to seek out Atropa once things went wrong¡­ and that she¡¯d known to be suspicious of the duchess from the very start. None of the explanations I came up with for all this were pleasant.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she came to seek your help. I don¡¯t know what would have happened without your assistance.¡±


    Atropa nodded and rubbed his beard. ¡°Yes, that situation was worse than I expected. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, Lady Saintess, why didn¡¯t you exorcise Coroban earlier?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to do it.¡±


    His shock indicated that he hadn¡¯t considered this possibility. ¡°You didn¡¯t know how?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thankfully something¡­ happened. It struck me suddenly, just in time for me to exorcise her right before I passed out.¡±


    ¡°I apologize¡­ I assumed that you would know, since the records on past saintesses suggested you would. I should have given you clear instructions in the moment.¡±


    This, I did not expect. ¡°There are records on past saintesses?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Helian. Almost every saintess has left written records for future generations. I have copies of some of those records in my library, if you would like to see them. We should also have a discussion at some point about the Seekers¡­ but I think you¡¯d best get comfortable here first before we move on to difficult topics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see those records, Sir Atropa, thank you.¡± I paused, a little apprehensive. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of Seekers before. What are they?¡±


    ¡°In short, they are demons like Coroban, and they are historically preoccupied with saintesses. I¡¯d be happy to discuss them at length later. Thankfully, I don¡¯t believe we need be concerned about them now that you¡¯re in safe hands.¡±


    Yet another wrinkle in the story caused by past interference¡ªlike the duke¡¯s sudden metamorphosis, which I certainly had not been expecting. Well, I had another thing to deal with now. I supposed I needed to be on the lookout for demons once I left the archmage¡¯s estate.


    ¡°Thank you for the information. This may seem like a strange request, but could I have a pencil and paper? My notes were left behind at the duchess¡¯s castle, so I¡¯ll need to recreate them here.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Follow me to my office.¡±


    ------


    Atropa¡¯s office was a massive circular room perhaps four stories tall, with curved bookshelves lining every wall. An ornate desk sat at the very center, with small lab tables flanking it on both sides. Though the tables were overflowing with equipment, it was, like everything else in the room, organized with great intention, because either Atropa or his servants were meticulous and thorough. Atropa searched through the drawers of his desk for a few moments, then found what he was looking for¡ªan expensive leather-bound notebook along with a small fountain pen. He handed both over.


    ¡°Here you are. This notebook should be more than suitable for your purposes. It¡¯s a spare I haven¡¯t had any use for yet. The pen is enchanted, so you won¡¯t run out of ink.¡±


    ¡°This is a generous gift, Sir Atropa. I can tell that these items are quite valuable.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly give a saintess some scraps of ordinary paper. One piece of advice, though: I¡¯d caution against drawing schemas or magic circles inside the notebook. Because the notebook is enchanted, such drawings could activate if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    Calling the gift ¡®generous¡¯ didn¡¯t suffice; this notebook was extremely expensive. It might not be possible to buy one like this in the first place ¨C it was likely custom-made.


    I bowed politely. ¡°Thank you so much for your time. I¡¯m feeling tired, so I think I¡¯d like to rest.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He called for a servant to show me to my quarters.


    ------


    The archmage¡¯s servants and guards were polite but lacked interest in speaking with outsiders. This was at least not a matter of class, so I tried not to take it personally. The eternally frigid north rarely saw visitors, so this was an unfamiliar experience for them.


    The mages who filled the laboratories were a different story. Without exception, every single one was delighted to meet me. They had all manner of questions about magic, demons, saintesses, and the other world. While I was ill-equipped to answer most of them, they humored me and thanked me for the few answers I was able to provide. Every encounter ended with an invite to continue the conversation over dinner or discuss theory with a cup of tea. It reminded me of being in university.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    For his part, the archmage was no different. He seemed eager to treat me as a student, and for a time it was pleasant to simply learn. He was understanding of my deficiencies and explained that I was not the first self-taught mage he had encountered. He praised my successes and kindly set me straight when I erred. I felt my understanding of the world growing with every passing day.


    But I couldn¡¯t stay here forever. Eventually, the time came to move on.


    ¡°Sir Atropa, can I speak with you in your office?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Of course, Helian. Follow me.¡±


    Once we arrived, he sealed the door and erected a magical barrier around the interior. ¡°No one can hear us now. I know you wished to speak to me, but first, we must discuss the Seekers. I postponed this conversation for your comfort, but you seem ready now. Is that alright?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t let my impatience get the best of me. It was something I needed to know about, anyway. ¡°Alright. Please explain.¡±


    He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. ¡°What I call ¡®the Seekers¡¯ are a class of demon. They all have their roots in a specific place, where they were either born or split from another entity. I have my speculations as to what that might be, though I cannot prove it¡­ for reasons I will explain later. Do you follow so far?¡±


    I nodded, though I had no idea what he was getting at.


    ¡°What makes these demons unusual is cohabitation. While a particularly strong demon might have the ability to possess a living being, doing so is always a temporary intrusion, which means the demon can be cast out. Was that what you observed when you exorcised Coroban, Helian? Was a demon cast out, leaving a healthy human being behind?¡±


    No. ¡°It wasn¡¯t, sir. There was barely anything left.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Seekers can share a body with their host for an indefinite period. As time passes, the two entities become intertwined to the point that they are indistinguishable. Were you to exorcise the demon at that point, there would be barely anything ¡®human¡¯ left over. As we saw with the¡­¡± He stopped. ¡°... you said Coroban was a duchess, correct?¡±


    I raised my eyebrow. ¡°Yes. Are you saying that¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. Coroban was merely a duke the last time we met, perhaps ten years ago. That she was a duchess at the time you met is not much of a surprise. Such details are minor to demons.¡±


    I felt a familiar knot begin to form in my stomach. Until this point, no one I¡¯d spoken to had even known of Duke Coroban¡¯s existence. Yet Atropa seemed unperturbed by the fact that a duchess had taken the place of a duke without anyone¡¯s notice. It seemed this was a small demonstration of the demon¡¯s power.


    ¡°In any case, Helian, I apologize ¨C I¡¯ve sidetracked us. The important point is that one need not be demonic to play host to a Seeker. They can latch onto any human. I suspect you¡¯ve encountered a Seeker¡¯s host multiple times by now, though you may not have realized it.¡±


    This explained why Solana¡¯s behavior had suddenly changed.


    ¡°I call them Seekers because that is what they do: they seek hosts who have tremendous potential or possess great power and use them to achieve their goals. Unlike most demons, Seekers wait patiently for months or years before acting to seize what they want most. During this period, they lie in wait, quietly manipulating their host¡¯s emotions.¡±


    ¡°What do they want?¡±


    He looked down from the ceiling at last and met my eyes, holding my gaze. ¡°They want a saintess, I fear. Specifically, they crave a saintess¡¯s vessel to occupy, so they can return to the place of their birth.¡±


    Atropa had revealed that the duchess inscribed magic circles around the wedding hall. Yes, I could see now how she was certain that we would always be together.


    ¡°The good news is that unlike most demons, Seekers cannot move freely. They need a physical vessel in order to travel and can only possess a human when said human is vulnerable. So even were one to grab you tightly by the wrist, you would be safe as long as you remained spiritually strong.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°So¡­ if someone were to kill a Seeker¡¯s host, they would be safe, right?¡±


    XXXXX had killed a Suitor and gotten his blood all over her hands. What if Arsen¡¯s Seeker had chosen that moment to climb inside?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you¡¯re concerned about, Helian, but if they were strong enough to kill a Seeker¡¯s host, they should be perfectly safe. I assume you¡¯ve interacted with them in the time since. Did their behavior or mood seem strange to you? Did their eyes look unusual?¡±


    Their eyes! Both Arsen and the countess had dull, glassy stares when everything started going wrong. That must have been when the Seeker took hold! Thank goodness, XXXXX¡¯s eyes had remained crystal clear.


    ¡°Your point about the eyes is very helpful, sir. It hadn¡¯t occurred to me until now, but both Rydberg and Lady Solana had clouded, dull eyes when they were most out of control. They must have been in a Seeker¡¯s grip. I think you¡¯ve convinced me that my friend will be fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Regardless, best if you were both cautious ¨C that your friend is strong enough to kill a Seeker¡¯s host makes them an ideal target. It would take but a single moment of vulnerability for one to climb in, were the physical vessel close. Solana had been investigating a cult that we believe collects vessels on purpose, but this whole mess put that investigation to a halt¡­¡± He groaned and furrowed his eyebrows.


    Marigold. I was supposed to shut down her cult before the duke abducted me, but instead, I¡¯d left the countess¡¯s estate early.


    ¡°So, you both should keep careful watch for jewelry, ancient relics, and things of that nature. A vessel suitable for a Seeker is likely made of polished stone or rare metal, often decorated with gems. Thankfully, this sort of object tends to stand out, so it is hard to smuggle. The unfortunate part is that people are often drawn to them and touch them.¡±


    I needed to put an end to the cult as soon as possible. I had to send word ahead to the countess.


    ¡°Thank you for this explanation, Sir Atropa. A great many things make sense to me now.¡± I held his gaze pointedly. ¡°Could I ask you one question before you continue?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°How do you know you aren¡¯t host to a Seeker at this very moment?¡±

 Helian and the Ancient Archmage (3)

    His mouth hung open in shock. It seemed that he had not considered this possibility¡ªat least not until just now.


    ¡°Well, of course I¡¯m not host to a Seeker!¡± He rushed to say. ¡°My behavior has been perfectly normal, I¡¯ve never been vulnerable in the presence of any object that could host a demon, and most importantly, I possess no strong emotions for it to manipulate. I don¡¯t mean to exaggerate, Lady Helian, but I am one of the most skilled mages in the kingdom, and I maintain my body in peak physical condition, the state of my legs aside. My most trusted aides are all familiar with this scenario, and we monitor each other for any signs.¡± He took a breath before continuing. ¡°I am at peace with my place in the world, and that place rarely brings me into contact with outsiders. A Seeker would scarcely benefit from occupying me.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°That makes you sound like an ideal host to me. Would being asleep count as a moment of vulnerability? What about coming down with a cold? Crying at a funeral?¡±


    At my mention of a funeral, his eyes went wide in terror, and he muttered the word ¡®coffin.¡¯


    A long moment later, he swept his hand wide. The barrier surrounding the room dissipated. I heard the sealed door unlock behind me. He closed his eyes.


    ¡°Lady Helian, I think our conversation must be cut short. You should leave.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best if I don¡¯t see or hear where you go. You understand, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡±


    I stood from my seat and exited the room as quietly as I could. I counted myself lucky that my visits to the various laboratories had given me some familiarity with the layout of the estate. But how would I leave? We were in the middle of a cold snap, so even if I could manage to steal a horse, surviving the trip south would be a struggle. Perhaps a carriage? But I would need the archmage¡¯s approval to take one, even if I was a saintess.


    I flagged down the first guard I saw. ¡°Guardsman!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Saintess?¡±


    ¡°Contact all of Sir Atropa¡¯s aides immediately and tell them that the worst has come to pass.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    I whipped my head around. ¡°Did I stutter?¡±


    ¡°No, Lady Saintess¡­ I just don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to carry a message, can you tell me where to find one of his aides?¡±


    The useless guard thought for a moment, then pointed toward the circular staircase that led up the east tower. ¡°Try the third-floor lab up there. That¡¯s where XXXXXXX¡¯s desk is.¡±


    I turned on my heel and began to climb the staircase.


    Behind me, I heard the guard make his way towards the archmage¡¯s office. I should¡¯ve knocked the fool out and taken his weapon.


    Upon reaching the third-floor landing, I pounded on the locked door to the lab. ¡°Is anyone in there?¡±


    A slip of a girl opened the door cautiously. ¡°Yes? Lady Saintess, what is the matter?¡±


    ¡°I need to speak with XXXXXXX urgently. Are they here?¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    The young girl responded with concern. ¡°No. XXXXXXX stepped out for dinner at the tavern.¡±


    Ah, hell. ¡°Are any of Atropa¡¯s other aides in this tower?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know. You could try the sixth-floor lab, the person in charge of it is pretty important.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you. For now, keep the door to the lab locked.¡±


    Her eyes filled with terror, and she closed and locked the door without a word.


    Okay, to the sixth floor I go.


    ------


    The sixth-floor laboratory¡¯s door was, thankfully, unlocked. I opened it and strode in.


    ¡°Who¡¯s in charge here?¡±


    The three magicians in the lab looked up in unison. One of them dropped a test tube and cursed.


    The tallest one raised his hand and walked over. ¡°Lady Saintess? What seems to be the problem?¡±


    ¡°I need to speak with one of Atropa¡¯s aides immediately. The worst has come to pass.¡±


    He grew pale. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not exactly certain what that means, but it sounds quite bad. Should I bring you to find them?¡±


    ¡°No, I think it wouldn¡¯t be safe for me to go back downstairs. Act casually, and you mustn¡¯t tell the archmage that you met me or tell him where I am. If you do, both of us will be in danger.¡±


    He swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this¡­ but you¡¯re the saintess, so I¡¯ll trust you. I¡¯ll go get help right away.¡±


    ¡°Good. If you tell an aide what I said, they¡¯ll understand immediately. I¡¯m going to leave now.¡±


    I turned to the other two researchers. ¡°Lock the door and find somewhere to hide.¡± Their faces went pale and they glanced at each other before nodding in unison.


    I exited the lab alongside the researcher, and after wishing him luck, continued up the tower alone. As I reached the eighth-floor landing, I heard heavy footfalls ascending the staircase just below me.


    I quickened my pace. The footsteps sped up to keep up. I cursed the useless guardsman under my breath.


    Nine floors. The footsteps grew closer.


    Ten floors. The footsteps slowed, but grew closer, still. The knot in my stomach tightened.


    I sprinted up the staircase and the archmage continued walking behind at a leisurely pace, taking large, heavy steps. He could have closed the distance at any point but seemed to be toying with me for his own entertainment.


    I reached the top landing and the connecting door that led to the west tower. Locked. I slammed my shoulder against it once, twice, three times, before giving up and rushing through the door on the opposite side. I found myself in an ordinary sitting room.


    The only other exit from the room was a pair of ornate double doors. Which led to a balcony.


    Oh.


    I took a deep breath and opened the double doors, stepping out into the frigid air as a new understanding slowly formed in the back of my mind. This was a bad place to be ¨C we were at least ten stories up and the railing was low.


    Even with the deep northern snow below to act as a cushion, no ordinary human would survive a fall from this height.


    I heard Atropa laugh behind me. I turned to face him. He regarded me with clouded eyes, grinning from ear to ear. ¡°How entertaining. You really have a talent for doing the unexpected. Do you plan to make your last stand here, Saintess?¡±


    In a sense, that wasn¡¯t the worst idea. Any competent mage would avoid close quarters combat at all costs, as proximity to your opponent ruled out most of the spells that were normally chosen to deal with a single foe. Worse still, if your opponent was skilled with the blade, they could exploit the time you¡¯d need to spend on invocations and easily subdue you physically.


    Unfortunately, I had no sword at my disposal, and any spell capable of harming a mage of his caliber would turn the top half of the tower into a pile of rubble, sending me tumbling to the ground below. I needed to find a way to get the upper hand.


    The message. I forgot about the message!


    I rooted around in my pockets until I found the slip of paper. I took it out and unfolded it.


    Calling it a message was something of an overstatement. Really, it was just four words. Written in a foreign language in two neat lines by a hand just like mine.


    Jump.


    I love you.


    Of course! This is the last chapter of the novel, isn¡¯t it?


    Anything could happen, so why not this? As the archmage gazed at me in confusion, I waved, and then¡ªleapt over the railing.

 Snow Falls During Autumn (1-4)

    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (1)</h2>


    The twin spires of the archmage¡¯s estate came into view as we crested the hill. The spires were perhaps ten stories high. Despite sitting in such a remote location, the estate was nonetheless protected by a tall fence with two pairs of guards on either side of the main gate, huddled around two heaters.


    I looked to Selene for a go-ahead, then strode forward.


    ¡°Halt!¡± As we approached, the guard whose uniform was decorated with stripes held out his hand to stop us. His companions drew their weapons as we pressed forward. ¡°On what grounds do you trespass here?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± I kept walking.


    Selene did her duty as commander, explaining while she walked alongside me: ¡°Stand down. We are the Order of Solana, here on royal business.¡±


    The three lower-ranking guards looked to their superior who squinted at the emblem on our armor. Once satisfied, he nodded to his men, who promptly sheathed their weapons.


    I patted the leader on the shoulder as I passed by. ¡°Have a wonderful day.¡±


    I looked up at the east tower. I needed to hurry. Without further thought, I broke into a sprint. Fifty meters to the tower¡¯s base. Judging by what was happening up top, I had one minute, if I was lucky.


    I¡¯m never lucky though, am I? I broke into a sprint.


    Running through deep snow was a struggle, and I also had the harsh winds to contend with, biting-cold air threatening to knock me down entirely. Still, I ran. Meanwhile,Dame Selene opted to proceed at a more leisurely pace, either because she couldn¡¯t keep up with my sprint, or more likely because she didn¡¯t need to. The rest of our escorts trailed behind her, shivering in the cold.


    I pushed onward. High above, Helian jumped.


    Well, here goes nothing.


    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (2)</h2>


    During my four decades at Sola¡¯s side, I witnessed many things. The seven years¡¯ campaign led us across the continent, revealing foreign landscapes and unknown horrors in equal measure. The past year, in comparison, had felt like a decade compressed into a single moment. My understanding of the universe had been upended, and strange events occurred one after another.


    As I bolstered myself against the freezing wind and watched the new vice commander sprint towards the archmage¡¯s tower, another strange event unfolded before me.


    The sweeping winds gathered and coiled into a twisting tempest, seemingly controlled by the younger Lady Solana, whose hand was outstretched. The mass of violent air split into two halves¡ªthen bisected once more. Hands formed from each ribbon of swirling air and reached up to snatch a falling woman out of the sky before gently carrying her into the vice commander¡¯s waiting arms.


    When did she learn magic? Who had taught her magic?


    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (3)</h2>


    Helian drifted lazily down into my outstretched arms. I held her tight. ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°Hello. I take it you¡¯ve been planning this for a while.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Yeah. I wasn¡¯t certain of the timing, though.¡±


    She pointed at Selene and the other knights, then at my chest. ¡°What¡¯s with the knights and the insignia?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I got promoted. I have a last name now, too.¡±


    She stepped back, dusted herself off, and shivered. ¡°It¡¯s cold out here. Do you have a spare overcoat?¡±


    ¡°I knew I¡¯d forgotten something¡­ sorry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Helian nodded, clapped her hands to summon a ball of fire, then tapped it gently. The orb of flame began to orbit her slowly. ¡°This¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°Rotisserie Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. We have company.¡± Helian pointed at the figure angrily stomping towards us from the ground level of the east spire.


    I smiled and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°Mind letting me handle this one?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Have fun!¡± Helian made her way back to Selene and the waiting knights.


    The archmage bellowed as he approached. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Good evening, Sir Atropa. You stand accused of murdering Duchess Coroban and abducting the saintess. Do you have anything to say in your defense?¡±


    The archmage laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer to you.¡±


    ¡°No, but you do have to answer to His Majesty, and I come bearing a letter with his seal.¡±


    ¡°Letters burn easily.¡± He conjured a coiling rope of flame with a snap of his wrist. ¡°As do knights.¡±


    I nodded. Part of me had been hoping for this. ¡°I expected as much. In tribute to your long and distinguished service, I will allow you to redeem your honor with a duel. As the eldest among those gathered here, it seems appropriate to grant you the first strike.¡± I dipped my head before looking directly into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be claiming the last, however.¡±


    As lightning erupted from his other hand, the archmage smiled. I grinned in return.


    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (4)</h2>


    Dame Selene greeted me with a hug and offered a blanket from her pack. As I turned back to face the tower, she asked me something I wasn¡¯t prepared for.


    ¡°Saintess Helian, when did Lady Frost learn magic? Did you teach her?¡±


    At that moment, I realized I had made a mistake a very long time ago.


    Bolts of lightning forked out from the archmage¡¯s fingertips, like a thousand vines of coiling, hot light seeking to make contact with Frost Solana¡¯s body. Suddenly, a whip of fire joined them, lashing out towards her legs.


    Frost extended one hand, and as her eyes shined pale blue, conjured an array of brilliant, magical marks and patterns, which laced together and formed into a wall. Atropa¡¯s lightning bolts struck the magical wall, rebounding back into the night air.


    She drew Pretense with her other hand and sliced through the flaming whip. She began to approach the magician.


    The archmage released a hail of fire upon his opponent in rapid succession, then swept his hand along the ground, splitting it into a gaping chasm to stop her approach. Then, he began to charge up another volley of lightning.


    With another swipe of her blade, the flaming projectiles were dissipated. The sword now glowed a dull red. She wrenched her free hand straight down, sending drifting snow from the sky down in thick sheets to fill the chasm. Once again, her path forward was clear, and she continued her approach.


    Atropa, his panic clearly increasing by the moment, released a half-formed barrage of lightning¡ªto no avail, as Frost¡¯s glowing red blade cut through it easily like a boat passing through still waters.


    Atropa clapped his hands and the earth rumbled, and a range of jagged spires erupted from the ground, separating the archmage and Frost once again. Another a hail of fire rained down from the sky, this time trailed by a fleet of magical arrows.


    Frost raised her hand and twisted her wrist. The air obeyed her gesture and swirled in kind, halting, then redirecting Atropa¡¯s latest aerial assault. Fire and arrows missed their target and landed uselessly in the snow to the left of the duelists.


    Sword in her grip, Frost whipped her arm in a long sweep from left to right, cutting a massive, white-hot gash across the stone spires. A single kick was all it took to break the tips from their bases. With the obstacles out of the way, she pushed forward.


    Atropa was now hunched over, panting with exhaustion. As Frost approached him, I was struck by another realization.

 Snow Falls During Autumn (5-6)

    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (5)</h2>


    The impossible unfolded before me yet again. Lady Frost effortlessly turned back an onslaught of attacks from one of the kingdom¡¯s most skilled mages while advancing all on her own, driving him to the point of exhaustion, all in a matter of minutes. Her fighting style was the embodiment of senseless violence. If she had fought the duel in my place¡­ Sola would be dead. I thanked the heavens that it had been me instead.


    As the fight continued, Saintess Helian grew visibly concerned. Finally, she broke into a sprint in Frosts¡¯s direction, shouting at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Frost, stop! Don¡¯t kill him!¡±


    The vice commander casually walked up to Atropa, who was now openly begging for mercy. Indifferent to his cries, she kicked him in the gut. The archmage buckled forward, and as he collapsed face first in the snow, a cloud of dark smoke swirled up from his body. Lady Frost turned to face us.


    I¡¯d seen that expression before. It was just like Sola¡¯s not long ago. I gestured for the knights to stay back and ran to offer the saintess my support. I was the only other person here who could take on a mage. ¡°Be careful, Helian! She¡¯s not in her right mind!¡±


    Frost reached down, lifted Atropa by the neck with one hand, and then threw him against one of the remaining stone spires. Blood sputtered from his lips as he begged. ¡°Mercy¡­ please¡­¡±


    The vice commander giggled and held her sword against the side of his neck. ¡°I told you I¡¯d claim the last strike.¡±


    Helian chose that moment to drive her fist directly into Frost¡¯s back, sending her flying. Her body slammed hard against the wall of the archmage¡¯s mansion, and the impact loosed the snow from its rooftop. It fell down in white sheets on top of the girl.


    The saintess turned to face me. ¡°You brought medics, right? We¡¯re going to need them.¡± The remainder of the estate¡¯s guards had arrived in response to the duel, and upon seeing their master in such a state, drew their weapons and charged us. Fantastic. Just what we need.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Sighing deeply, I held my blade against Atropa¡¯s throat. My turn, I suppose. ¡°Drop your weapons if you wish to see your master live another day. And summon your medic.¡±


    <h2>Snow Falls During Autumn (6)</h2>


    I made two critical mistakes.


    First, I had shown Frost everything. As we grew up, we trained together, played together, learned together, and slept together. She saw every part of me because I held nothing back. And apparently, she had been watching more carefully than I realized.


    I thought this harmless because in the novel, she was no one, and once we parted, would become nothing. But what I¡¯d done was leave my mark on her, one so strong it created an imitation. She was not just in love with me¡­ she may have wished to become me.


    Assuming that Frost was no one¡ªthis was my second mistake. She had not appeared in the novel¡¯s main plot, so how could she have been part of my story? I¡¯d been foolish. Many characters in the novel lacked names, but I convinced myself that she was different. Because I chose to believe she was not part of the events that awaited me, I thought I could protect her¡ªby keeping her ignorant and pushing her away.


    But she had known all along, because she was meant to. The novel contained many flashbacks to my childhood. After the last chapter I read, there could have been countless more. Every moment we treasured a scene for the readers¡¯ entertainment. The fairy in the lake. Our kiss beside the waterfall. Our days and nights together. The sword in the cave.


    What if this was not the end of the novel? A loaded rifle sitting conspicuously on stage since the first act, waiting to be fired.


    Suitors numbered starting from zero, not from one. A knife concealed behind the author¡¯s back from the very beginning, now pointed at my heart.


    I needed to speak with Selene and the countess immediately.


    It may already be too late.


    Still, I had to try.

 Helian and Marchioness Marigold (1)

    After the medics stabilized Atropa and Frost, we began our journey to the countess¡¯s estate. The archmage was back on his feet by the time of our arrival, but Frost remained asleep, having passed out after I introduced her to the wall of Atropa¡¯s mansion.


    Sorry about that, little bird.


    After I gave her an explanation, Selene was willing to have Frost¡¯s hands and feet bound, to reduce the amount of trouble she could make upon waking. I hoped that she had just gotten carried away during the fight, but we had to be certain. Atropa seemed to have fully regained his senses, but for our own safety, he also agreed to be bound and have his magic sealed with a special device.


    After we reached the bottom of the hill and boarded a carriage, Selene offered me another blanket. She removed a warm stone from atop a magical heater.


    ¡°A hand-warmer for you, Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dame.¡±


    I was in no hurry to discuss recent events and it seemed she had a lot to consider, so we sat in silence together as the carriage swayed back and forth, the near-featureless terrain blurring past us.


    After about an hour of total quiet, the Dame spoke. ¡°I understand if there are things you don¡¯t want to talk about, Saintess Helian. But I need an explanation for what happened earlier.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I understand, Dame Selene. I¡¯ll be as forthcoming as possible. How much do you already know?¡±


    She paused for a moment, then summarized what Frost had told her. She and the countess had been given an overview of the novel, along with key plot points and the identity of four Suitors. I was relieved to learn that this information allowed Lady Solana to survive the Duchess¡¯s arrival at her estate, though the encounter had left Frost somewhat worse for wear.


    ¡°She defeated Duchess Coroban in a duel? Frost did?¡±


    Selene shrugged. ¡°She sent the guards away, so the only witnesses were some servants watching from the upper levels of the estate. They said that after the duchess swung at her a few times, Lady Frost retaliated with magic which caused the duchess to flee.¡±


    ¡°I should answer the question you asked me earlier, then. As far as I know, Frost never had this ability. She must have learned how to use magic by watching me and practicing in secret. She never told you or the countess that she possessed this ability?¡±


    This bothered me. Frost never hid her pride whenever she mastered a new skill. I remember how excited she was to show me her first complete sheet of letters. The one she had deftly copied from her storybook her father bought for her.


    She was good at copying things.


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. I¡¯m confused as to why she held this information back, as well.¡±


    ¡°Another question just occurred to me, Dame: did Frost ever show you anything written in a foreign language?¡±


    Selene stared off into space for a minute or so, then replied. ¡°Not intentionally, but I once glimpsed something in her desk drawer that appeared to be written in another script, yes.¡±


    Ah. She made a copy of my notes when I wasn¡¯t looking. This was a problem¡ª the deaths of her mother and father were in those notes. Which meant she knew that I could have tried harder to save them.


    How did Frost truly feel about me? It was impossible to know now for sure. She had been keeping so many things from me¡­ If I were in her place, I¡¯d be furious. I recalled how she spoke about the author once learning the truth about the novel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wring his neck.¡±


    ¡°That bastard has a lot to answer for.¡±


    All of this exists for me, so isn¡¯t it my responsibility? What about me, then? What do I have to answer for?


    ------


    Despite my hopes, Frost remained asleep once we arrived at the countess¡¯s estate. She and the archmage were both brought inside to be treated and monitored in the clinic, all while under guard. After I informed Selene of the matter¡¯s connection to the marchioness and her cult, she agreed that I should resume living at the countess¡¯s vacation home to appear as if the two of us remained on poor terms.


    In a way, Coroban¡¯s intervention had been helpful by further establishing me as a victim in need of protection. Luring in Marigold was still possible if we played our cards correctly. If we succeeded, we could learn more about the threat we faced in the process of bringing her to justice.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    For his part, Atropa was more than happy to explain matters to me, Selene, and the countess. This was a relief given our previous conversation had been interrupted before he could answer the questions that had been weighing on my mind this whole time.


    The archmage shook his wrists gently, causing the manastone cuffs to clink like the sound of wine glasses tapping together for a toast. ¡°I take it these aren¡¯t coming off?¡±


    Selene shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Sir Atropa. Perhaps later.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I understand your caution.¡±


    The four of us were seated around a table in one of the countess¡¯s meeting rooms. With his instruction, I erected a silence barrier that prevented eavesdropping. Knowing this spell would certainly come in handy in the future. Once the barrier was conjured, Atropa launched into a recap of our past conversation.


    ¡°Lady Solana, if I could interrupt to ask a question?¡±


    The countess nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Helian.¡±


    ¡°Why do the Seekers crave saintesses, Sir Atropa? You never explained in detail. I may be strong, but I¡¯m neither invincible nor immortal. There are people in this world much stronger than me.¡±


    He stroked his beard. The shackles around his wrists clinked together. ¡°I wish I could answer this with confidence, but what I know is speculation based on centuries of research that began with one of the first saintesses.¡±


    ¡°We believe the Seekers were born south of here, where a great city once thrived. At its center stood a massive tree called ¡®the Holy Root.¡¯ Its fruit was reputed to grant wisdom and strength to any who ate it. Naturally, as such, it was coveted by all.¡± He paused. ¡°As a result, the city possessed both mighty soldiers and wise rulers in great number.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°But the city is gone, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it perished long ago. It¡¯s believed that the tree craved so much water that its massive and far-reaching roots parched the lands all around it, turning the environs inhospitable. The tree likely ended up perishing, as well.¡±


    Selene raised an eyebrow. ¡°Likely? The status of a tree that large does not sound difficult to verify.¡±


    Atropa smiled and continued. ¡°True. However, it has long been impossible for anyone to enter the city. Years ago, as the tree began to wither, the shadow it cast changed in nature. This shadow now acts as a strange barrier, its depth and total lack of light repelling all those who try to enter. We believe the Seekers aim to breach this barrier.¡±


    He turned to me. ¡°I believe the saintess can now infer the answer to her own question.¡±


    ¡°Saintesses can breach the wall.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is correct. Another saintess succeeded in doing so in the past, which validated some of our theories. She was an accomplished researcher with a brilliant mind. Unfortunately, she refused to allow anyone to accompany her, lest a demon follow on her heels, so we only have her written records to rely on for knowledge of what lies inside.¡±


    I felt a new fear grow within me, but I could not put it into words.


    ------


    Our discussion continued into the late evening, but in my memory, the rest was a blur. After comparing notes at some length, it was determined that the best course of action was for me to investigate the marchioness¡¯s cult.


    ¡°But only if you want to, Helian,¡± reassured the countess.


    Selene nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯ve already been through plenty, and we understand if you want to rest. You¡¯ve more than earned it.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to rest peacefully until we¡¯ve put all this behind us. I¡¯m worried, and Frost remains asleep¡­¡±


    It was the countess¡¯s turn to sigh. ¡°Yes. The healers say nothing serious is wrong with her body, so all we can do is wait. I¡¯ll send word immediately if anything changes.¡±


    Selene took me by the hand. ¡°It¡¯s late. We should get you back so you can rest.¡±


    ------


    The carriage arrived at the countess¡¯s vacation home shortly after 8. While I didn¡¯t look forward to living in an empty manor, the idea of sleeping a few hundred meters from Frost¡¯s sickbed felt even worse. It would be impossible to put her out of my mind.


    Rosa rushed out of the front entrance and lifted me into the air in a bear hug.


    ¡°Saintess Helian! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well, Rosa.¡±


    The maid squeezed me tighter. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I couldn¡¯t come to get you personally. I wanted to, but they said they¡¯d be fighting mages, and in any case, my outfit would get all bogged down in the snow, and I¡¯m no good with cold temperatures anyway¡­ but that doesn¡¯t mean I would¡¯ve let any of that stop me! It did stop me this time, but that was because the countess insisted! And the other one, XXXXX? Or is her name Frost? She also insisted I stay behind. If not for them I would have rushed to your side!¡±


    ¡°I believe you, Rosa. Could you put me down now? I¡¯d like to get inside and have a bath.¡±


    Rosa set me down and took my hand to lead me into the manor. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll draw a bath for you right away. Let me know if you¡¯d like a light meal and I¡¯ll have the chef prepare something for you to eat after your bath. We collected your things from the duchess¡¯s castle and I¡¯ve put them all back where they were before. Though, first we had them exorcised by a priestess from the temple, just to be safe.¡±


    She leaned over and whispered in my ear. ¡°I¡¯ve also hidden a dagger under your pillow and put a bottle of holy water in your dresser drawer, just in case. But you shouldn¡¯t need them, because I¡¯ll be here.¡± She squeezed my hand tightly.


    ¡°Thank you, Rosa.¡± It was good to see her again, even if I would struggle to hear myself think for a while.


    ------


    As I sat down at my desk and uncapped my pen, Rosa tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Lady Saintess, haven¡¯t you had a long day? It might be best to put that off until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean that you don¡¯t need to rest.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Okay, Rosa.¡±


    She led me over to the bed and waited for me to climb in. After she tucked me in, she pulled up a stool and took a seat. ¡°I¡¯ll be here if you need anything.¡±


    Before long, I drifted off to sleep. I dreamt of the wolf trying to devour Little Red Riding Hood, only for Rosa to jump through the window and put it in a headlock, squeezing the beast until it begged for mercy.


    Then, Rosa and Little Red Riding Hood went to collect stones from a nearby river basin.

 Helian and Marchioness Marigold (2)

    Over the next week, social invitations began to arrive. Word had spread about my adventures since I first departed the countess¡¯s estate, and now women of status were competing to have me attend their dinner parties and salons. My concerns left me in no mood for parties, but it would be necessary to participate in at least one or two in order to lure the marchioness.


    As I sorted through the pile of invitations, Rosa plucked a mundane-looking envelope out of the pile and, after sniffing it carefully, opened it.


    ¡°What¡¯s that, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an invitation from the marchioness, Lady Saintess. I¡¯m fairly certain it¡¯s not poisoned, so it should be safe to read. If you start to feel ill for any reason, though, we should burn it.¡±


    The invitation was short and simple:


    Dear Saintess Helian,


    You are formally invited to join our gathering of intellectuals as a new member.


    I am certain your wisdom and expertise will enrich us all, and I believe attending will allow you to forge valuable connections.


    I look forward to seeing you at XX XXXXXX on the Xrd of XXXX.


    Sincerely,


    Marchioness Marigold


    This was what we had been waiting for.


    ------


    The gathering was held in a private event space attached to the greenhouse on the marchioness¡¯s vacation estate in the county. As I entered, a dozen women were standing around in small groups, chatting about various topics. Once Marchioness Marigold caught sight of me, she clapped to draw the attention of the crowd, and announced:


    ¡°Thank you for waiting, everyone. Our guest is here, so I think it¡¯s only right that we officially start the meeting. Please take your seats.¡±


    Once everyone had taken their places, one empty seat remained for me¡ªto Marigold¡¯s left. She certainly wanted to make me feel welcome.


    I bowed politely and took my seat. She wasted no time in introducing me to each member of the group, and briefly described their backgrounds and interests. Then she gave me an overview of the group¡¯s charter and typical activities.


    After that, the marchioness moved onto a new topic, one she¡¯d clearly been waiting to broach.


    ¡°Lady Helian. I think everyone here is eager to know about you and Duchess Coroban. If it¡¯s not too painful to talk about, could you tell us more about your time together? It may be good for you to let out your emotions here, in a place where no one will judge you. It may help you move on.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Thank you, Marchioness¡­ I think it may be time indeed. I will do my best.¡±


    Okay, Helian. Time to turn on the waterworks. Think about her.


    ¡°She was kind and considerate, from the very first moment we met.¡±


    Even though I mocked her at our first meeting, she was always kind.


    ¡°When I was nervous or afraid, she was there to reassure me.¡±


    When I felt overwhelmed by the future, or lost in this new world, she was by my side.


    ¡°Even when I treated her with disregard or contempt, she endured it gracefully.¡±


    I was unkind to her. I was not considerate. In the end, I cast her aside.


    ¡°She showed me her true self and made an effort to understand my true self as well.¡±


    She almost knows me better than I know myself. Even though I hid so much from her.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t look down on me for my weaknesses, but she also praised my strengths.¡±


    She didn¡¯t expect me to be perfect. And she encouraged me to get stronger.


    ¡°She was proud of her own strengths and admitted her own mistakes.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t possessed by ego, even though her skill almost matched mine. She always worked hard.


    ¡°In these ways and more, she was the ideal partner. And in the end, we were torn apart.¡±


    I tore us apart, because I was afraid. Even when we met again, she didn¡¯t question it.


    Hearing my praise for the partner I¡¯d lost, the gathered women nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Thank you for sharing this with us, Lady Helian. I can tell it was difficult. But may I ask a question?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Yes, Marchioness?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then¡­¡±


    I held my breath.


    ¡°... why did you kill Duchess Coroban? We¡¯re all friends here, you can tell us the truth.¡±


    She must have gotten word from someone who attended. The crowd murmured in shock and confusion.


    ¡°The late Duchess Coroban demanded things from me I was unwilling to give.¡±


    The marchioness traced the edge of her teacup with her pinky finger. ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°My eternal loyalty and affection.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°Yes, I can understand wanting to withhold that. I feel the same way. But is that all?¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course not, Lady Marigold. She also hired assassins to attack me.¡±


    Many of the women present gasped in shock. Others seemed to be struggling to determine whether this was a joke.


    ¡°I came to realize that the duchess craved gratitude most of all, and she was willing to do anything to get it. After the second time she burst into my bedroom to intercept hired killers at just the right moment, I realized I had grown tired of Her Grace¡¯s affections.¡±


    The marchioness nodded and, smiling bitterly, looked around the table for assent. A few women offered knowing smiles. ¡°The weight of a suitor¡¯s affection can be a heavy burden indeed. Doubly so if it is unwanted.¡±


    I sipped my tea. Time for the final flourish. ¡°Given all that, I¡¯m sure you can imagine how I felt when I learned that the duchess planned to perform a dark ritual on our wedding day.¡±


    Baroness Rubica choked on her tea. Her lady-in-waiting slapped her mistress on the back in a fit of panic.


    Marigold sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see the big picture here. I had expected better from Duchess Coroban, to be sure. Between this and the other unfortunate incidents you¡¯ve been tangled up in, it feels as if the Goddess Metis herself might wish for you to be miserable.¡±


    The seated women exchanged worried looks, as if they couldn¡¯t believe the marchioness was saying this to the saintess, of all people.


    I grimaced and finished what remained of my tea, then waved over a maid to refill it. ¡°I¡¯ve started to wonder that myself, Marchioness. I confess that despite the temple¡¯s assurances, I¡¯ve yet to feel truly chosen by the heavens or protected by divine providence.¡±


    Marigold nodded. ¡°In truth, Lady Helian, you are not the only person to suffer so. Despite the temple¡¯s assurances, faith in our Goddess on high has long since ceased to be enough to ensure safety and happiness. Women like us must act to secure a future for ourselves and our families.¡±


    The gathered women all nodded in agreement. Baroness Santal took my hand to reassure me and continued the marchioness¡¯s thought. ¡°That is why we¡¯re gathered here, Lady Helian.¡±


    Marigold smiled. ¡°Noble though we may be, in the end, we are merely women. We lack the power and prestige afforded to our husbands and suitors. The world looks down upon us. Even His Majesty¡¯s egalitarian gestures are mere pity. They consider us lesser, our efforts and our skills inadequate. Our only choice is to show them otherwise. And through great sacrifice, those of us gathered here have found a way to do just that. Are you familiar with the lost city to the south, Lady Helian?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it, though I know little. I¡¯ve never seen it for myself.¡±


    ¡°Few people have.¡± The marchioness sipped her tea. ¡°It¡¯s long been lost to the world. You see, though its people were happy, and the city was prosperous, its rulers grew greedy and complacent. This ultimately led to its undoing.¡±


    She paused. All the gathered women were rapt with attention. The marchioness cleared her throat and continued.


    ¡°At the city¡¯s heart lived a massive, sprawling tree they called the Holy Root. It was a blessing from the heavens. It bestowed gifts upon them, gifts that granted strength and wisdom. But they were not thankful for these blessings. Instead, they squandered them, and in their folly, the tree was eventually starved of water. Soon it began to wither, but even as it did, they did not learn from their mistake. They continued to live without changing their ways. In the end, the city was sealed off from the world. No one has set foot inside for centuries.¡±


    I raised my eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s a tragic tale, marchioness. But I must confess I don¡¯t understand where this leads.¡±


    Her smile widened. ¡°The gifts I spoke of did not go to waste. While the city¡¯s rulers took them for granted, those of wisdom brought gifts out of the city, so that they could be shared with the world. We continue that effort to this day, by finding those gifts and putting them into the right hands. They bestow great strength and wisdom even now.¡±


    The relics.


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯ve read of such things in storybooks, but I never thought they could be real, especially not in our modern era. I¡¯m surprised word has not spread of their existence.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Good point. The city¡¯s exiles hid their gifts throughout the world, buried beneath gravestones, nestled between rocks on mountaintops, sealed within locked chests inside ancient libraries, or hidden in dark corners of countryside caves. They wanted to ensure that only worthy successors would discover them, so that they would not end up in the wrong hands.¡±


    A possibility occurred to me, but I put it out of my mind. I refused to even consider it.


    ¡°This brings us to you, Lady Helian. I believe you can aid us in the search for these relics. The exiles said that in the city¡¯s earliest days, it was ruled over by a saintess, both noble and wise. The tree¡¯s gifts were meant for the ruler and her followers, and only those who came after squandered its bounty. When the tree sealed off the city, it was merely safeguarding it until the arrival of the next saintess.¡±


    I did my best to feign surprise. ¡°To learn that one of my predecessors founded a city¡­ that¡¯s quite something. I thought our fate was merely to serve either the temple or nobility.¡±


    ¡°Just another example of how they do not value us for our skills or efforts, Lady Helian. Even you, a true saintess, are seen only as a tool. But I believe that you can enter the sealed city and recover the gifts that remain within. We can use them to revitalize the world and cleanse the rot that holds it back. We can make everyone equal.¡±


    This was the worst kind of cult. While their ideology was noble, they were deeply misinformed. They clearly had no knowledge of the Seekers and did not realize what the relics carried. If only I could open their eyes to the truth.


    ¡°Marchioness, what you¡¯ve just said could be seen as heresy, or worse, sedition¡­ the fact of my mere presence here could get me killed. What¡¯s more, I lack the protection of a title or spouse.¡±


    Marigold smiled. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry, Lady Helian. The exiles foresaw this too. Our meetings are protected by a Vow of Silence, magic they devised to protect this secret. None in this room will betray our trust, even if they wish to. The Vow has protected us since the day the city fell.¡±


    I thought the magical barrier around this room was a little strange...


    It had broken just as easily as any other when I gave it a little push as I entered, regardless. Even now, Selene¡¯s agents were listening in.


    I just hoped the countess would show the women some measure of mercy. Perhaps if I begged and pleaded, she would withhold the worst of the evidence from the king, and they wouldn¡¯t all have to be executed¡­

 Helian and Marchioness Marigold (3)

    As I left the greenhouse, I nodded to one of Selene¡¯s agents. Within moments, the countess¡¯s men (who had already surrounded the estate, as they¡¯d strategically hidden themselves earlier) moved in and arrested everyone, myself included. Without the Vow¡¯s protection, the lesser nobles in attendance would no doubt spill their secrets after only a short interrogation.


    Baroness Santal was placed in the same carriage with me to be taken to a holding cell. Once the door was sealed, she took my hand in hers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lady Helian. Everything will be just fine.¡±


    I truly felt guilty for what I had done to these women. I prayed for their survival.


    Naturally, while the others were held for prolonged interrogation, I was released after a few minutes. Countess Solana arrived in person to escort me back to her estate.


    ¡°Countess Solana¡­ I¡¯m surprised you have the time to escort me personally.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, Helian. Frost has finally woken up. She asked me to bring you back as soon as possible. She misses you dearly.¡±


    She was finally awake! I practically sprinted for the countess¡¯s carriage, and she chuckled at the sight. We made our way back to the estate at top speed, and I tried to ignore the anxiety that was building in my chest.


    When we arrived, the estate was in a state of mild chaos. A man ran up to greet us and introduced himself to me as the vice-captain of the guard.


    The countess wasted no time. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He swallowed. ¡°Lady Solana, I¡¯m afraid one of our guests has escaped their confinement. The estate is being searched as we speak, and I¡¯ve had the exits locked down.¡±


    ¡°Did the archmage turn on us after all?¡± I asked.


    He faced me and shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s Lady Frost who¡¯s missing. She most likely just wanted to stretch her legs, but regardless, we¡¯re exercising all due caution¡­¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    In a panic, I ran towards the stables.


    Rime was still there. I felt relief wash over me, then soon after, renewed panic.


    Rime was in the stables. But that didn¡¯t mean Frost was still here. Rime had been left behind because Frost didn¡¯t plan to return. I was certain of it. She had left her horse in my care.


    I checked Rime¡¯s saddle and took two waterskins from the shelf by the door. After checking that they were full, I hung them both from the saddle¡¯s left side. I unfastened her reins from the hitch and opened the gate to her stall. She walked to my side and greeted me gently, rubbing her nose up against my arm. Hello, old girl. There¡¯s a long ride ahead of us. Do you think you¡¯re up for it?


    Solana arrived to interrogate me. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you going somewhere? Why are you taking Frost¡¯s horse?¡±


    ¡°Frost fled and isn¡¯t coming back, Lady Solana. She left her horse behind. I¡¯m going to follow her.¡±


    I had to bring her back before something irreversible happened.


    Atropa hobbled in. When we both turned to look at him, he leaned on his cane for support while he caught his breath. ¡°What¡¯s happened? Where has Lady Frost gone?¡±


    After my conversation with the marchioness, the answer to this and so many other questions had become obvious.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone to the old city, Sir Atropa. She¡¯s headed for the tree.¡±


    He reflexively began to rub his beard. ¡°But how will she get inside? Only a saintess can pierce the barrier, and you¡¯re right here. Does she plan to act as bait and draw you in? In her condition, she wouldn¡¯t be able to overpower you.¡±


    ¡°She likely doesn¡¯t need my help to pierce the barrier. She¡¯s capable of almost anything I can do, and many more things still.¡±


    Solana frowned. ¡°Are you saying she learned how to become a saintess?¡±


    ¡°She learned everything from me. She watched me for twenty years. I thought nothing of it. I thought nothing bad could come of it. I was stupid. She¡¯s¡­ precious to me.¡±


    The archmage¡¯s eyes widened and he began to mumble. ¡°Wasn¡¯t after a saintess to begin with¡­ just waiting for the right moment¡­ oh, no. I may have caused Lady Frost¡¯s moment of vulnerability when I put you in danger, Lady Saintess.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s possible. I¡¯ve wronged her many times over, though. It could have been my doing, my fault.¡±


    Solana began preparing her own horse and ordered a stable hand to ready one for Atropa as well. ¡°I can¡¯t send you off to handle this alone. We will accompany you.¡±

 Fruit From a Rotten Tree (1)

    After a day, we arrived at the city¡¯s outskirts.


    The barrier was like a pitch-black marble. The surface was oily and looked as if it were flowing, like water. I had expected to need some flash of inspiration to open a path, but it was easy. The moment I approached, the shadow retreated.


    A corridor opened before us, wide enough for our horses to walk through. As we entered the tree¡¯s domain, the wall closed behind us.


    Even though I could no longer see the sky or sun, the surroundings were still bright, almost as if we were outside. Whether this was sunlight finding its way through the barrier or light from some other source, I couldn¡¯t tell. Regardless, the inky dome overhead made me feel claustrophobic.


    The main gates were wide open, as the city¡¯s prior occupants had decided there was no need to protect it from intruders any longer.


    Despite being worn away by centuries worth of rain and wind, the city remained impressive to look at. Its architecture was anachronistic, as if a storybook castle had been constructed using techniques and materials from the early 20th century, surrounded by small houses and multi-level office buildings.


    I had lived in a city like this once, all alone. And now, I felt more alone than ever.


    The city had clearly been centrally planned, with a wide main street leading from the outer gates straight into the citadel. Dominating the skyline behind the citadel was a massive oak. The tree¡¯s canopy stretched far enough that it cast shadows across much of the city. There were rusted rails set into the streets, evidence that at one point the city had had a fully operating public trolley system of sorts.


    It occurred to me that they probably had slide rules here, and if I explored the office buildings, I might find the remains of a primitive adding machine that occupied an entire room. The residents must have been heartbroken to leave the city behind and settle for the living standards of the outside world. Some likely had chosen to stay, even as the tree¡¯s shadow sealed them in.


    Would we be trapped here, as well? Were we already trapped?


    Solana and Atropa gazed around in awe as we rode our horses up the main street towards the citadel, idly discussing the sights and speculating as to their purpose. We came across a rusted trolley car as we reached the halfway point, and the archmage asked me if I knew what it was. I told him magic pushed it along the rails, having decided I didn¡¯t want to get into the finer details of combustion engines or the general concept of electricity. Given the lack of a third rail or overhead wires, that could¡¯ve been true for all I knew.


    A plaza to the right side of our path held the remnants of a large water fountain at its center. I realized that the city had likely hastened its own demise ¨C modern Earth¡¯s living standards demanded plentiful water, not only for hygiene and daily living, but for symbols of prestige like fountains and green lawns. A bad drought could have brought this city low even without the supernatural intervention of its holy tree. Maybe the tree was blameless.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Frost was blameless, too. It was all my fault; she was just paying for my mistakes.


    As we neared the entrance to the citadel, our journey came to a temporary halt.


    The path leading to the tree was interrupted by a pair of massive stone gates. They¡¯d been left ajar by Frost. Her stolen horse drank from a pail of water right outside the gates, too large to fit through the gap.


    The air here was cool, thanks to the deep shadows cast by the tree¡¯s canopy above. Frost had chosen to leave her horse here in this comfortable environment. The way a person treated their horse reflected their virtues, after all.


    As we drew closer, the pattern on the doors became clearer. I recognized the markings as words. I dismounted Rime and walked over to examine the pattern more closely.


    ¡°Sir Atropa, were you aware that this city was founded by a saintess?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes. How did you know that?¡±


    ¡°Lady Marigold had said as much, but these words are from my world, which decidedly confirms it.¡±


    While I wouldn¡¯t call myself fluent, I mostly understood the language they were written in. The inscription, carved across the two doors, roughly translated to this:


    Holy Root,


    Whose reach extends to ------ far


    ------ on us your grace


    Hold us tight in knurled arms


    That ------- us to this place


    Once I was done reading, Solana spoke. ¡°My mother had a storybook that mentioned this tree. It said that the tree¡¯s roots and branches were paths one could walk to reach distant places.¡±


    While Atropa stroked his beard in contemplation, I began to squeeze my way through the gap between the gates. Opening the heavy stone doors any further was impossible due to centuries of dust and rubble that piled up around them, keeping them in place. Solana helped the archmage down off his horse, and the two followed slowly behind me.


    The footprints Frost had left behind told me she was not in good health. Her steps were uneven and heavy, which meant she was likely moving slowly enough to allow me to catch up. I gave Solana a nod and sprinted ahead, leaving her and the archmage behind. They would catch up eventually.


    At this distance, it was easier to make out the details of the great tree, at least on the surface. Its canopy was dense with leaves, which was odd, impossible, even, considering the tree was supposed to be dead or dying. The leaves, however, appeared pitch-black, and they let in no light , not even between the gaps. Small forms hung from the branches here and there, glimmering in the light like crystals or polished stones. Oddly shaped fruit, perhaps?


    As I continued onward, I finally caught sight of Frost up ahead. An object lying near the path drew my attention away from her.


    It was an axe made of blue metal. Even after all this time, it was beautiful despite the thick layer of dust coating it. It was worrying that it had clearly dropped down from up above. The way it lay on the ground gave me the sense that it had not been discarded and abandoned by human hands. And yet, the dust suggested that it had somehow ended up long after the city¡¯s last resident had died.


    Ah. It had fallen from the tree. This tree bore fruit in the form of weapons¡ªgifts for those who would be mighty soldiers. Marigold had mentioned that the relics were gifts given from the tree itself.


    The nameless fear that had first sunk its claws into me when I learned of the city¡¯s existence now fully took hold. Were they placed side by side, this axe and Pretense would have made the perfect pair. Both weapons shining blue-black under the sun¡¯s light, sparkling with matching sets of inlaid gems.


    I looked up. Frost¡¯s silhouette stumbled towards the tree. I quickened my pace and chased after her.

 Wandering Home / Fruit From a Rotten Tree (2)

    <h2>A Wayward Child Wanders Home</h2>


    Nearly there.


    The cool breeze soothes my sun-burnt skin as I make my way home to a place I do not recognize.


    The warmth in my hand reminds me that I am not alone, and its light guides me forward¡ªto where the story will end.


    the uneven paving stones make me stumble worn by the wind and cracked by the intrusion of pitch-black roots that climb out from the earth below like grasping hands looking at them makes me feel ill so I turn my gaze forward to the tree


    but that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better


    hold the warmth in my hands tightly to my chest


    the wind is cold


    <h2>Fruit From a Rotten Tree (2)</h2>


    Frost was not in good condition. I could easily catch up to her, given her pace. But that wouldn¡¯t be enough. If she fully fell under the Seeker¡¯s control, it would no doubt push her body to its limits and unleash its own demonic power.


    Worse still, the theory we¡¯d arrived at earlier gave me serious pause. There was only one way to expel a Seeker without killing its host: render the host no longer viable. If a demon determined that its host was no longer capable of helping it achieve its goals or was in mortal danger, it would flee the host. Even if the demon would die without a new host to inhabit. The image of Coroban¡¯s body withering suddenly pierced my thoughts, and I quickly cast it out. Surely it had not been that long. Surely it was not too late.


    If I failed to convince Frost with my words, I would have to drag her back by force. And this would be no easy task. I had sparred with her hundreds of times, and when armed with a sword, she was easily my match. Until now, I had considered my command of magic to be an insurmountable advantage, but it seemed she had learned that from me as well. My only advantage over her might be the magic I used against the duchess¡­ but I was terrified that that power would not merely wound her, but kill her. No. I did not want to use it.


    As I drew closer to her, a new hope rose in my chest.


    Frost was practically being dragged forward by the sword. Was it possible that the Seeker had not yet fully taken hold of her body? Perhaps it was still just inside her, struggling to wield its influence. I still had a chance. If I could just somehow destroy it...


    I spoke as calmly as I could. It wouldn¡¯t do to startle her. ¡°Frost. It¡¯s me.¡±


    She turned her head to look at me, her pace slowing but not stopping. In her hand, Pretense glowed a dull red.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± she replied. Her voice was¡­ unfamiliar. ¡°It¡¯s almost done. Soon you can go home.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Frost? Our home isn¡¯t here. It¡¯s back where we came from. Come with me and we can go home.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. You can finally go home if we finish this. You just need to help a little bit. The tree will do the rest.¡±


    ¡°How can the tree help? It¡¯s dead, look at it. And I don¡¯t understand what you mean about going home, Frost. Where will I go without you?¡±


    ¡°Back to where you came from, Helian. Home. Where they miss you. Where you belong. The tree can take you anywhere if you walk along its roots. It told me so.¡±


    The tree¡¯s roots did not just reach distant places. They reached distant worlds, or so the tree had told Frost. I understood now how it had managed to lure her here.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Frost¡­ there¡¯s nowhere for me to go back to. And even if there was, there are people here who will miss me. You¡¯ll miss me, won¡¯t you? I don¡¯t want to leave. So¡­ it¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to go to the tree. Do you understand?¡±


    She shook her head again. ¡°No¡­ you don¡¯t understand. You don¡¯t belong here. You need to go home. The tree can help. All it needs is a little blood. I thought I was good enough to open the door but I guess I wasn¡¯t since I¡¯m a fake after all it only let me through because it knew you¡¯d follow me and I was worried that you wouldn¡¯t but you¡¯re here and I¡¯m so glad because at least now we can be together for a little while longer before you go home since you¡¯ve been wishing to go home all along and I saw how lonely you were and how you cried when you thought no one was watching but I was watching and it hurt to see you feel like that and I don¡¯t want you to feel that way ever again so I¡¯m going to send you home.¡± She paused. ¡°All you need to do is help. All the tree needs is a little blood. It says it won¡¯t hurt at all.¡±


    Words weren¡¯t working.


    ¡°Frost. You¡¯re tired and hurt. You¡¯re delirious from riding all the way here. If you won¡¯t leave, why not at least sit down and rest? We can talk.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I must keep going. The tree is waiting. I¡¯m almost there.¡±


    ¡°Please put the sword down and rest, Frost. Please. I¡­ I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    ¡°Why? It was a gift, wasn¡¯t it? You said I could have it. I always wanted a sword for my birthday. I¡¯ve treasured it since we found it together. Are you saying you¡¯re really done with me? Do you want to take my present back?¡± She was crying now.


    ¡°No, Frost. Of course I don¡¯t want you to give it back.The sword is making you sick. Just leave it on the ground and I promise you¡¯ll feel better soon. If you don¡¯t want to leave, we can just sit here together and rest. We can talk. All you have to do is put the sword down. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I am tired¡­ but Pretense says you¡¯re lying. Without it, I can¡¯t send you home. You¡¯ll be stuck here, and it¡¯ll be my fault. I have to help you go home and the tree can help me so I have to go to the tree and all it needs is a little bit of your blood. It won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    She turned to face me.  Pretense was glowing even brighter now. Frost, holding the sword firmly, got into stance.


    The tree¡¯s scheme was excellent. I would have to be perfect. If I shed a single drop of blood on the ground, the roots would drink it up like spring rain, and then the tree would do whatever it truly aimed to do. For all I knew, Frost was right and it would send me home¡­ but there was nothing for me there. Of that much I was certain.


    And if I left, people would miss me dearly. And I¡ªI would miss them, too.


    Even if I could never tell them how I felt, and even if I could never truly apologize, I wasn¡¯t going back. I was going to stay here.


    I drew my sword and mirrored Frost¡¯s stance.


    ¡°Okay, little bird. I¡¯m going to help you now. Do your best to not get hurt.¡±


    ------


    Though it pained me to fight her, I still had hope. Frost was not all there, but she was not all gone either. She lacked the calm and murderous intent I¡¯d felt from the archmage, and she was not behaving as abnormally as the duchess had. And based on what I¡¯d heard, the duel between Solana and her vice commander had been different from what was happening now. Frost¡¯s true self was desperate to be heard, and in this moment, swordplay was her language.


    Despite her obvious fatigue and clouded eyes, she matched my swings with great precision, parrying each and every one of my strikes. Each of her attacks came dangerously close. Unlike our childhood sparring matches, I could not afford to tolerate even a single nick or scrape. I had to be perfect.


    As our duel continued, Pretense glowed brighter and brighter. That damned sword. If only I could get it out of her hands. I dreaded the possibility that I¡¯d have to sever her sword arm entirely. No healer in the kingdom would be able to undo that act. Such a move would literally cut her future short as Solana¡¯s successor. It would also take one of the things she treasured most. One of the connections between us.


    And even if I managed to do just that, I would still need to seal off her magic. It was a blessing that she had not used it so far. Perhaps she had not yet mastered it. Perhaps her magic had simply been a result of operating on instinct back when she¡¯d fought the duchess and the archmage.


    As I watched her blade move through the air, something occurred to me.


    Pretense was inset with gems. At those points, and those points alone, the blade was thinner. Weaker.


    If I made sure to be precise, if I struck those points repeatedly, I could weaken it. I could destroy the sword. I could smash the damned thing to pieces and cast its remains into a lake or bury them deep beneath the earth.


    But I would have to be perfect.

 Fruit From a Rotten Tree (3)

    Helian was a natural talent. I could see this now. I finally got to observe her in combat, and with my daughter, no less. Frost¡¯s swings were frenzied but precise, reminiscent of Selene at her best, but with fewer weaknesses and an unyielding momentum. At times, it looked as if her blade was pulling her body along with each attack , rather than  her body directing the blade.


    But as skilled as Frost was, Helian was better. It was more than just uncanny precision. She was patient and calm. She didn¡¯t execute the twelve forms; she transcended them. She wielded the sword as though it were an extension of her own body. This level of swordplay¡ªit was close to perfection.


    A resonant hum rang out with each clash of the women¡¯s blades. My ears buzzed with the sound, and with each successive strike, it only grew louder, echoed longer. As the sounds grew dizzying, each ring overlapping with the last, Frost¡¯s grip finally grew unsteady.


    She stumbled back. Helian took the opportunity to strike.


    My daughter¡¯s blade broke clean in half. She stood dazed, looking down at the shard of metal in her hand, its previous red glow lost completely.


    Helian stared at her for a moment, and then shook her head.


    ¡°Lady Solana.¡± Helian turned to face me.


    ¡°Yes, Helian?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hurt your daughter.¡±


    ¡°If you must.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Helian turned back and strode confidently up to Frost, who at this point could barely stand on her two feet, her face bearing the countenance of a wounded beast.


    At Helian¡¯s approach, my daughter cast aside the broken remains of her blade. She  snapped her fingers, summoning a long, coiling whip of flame. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the roiling magic, torching her skin. She flung the whip towards Helian.


    The fiery whip coiled around the saintess¡¯s sword. The steel changed colors where the flames were wrapped around the blade, and it looked as if it could melt at any moment.


    Helian gripped the hilt of her sword and wrenched her arms backwards, yanking Frost toward her. Frost lurched forward¡ªand stumbled. The magic whip dissipated into nothingness. The saintess advanced.


    Frost looked confused. This fight had taken its toll on her body, a body which had not yet recovered from her duel with the archmage. I could see that adrenaline was fading, leaving her mind dull and her reflexes duller still.


    My daughter¡¯s voice rasped out, hoarse and weak. ¡°Helian?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Helian responded as she walked behind Frost.


    ¡°... I think I¡¯ve made a mistake.¡±


    ¡°You have.¡± With this, the saintess grabbed Frost¡¯s spell hand, then brutally wrenched it back, bending her arm at an unnatural angle to dislocate it at the elbow. I flinched.


    Frost screamed in agony and stumbled backwards as she struggled to remain on her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it seems I¡¯m not finished.¡±


    The saintess then grabbed Frost by the neck and threw her down to the ground at such an angle that she landed hard on her now-dislocated arm.


    My daughter, overcome with pain, did not get up.


    I thought it was over, and then¡ªthe tree. I watched in horror as black roots erupted from the ground around the two women. While Helian managed to protect herself from the roots, she was not quick enough to save them both.


    The tree¡¯s roots wound around Frost and, like a child receiving its first toy, began to play.

 Frost Thaws During Winter

    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (1)</h2>


    pain


    my arm


    biting wind, arrows soaring


    fingers snap like twigs


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (2)</h2>


    Frost arched her back off the ground and writhed in pain, screaming incoherently.


    Puppeted by the roots of the tree, her broken arm rose up into the air, limp and useless, before turning its wrist and coiling its fingers with an unnatural elegance.


    Two columns of swirling, ice-cold wind erupted on either side of Frost, flanked by a fleet of magical arrows. They were all aimed at me. The columns of wind spun hard and fast, gathering a tempest¡ªthe arrows came soaring towards me faster than a hail of bullets.


    Breaking her arm had not been enough. I¡¯m sorry, little bird. I¡¯ll have to take your fingers too.


    It was good that I had never used my sword hand for schemas in front of her, so I could leave that hand intact.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (3)</h2>


    Helian strode through the hail of arrows, untouched, like a knife cutting through paper.  With one clean sweep of her hand, she sliced through columns of wind. The twin cyclones disappeared into nothing.


    She continued her approach. Once she reached Frost, she took her arm and calmly pinned it down.


    Oh, poor girl. I flinched as I heard her fingers crack one by one. The saintess¡¯s penchant for violence still took me by surprise.


    Regardless, my wayward daughter needed to be set straight one way or another, and neither I nor the archmage were up to the task. I would need to enlist the best healers in the kingdom once we returned home.


    The tree¡¯s vines wrapped tighter around Frost¡¯s body, and she began to cough up blood as she strained helplessly against the firm press of Helian¡¯s boot.


    Helian tipped her chin up to look at the tree. Then, she began to speak.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (4)</h2>


    Old words rose unbidden from my throat as I stared up at the rotten tree.


    ¡°A star shines high in the heavens, burning red.¡±


    ¡°In her left hand, thunder, in her right hand, scepter gleaming blue.¡±


    The roots that were coiled round Frost grew slack, and as flames erupted all around my feet, the tree¡¯s grasping limbs finally began to retreat.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (5)</h2>


    ¡°A star shines high in the heavens, burning red.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    the words


    ¡°In her left hand, thunder¡±


    the scepter gleaming blue like her eyes on the day we went to the zoo


    ¡°From her steps erupt magma, in her wake, forests radiant green.¡±


    vines blaze like candles. from Helian¡¯s birthday cake we shared in her apartment


    her face, serene, shining brightly


    words rise unbidden from my throat


    ¡°From her eyes flow tears.¡±


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (6)</h2>


    Frost¡¯s eyes began to clear at last, and she spoke in reply.


    ¡°From her eyes flow tears as oceans, from her mouth proceed rivers of sand.¡±


    The rotten tree withered from its base. Its branches like claws, leaves like fingernails, reached out towards me. I continued.


    ¡°Two stars shine high in the heavens, burning red and blue.¡±


    Frost¡¯s voice grew stronger and joined mine in harmony. ¡°Her breath like winter¡¯s chill. Her heartbeat, pounding drums.¡±


    I knelt and caressed her face. She smiled, and we spoke in unison.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (7)</h2>


    The saintess¡¯s words burned in my ears and all the nerves in my body screamed at once. I leaned on my cane and struggled to stay upright. The earth trembled in accord, as if it, too, could hear.


    The two saintesses, one true and the other false, figures wrapped around each other in an embrace, spoke in foreign tongue. These words were not meant for me. This truth was not meant for us, and I cast it from my mind, lest it destroy me.


    A pillar of light erupted around them, shining bright and piercing the barrier overhead, the midday sun a pale imitation of its radiance. Shadows fled in terror, and the tree, rapidly withering, flailed and writhed.


    The pillar split in two, and bent, resembling a forked spear. The tree was also sundered, ash pouring from the ever-widening gash in its trunk like blood, as the twin shafts of light forced their way through its center.


    The pinnacle of magic I had sought through blood, sweat, and tears for many decades now appeared before me, and in its presence, my weary bones creaked in terror. Calamity.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (8)</h2>


    When I was still young, the departed Lady Solana would sit me on her lap, reading stories from a worn leather tome. Mother¡¯s most treasured possession, a gift from Grandmother, which had been passed down from generation to generation. As she held me close, she spoke of the old era. Forgotten cities, bold knights, and wise saintesses. Ancient myths. Creation and calamity.


    Calamity once more dwelled upon the earth before my eyes.


    Twin calamities, born of low blood, risen from the soil. Blinding radiance like the sun pierced the air, rending the tree. The tree would never bear its wretched fruit again. The rotten trunk turned to kindling, and its funeral pyre sent a pillar of smoke pluming high into the heavens. Ancient myth made manifest. Decades from now, parents would tell their children of this day in hushed tones.


    Pale red light refracted in my daughter¡¯s eyes. They were no longer clouded. She smiled. Helian knelt upon the blood-stained soil and held her tight.


    <h2>Frost Thaws During Winter (9)</h2>


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Frost¡¯s voice was hoarse.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Were you at least worried?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Frost looked upset by this. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I knew you¡¯d come back.¡±


    She grimaced. ¡°My arm hurts, Lady Saintess. Can you heal me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡±


    ¡°... when we get home, I¡¯m filing a formal complaint with the temple.¡±

 How My Second Love Began

    I roused from sleep in the early morning. The sun slowly crested the horizon. The world around us was still and the air was ice-cold, reminding us that winter was nearly here. I shivered and rolled over in search of warmth.


    She was staring at me.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Helian.¡±


    I pulled her in close with my one good arm and held her hand tight in mine. As she gazed at me, she spoke softly.


    ¡°This has all¡­ really been wonderful. I¡¯ve treasured every minute. I¡¯ll never forget our time together.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Every moment with you is a gift.¡±


    She returned my embrace, hugging me tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll never let you out of my sight again.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Helian. Even if I fly away from your side, I¡¯m certain to return. Haven¡¯t I always?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s true. My little bird always finds her way home.¡±


    Someone gently knocked on our bedroom door, and just outside, I heard Dame Selene clear her throat.


    ------


    Selene politely opened the carriage door, waiting for us to enter, then closed it behind her as she took a seat beside Duchess Solana. ¡°Good to see you two again.¡± She smiled brightly.


    Mother leaned close to Selene and greeted us in turn. ¡°Helian, you look lovely as usual. Frost, my dear, have you been sleeping properly? You look exhausted. I hope you didn¡¯t stay up late again.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Helian laughed. ¡°I fear that¡¯s my fault, Lady Solana. I¡¯ve had her singing for me often as of late, and perhaps she needs to rest.¡±


    I groaned. ¡°I swear, you two are getting along far too well¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, little bird!¡± The duchess laughed, eerily sounding like Helian, and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s only right for a mother and her new daughter to get along, wouldn¡¯t you say? Which reminds me¡­ Helian, when will you work up the courage to call me ¡®mother?¡¯ Or ¡®mommy,¡¯ if you prefer? You needn¡¯t waste time on formalities. We¡¯re family now, after all.¡±


    It was Helian¡¯s turn to groan. ¡°You¡¯re not going to let that go, are you?¡±


    Selene cleared her throat. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but we are here on business¡­ Sola didn¡¯t want to disturb your quality time together, but an urgent issue has arisen, and the two of us must head to the duchy. As such, the vice-commander is to take over matters in the county, lest the family be accused of abandoning its post.¡±


    Mother feigned extreme distress. ¡°Oh, heavens. I hope I don¡¯t find the streets filled with rioters and the estate in ashes once I return. Frost, my dear. Promise you¡¯ll consult your darling wife before making any rash decisions, will you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mother. I¡¯ve had enough of being on my own.¡±


    The saintess at my side muttered under her breath. ¡°I should ask for overtime pay¡­¡±


    ------


    As we exited the carriage, a tiny creature scurried out from the main building and tripped on the bottom step, before deftly recovering her balance and landing on her feet.


    ¡°Lady Saintess! Lady Frost!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Hello, Lady Rosa.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be returning so soon¡­ I¡¯ll prepare your room right away. You¡¯ll be needing a bath, right? I¡¯ll make one ready immediately and ask the chef to prepare some of your favorites. Will you be having a vegetable dish tonight? I¡¯m told red meat is good for restoring strength after exercise. I hope everything manages to meet your expectations¡­ though I¡¯ll understand if you need to fire me.¡±


    Helian pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Rosa¡­¡±


    As we entered the estate, I glanced to my right and saw the trainees sparring on the field. Ruby stopped immediately and waved to us, smiling, causing Sapphire to drop her sword mid-swing. Those two were in for a scolding again.

 An Apple Falls Far From The Tree (1)

    Rufus Florentine was bored out of his mind.


    The guests at the table were mostly couples and after the wine began flowing, they all retreated into their own worlds, chatting quietly or (in the case of Rosa and Lady Herschel) staring at each other in silence.


    When members of the order gathered for dinner or drinks, he could usually rely on Frost to talk with him. At events like this where her wife was attending, however, it was impossible to get her attention and he had to fend for himself.


    The young man seated across the table was staring into his wine glass. He looked up and met Rufus¡¯s gaze. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Rufus nodded. ¡°Good evening. Your name is Evan, right? I¡¯m Rufus.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. You work for Helian¡¯s wife, right?¡±


    ¡°In a manner of speaking¡­ she¡¯s not technically in charge, but she orders me around all the time.¡±


    Evan smiled. ¡°I also get ordered around a lot by women who aren¡¯t my boss.¡±


    Marie leaned over and punched him in the shoulder, then returned to staring at Rosa.


    Rufus felt a strange kinship with the young man. ¡°What do you do with your time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an accountant. So, I spend most of my day adding and subtracting numbers from each other, then writing them down on paper. Sometimes I multiply two numbers. It¡¯s exceedingly boring.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The young squire sighed. ¡°Yeah, that sounds familiar. I spend most of my time hitting other people¡¯s swords with my sword. Sometimes one of us gets knocked onto our rear and everyone else tries not to laugh. We all dream of being allowed to hit things with our swords out in a forest somewhere.¡±


    He spent more time on the ground lately now that Frost and Helian were making frequent visits to the training ground to spar. Frost called it ¡°physical therapy¡± to recover from her arm injury (even though she hadn¡¯t injured her sword arm), but Helian didn¡¯t even bother coming up with an excuse. It was probably just fun to torment House Solana¡¯s knights. At least he wasn¡¯t the only one getting trounced.


    Ruby halted her conversation with Sapphire to join in. ¡°Don¡¯t let him fool you, Evan! Rufus is very skilled with his blade. He probably spends 20% less time on the ground compared to the rest of us. I think he¡¯ll be the first one to get knighted.¡±


    Sapphire interjected from behind her, ¡°if you were half as good with your sword as you are with your mouth, you¡¯d be a knight by now!¡±


    After saying this, something occurred to her and she turned bright red.


    Ruby laughed and then turned to face Rufus. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally, okay? Frost just harasses you because you learn the fastest, so you¡¯ll set a good example for everyone else! Probably. I don¡¯t think she has any reason to hold a grudge against you. If anything, you should hold a grudge against her!¡±


    Evan smiled and sipped his wine. ¡°I take it you three have known each other for a while.¡±


    Ruby nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Childhood friends! Though he insisted we weren¡¯t friends when he was younger. He used to call me ¡®stinky¡¯.¡±


    Rufus sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve apologized multiple times for that¡­¡±


    Sapphire finished her glass in one gulp. ¡°If I recall, she was rather smelly that day. It was after the carriage incident, and she was covered in muck.¡±


    Ruby pouted. ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t call a young lady ¡®stinky¡¯¡­ it¡¯s impolite¡­¡±

 An Apple Falls Far From The Tree (2)

    To my satisfaction, Rufus seemed to have a good mood going with the younger Herschel twin. I was worried about him since he had been completely fixated on swordplay lately. Ruby had a particular talent for getting conversations moving, so it had been the right choice to seat her next to him. I hoped Sapphire would forgive me for this, or at least stop shooting me angry glares every minute or so.


    I have to look after both the emotional and physical well-being of the squires, Sapphire! Please understand.


    His obsession with his career at least was paying dividends. While I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be the first from his batch of recruits to be knighted, he was a strong contender for the #2 slot. The first-place candidate simply had an advantage in terms of age and experience. The elder Lord Florentine would be proud.


    Helian noticed where I was looking and elbowed me. ¡°If Evan¡¯s mother asks me about this, I¡¯m telling her it was entirely your fault.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Helian. For that matter, what about Rosa?¡±


    ¡°What my lady-in-waiting does in her own time is her business¡­ and it¡¯s not as if I orchestrated that. If anything, I tried to discourage them. She¡¯s a bad influence on Marie. I¡¯m still concerned they¡¯re going to get into trouble so big I can¡¯t dig them out of it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. Those two won¡¯t kick off an uprising until they¡¯re absolutely certain they¡¯ll succeed.¡±


    Ruby turned and (realizing that I was watching the group) gave me an exaggerated salute. Sapphire swatted her on the hand.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Helian turned to look at me. ¡°That reminds me. How did you end up adopted, anyway? Another part of your scheme? Blackmail?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. It was Selene¡¯s idea, believe it or not. Mother had been trying to find a successor for a while, and it suddenly became urgent, so they picked me.¡±


    ¡°Urgent? How so?¡±


    ¡°The King¡¯s order to detain Atropa could only be delivered by someone of sufficient rank, and Mother couldn¡¯t go. So, she decided to request His Majesty¡¯s permission to adopt me while she was begging him for the order. He forced her to sign away one of her gold mines, apparently¡­ though now that she took over Coroban¡¯s title and lands she doesn¡¯t really need it.¡±


    In the end, the king had decided to promote one of his only remaining trustworthy vassals into Coroban¡¯s seat because he couldn¡¯t come up with a better choice. I had a long way to go before he would approve of me as the new countess, so for the time being both titles formally belonged to her, even if she had made managing the county my problem.


    I had the impression that His Majesty viewed her as a problem child, since up until this point she had been connected to the deaths of a duchess, a marchioness, and at least two barons. The incident with Helian had done her no favors, but after she interceded on Mother¡¯s behalf it was written off as a disagreement between a mother and a daughter-in-law.


    On that note, it seemed that the king was concerned that the birth rate was going to decline as a result of the many couples taking advantage of his new relaxed marriage policies. He was worried over nothing though, in my opinion. Even if none of the people at tonight¡¯s party seemed to be in a hurry to have children¡­


    ¡°Helian, have you thought about having kids?¡±


    She choked on her wine. ¡°Uh¡­ not recently? And mostly in my nightmares. You realize how painful it is, right? And how little sleep we¡¯d get after the child is born?¡±


    ¡°I see your point. Though we already don¡¯t get much sleep, do we?¡±


    Helian groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll never discuss this topic with your mother¡­¡±

 Rosa and the Forests Scent (1)

    ¡°Lady Saintess?¡±


    Helian was staring off into space. She tended to get lost in her thoughts from time to time, but it seemed worse lately. If I asked what was on her mind, she said it was nothing.


    ¡°Lady Helian. Are you okay?¡± I patted her on the shoulder.


    Helian snapped to attention. ¡°Hm? What is it, Rosa?¡±


    I could feel her weight in the room again. ¡°I apologize if I interrupted an important thought, Saintess Helian. Lady Frost sent word that she¡¯d be unable to make it for tea, as an important matter came up. Would you like to invite someone else to join you? Or perhaps just enjoy some peace and quiet? I can make sure you¡¯re not disturbed, and have the gardeners leave early for the day so they aren¡¯t clanking their shears outside your window.¡±


    As I said ¡°peace and quiet¡±, she smiled at me. I smiled in return.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, Rosa. Please give the gardeners the afternoon off and reschedule my appointment with the finance minister. Tell him I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Is there something I can help with, Lady Saintess? Do you need me to call a healer?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that. I¡¯m just a bit tired. I must be overworking myself.¡±


    This much was true. Helian maintained a steady workload, easily on par with that of Frost or Selene, even though she was under no obligation to do anything except enjoy her complete lack of formal responsibilities. Perhaps she was just trying to prepare herself for the way things would change once Lady Frost became the new countess and Solana dragged the dame off to a vacation manor.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°If you say so, Lady Helian.¡± I squeezed her on the shoulder. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to rely on us. We¡¯re here for you.¡±


    She nodded and brushed my hand away. ¡°Thank you, Rosa. That¡¯ll be all for now.¡±


    A strong presence was making its way down the hall. Since Frost and the duchess were away, it could only be Selene. I walked to the door and stepped out into the hall to greet her.


    ¡°Dame Selene, good to see you. Do you need something? Lady Helian just asked me to cancel her appointments for the afternoon so she can rest.¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Lady Rosa. It¡¯s nothing urgent, I just needed to let the saintess know that we turned away visitors from the temple again. They¡¯re becoming quite insistent, so I suspect they may resort to staging a protest outside the estate if this continues, or even lodge a formal protest with the king.¡±


    The filthy priestesses again. It was beyond me why they felt entitled to Helian¡¯s valuable time and consideration when they had failed to assist her in any way. They could have at least rescued her from the demon, but they did nothing. They were aiming to use her as a political tool, no doubt.


    ¡°I will let her know once she finishes resting, if that¡¯s sufficient.¡± I lowered my voice and leaned forward. ¡°Will you be meeting with Lady Frost again this evening?¡±


    Selene nodded and responded quietly. ¡°Yes. What would you like me to tell her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not her imagination. Helian is keeping something important from us, so she should remain watchful. I¡¯ll continue to do my best, of course.¡±


    The dame patted me on the shoulder and turned to leave, waving goodbye. ¡°Thank you, Rosa.¡±


    After checking the room to make sure Helian was well, I headed outside to send Sven and the rest of the gardeners home.

 Rosa and the Forests Scent (2)

    As Selene predicted, the temple¡¯s misbehavior began to escalate. The next morning as I went downstairs to Helian¡¯s quarters, I spotted a small crowd of junior priestesses outside the main gates when I looked through a window. Two of them were holding small handwritten signs, though I couldn¡¯t make out what was written on them -¨C Unfavorable descriptions of the duchess and her conduct, most likely. Upon observation, it seemed as if things between the crowd and the guards were in no danger of escalating, so I made a mental note of this for later and continued to the saintess¡¯s room.


    I first knocked twice on the door, gently so as not to wake her if she was still sleeping. After no response, I used my key to unlock the door and entered. Despite Lady Frost doubling the estate¡¯s security, Helian still insisted on locking her quarters at night. Allowing things to progress as far as they did at Coroban¡¯s estate remained one of my greatest regrets, seeing how much those events had fractured her peace of mind. It was at least a good sign that she was willing to trust those close to her with spare keys.


    Helian was not asleep. She was sitting up in bed, staring at the sunrise through the window.


    ¡°Good morning, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Saintess. I hope I didn¡¯t wake you.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I was already awake. Would you mind preparing a bath for me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll get right to it.¡±


    The water in the pipes was still ice cold, so I turned on the heater beneath the tub as it filled. Helian¡¯s skin was sensitive, so I would need to make sure the water didn¡¯t get too hot. She hadn¡¯t asked for it but given her current mood I decided it was appropriate to add a little rose oil to the bath. It was her favorite scent, so it would help her relax. The shampoo bottle was almost empty, so I made a mental note to grab a new one when I went to the laundry room later. We were almost out of clean towels as well.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Once the tub was sufficiently full, I shut off the tap and went to the closet to pick a few options for today¡¯s outfit. At this point I knew Helian¡¯s tastes well enough that my first choice was usually the one she went with, but it was still necessary to offer additional options, if only to make her feel like she was exercising control over her environment. She was frequently expected to comply with orders from others, after all. Since she had no important appointments today, I picked two comfortable casual outfits that paired well with her hair and eye colors, along with a more extravagant option in case she felt like being fancy.


    I laid the three selections out on the countertop, then checked the bath water. Almost perfect, so I shut the heater off ¨C the remaining radiant heat would do the job of bringing it up to the ideal temperature. I walked back to bring Helian into the bathroom.


    ¡°Lady Saintess?¡±


    Helian was still staring out the window. It occurred to me that her presence was fainter than usual.


    ¡°Helian.¡±


    She jumped slightly as if I had surprised her. ¡°Yes, Rosa?¡±


    ¡°Your bath is ready, Saintess Helian. Do you want me to help you to the tub? Would you like to have a drink while you bathe?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She slowly climbed out of bed and followed me to the tub, closing her eyes as she sank in.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any appointments of note today. Frost¡¯s weekly meeting with the duchess and the dame is happening later this morning, if you wish to attend. Oh, just so you know, there are protesters out in front of the estate. They seemed to be on their best behavior though, so you don¡¯t have anything to worry about as long as they don¡¯t catch sight of you. And if they do, I don¡¯t mind taking care of them, so you don¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡±


    She nodded and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as a cloud of fog that hovered above the tub. ¡°I think I¡¯ll skip the weekly meeting this time. Once I¡¯m finished bathing, can you ask Frost if she has time to join me for lunch today?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll let her know that you missed her yesterday, and ensure she understands that you¡¯re expecting her for lunch.¡±

 Melting Snow (1)

    The reports from the border stations were not good. The seasonal monster incursions were larger and more frequent than any year in recent memory. As a result, the men stationed there were at risk of being overrun, and we would have no choice but to send reinforcements or declare a Hunt outright. Declaring a Hunt made Mother nervous since it would imply sending most of the order, along with a commanding officer of sufficient rank.


    And at present, only three members of the order met that standard, and one was on leave. If I didn¡¯t go, Selene would have to. I could tell she would be reluctant to part with Mother, even for a few short months. Despite this, she was unwilling to send me off. I wasn¡¯t certain how much this was motivated by fear for my safety versus fear of Helian¡¯s reaction once she found out. She was in the middle of outlining an alternative plan.


    ¡°For now, we should watch and wait. We can dispatch two squads to reinforce the higher risk stations and keep the rest of the order in reserve. We should double their training regimen to maintain a state of readiness, however. And once Sir Albert and his unit return from vacation, our personnel issues will be partially alleviated.¡±


    Selene frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re certain, Sola¡­ I¡¯m concerned that the reserves would take too long to reach the border in an emergency.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°I still believe we should declare a Hunt. The trends suggest the problem will only get worse, so the sooner we act, the better. I understand why you¡¯re against it, but I¡¯m not going to change my mind.¡±


    ¡°In the end, however, it is my decision to make.¡± Mother¡¯s voice wavered, but she remained firm.


    The dame held her hand. ¡°Yes, but eventually Frost will need to make these decisions. Now is a good opportunity for her to gain experience while you can protect her from the consequences of her mistakes. And if we wait, she may have to go anyway, but under worse circumstances.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I didn¡¯t appreciate how Selene took it for granted that I would screw up, but I supposed my track record was not exactly flawless. I nodded and followed her lead. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll have the order backing me up, and we will be able to act carefully after observing the situation. If things take a turn, I¡¯ll send for help immediately. This will be good experience for the new recruits as well.¡±


    Mother looked stricken. ¡°Helian will never forgive me if you get hurt.¡±


    Selene laughed. ¡°Helian will know it was the little bird¡¯s idea. Only she would suggest it.¡±


    The dame had started using Mother and Helian¡¯s nickname for me once she noticed how uncomfortable I was to hear it. At this rate, Rosa would join in, and then the childhood sweethearts would follow. The thought filled me with dread.


    Mother closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°Very well. We¡¯d best have the knights prepare immediately. Inform Helian today, understand? Don¡¯t put it off. She needs to process her anger before you leave, lest she vent her frustration on someone else.¡±


    Selene squeezed Solana¡¯s hand tightly, and she glared at her in response. My apologies, Dame ¨C it looks like I¡¯ve made her angry with you.


    I stood from the table and excused myself so they could argue in private. ¡°Thank you, Mother. You won¡¯t regret putting your faith in me. I¡¯ll speak with Helian and then prepare a plan for the Hunt.¡±


    Rosa was waiting for me in the hallway. ¡°Good morning, Frost.¡±


    I bowed politely. ¡°Good morning, Lady Rosa. Did you need something?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll be having lunch with Helian today. Don¡¯t be late. Oh, and be careful not to upset her, she¡¯s in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. I¡¯m going to make her mood much worse.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°What have you done this time?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re declaring a Hunt.¡±


    ¡°Did His Majesty put the duchess up to this?¡±


    ¡°No, it was my idea. She wanted to ¡®watch and wait¡¯, but I would have ended up going eventually no matter what.¡±


    Rosa poked me in the shoulder. ¡°If you come back with another broken arm, Helian is never going to forgive you.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Well, the last one was her fault. On a more serious note, Lady Rosa. Please look after her while I¡¯m away.¡±

 Rosa and the Forests Scent (3)

    ¡°Please look after her while I¡¯m away.¡±


    Frost would not ask this of me lightly. I was already looking after Helian as her lady-in-waiting, after all. So, this request meant something different. She was asking me to protect Helian, because she believed her wife would be in danger somehow.


    ¡°Should I take that to mean you believe something is going to happen?¡±


    The younger Solana nodded. ¡°It seems likely. When this many coincidences occur at once, it means something unfortunate is coming. If I act promptly, I hope I¡¯ll be able to quickly settle things at the border and return to help.¡±


    Despite her recklessness, she had a sense for these things. It was good to have people around who could tell when a situation was about to take a turn for the worse. ¡°That¡¯s probably the right decision. Do your best to return quickly and safely, then. Please don¡¯t pick up any strange relics or make friends with any demons.¡±


    Frost groaned. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay by her side no matter what, so you can rest assured. Don¡¯t rest too long though, we¡¯ll be waiting after all. Oh, and if you meet a dragon in the mountains, don¡¯t try to loot its hoard, okay?¡±


    ¡°A dragon? There are dragons in the mountains?¡±


    Why do people think I¡¯m joking when I mention dragons? ¡°Yes, of course. The reason we haven¡¯t mined any of the manastone veins up north is because the first king promised we wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Frost stared at me with concern. ¡°Rosa, that sounds like a state secret¡­¡±


    I grinned. ¡°It is. If you tell anyone else about it, you¡¯ll be executed.¡±


    ¡°Does Mother know about this?¡±


    ¡°All the ranking lords and ladies who manage the border are informed about it. I suppose this is a bit early, but I figured you should know if you¡¯re in charge of the Hunt. Anyway, you should get going. Helian is waiting for you in the third-floor dining room.¡±


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    ¡°Okay. Thank you for letting me know.¡± She looked down at the basket I was holding. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t one of the maids be handling the laundry for you by now?¡±


    ¡°I have business in the laundry room, so I figured I might as well bring it down myself.¡±


    She smiled and bowed before turning to leave. ¡°Thank you for your hard work as always, Lady Rosa. Tell Julia hello for me.¡±


    ------


    Julia ran up to greet me with a hug as I entered the laundry room, so I placed my basket on the ground. ¡°Rosa! It¡¯s so good to see you!¡±


    ¡°Hello, Julia. How are Irving and the girls?¡±


    She squeezed me tightly. ¡°They¡¯re doing great! Irving is next in line for a promotion at work, and Daisy has started learning her letters. Willow is starting to get good at speaking.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s fantastic. I¡¯ll have to get Daisy a storybook for her next birthday! You said she likes horses, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! She talks about how she wants to drive a carriage once she¡¯s all grown up.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s half as clever as her parents, she¡¯ll own a whole fleet of carriages in no time! I must be going, though. I need to see to this laundry and then restock the bottles in Lady Helian¡¯s bathroom¡­ Lady Frost says hello, by the way¡­ Julia, do you know where we keep the shampoo?¡±


    Julia nodded and pointed me in the direction of the soap cabinet. ¡°We keep it next to the hand soaps, on the bottom shelf. And don¡¯t even think of handling that laundry yourself, that¡¯s not your job anymore! I bet you just wanted an excuse to relax down here because the saintess has you scurrying all over to run errands. Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, you should restock her bath oils too! Those are on the middle shelf.¡±


    I clapped my hands. ¡°That¡¯s a great point, Julia. I should have thought of that. The Lady Saintess¡¯s mood improves when I add a bit of scented oil to her bath, so I wouldn¡¯t want to run out. She always asks for the same scent, though, so perhaps I¡¯ll just grab multiple bottles of the same one. I suppose it must be her favorite, because her wife uses a matching perfume!¡±


    Julia grinned. ¡°That¡¯s true romance for you, Rosa. Make sure to put that observational skill to work once you¡¯ve got a special someone of your own.¡±


    Julia had an excellent point. It occurred to me that I had no idea what Marie¡¯s favorite flower was, and that knowledge would be essential if I ever aimed to get her perfume or bath oils as a gift. I would have to try and coax that information out of Evan or her mother¡­ perhaps Helian would know. She always gets unhappy when I bring up Marie, but I was sure she¡¯d understand I just wanted to pick an ideal gift.

 Melting Snow (2)

    Helian frowned. ¡°You have that look in your eyes again, Frost.¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°The look that says you¡¯ve done something stupid and you¡¯re trying to figure out how to avoid mentioning it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re half right. I promised Mother I¡¯d tell you, but I was hoping to wait until after lunch.¡±


    She chose an unfortunate tomato from her salad and obliterated it with her fork. ¡°I see. Well, the mood is already ruined, so you might as well tell me now.¡±


    In my defense, the mood was already bad before this. I thought she was just upset that I cancelled on her yesterday, but she doesn¡¯t get this angry over things that minor. Usually.


    ¡°The monster incursions at the border are much worse than usual this year.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I see. And between the county and the duchy, we¡¯re responsible for a large portion of the border.¡±


    ¡°Yes. At this morning¡¯s meeting we discussed whether to send reinforcements to the highest-risk stations ¨C ¡®wait and see¡¯, as Mother put it ¨C or declare a Hunt and attempt to cull their populations before things get any worse.¡±


    Helian sighed deeply. ¡°You suggested a Hunt, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°We were all thinking about it. Mother is just worried that whoever goes will get hurt. But it¡¯s not as if the alternative is safer. If we let the monsters continue to breed, their numbers could surge to the point that the border completely collapses.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going, then?¡±


    ¡°Unless plans change, yes. It¡¯s either me or Selene, and as the dame put it, this is ¡®a good opportunity for me to gain experience while Mother can protect me from the consequences of my mistakes¡¯.¡±


    Helian leaned back in her chair and sighed. ¡°You volunteered.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I volunteered¡­ it¡¯s more like we all assumed it would be me. Though I guess by suggesting it, I was effectively volunteering. And now that you mention it, I never suggested sending Selene instead¡­ so, I volunteered, I suppose. Yes.¡±


    Helian was staring blankly at me. I decided to let her process whatever she was thinking instead of coaxing a reply out of her, lest she snap at me. To be fair, I kind of deserved it. After an uncomfortably long pause, she angrily asked: ¡°So? Did you?¡±


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    ¡°If you want me to repeat myself, yes, I volunteered.¡±


    As I uttered the words repeat myself, she looked genuinely confused. ¡°Helian, are you okay? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Frost, I must have gotten distracted. I thought you ignored my question. I didn¡¯t mean to snap at you.¡±


    This was probably what Rosa had mentioned earlier. Thinking back, it had likely occurred before and I hadn¡¯t paid attention to it at the time.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I did something stupid, after all.¡±


    She shook her head energetically. ¡°No, no ¨C I don¡¯t think this is stupid. You¡¯re right, a Hunt is the correct choice. I¡¯m glad you convinced Her Grace to see reason despite her fears. I just wish you hadn¡¯t volunteered¡­ it would be much better if Selene handled this. It¡¯s absurd that a single House is responsible for safeguarding half the border.¡±


    Helian had a point. In the past, the responsibility for protecting the border was spread across at least a dozen houses, but over time the number had dwindled until (due to Mother¡¯s new proud ownership of two different titles) it was the responsibility of only four. And in practice, most of the monster incursions occurred on either Solana or Coroban land.


    Ah, that¡¯s why the king chose her. He really does see Mother as a problem child. Making her a duchess was punishment, not a reward. The fact that I hadn¡¯t realized that until this conversation filled me with some amount of shame. I had been genuinely excited for her, and she chose not to correct me. I suppose she believed I¡¯d figure it out.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I think this is His Majesty¡¯s way of getting back at Mother for causing trouble. I wish nobles had less bloody ways of resolving grudges and disputes¡­¡±


    She finished off the remnants of her salad and began vigorously slicing the main dish into small pieces. ¡°How long will you be gone for?¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Hopefully just a few weeks.¡±


    She stopped cutting. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°In the past, a Hunt once went on for approximately 3 months. But we have no reason to expect that in this case, so I don¡¯t think you need to worry.¡±


    She was now visibly angry with me. ¡°I don¡¯t need to worry? About you off with a bunch of squires, hunting monsters in the snow? I don¡¯t need to worry about that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not what I meant, Helian. I¡¯m going to be very careful, and I¡¯m not just bringing squires, we¡¯re bringing proper knights from the order. We¡¯re going to take this seriously. I already promised Rosa I wouldn¡¯t pick up any strange relics or wander around in caves¡­¡±


    Oh, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.


    ¡°UGH!¡± Helian struck the table with her palm. ¡°The least you could do is let me forget about that! Will you come back missing an arm this time? Or a leg, perhaps? And for that matter, why the hell did Rosa find out before I did? Her of all people? You just casually mentioned this to my lady-in-waiting before telling me and you heed her counsel?¡±


    Rosa¡¯s little secret was becoming more of a pain in the neck with every day. ¡°There¡¯s a good reason for that, but I¡¯m not allowed to tell you¡­ if you ask her, she¡¯ll explain.¡±


    Helian drove her knife two inches deep into the table and strode out of the dining room, slamming the door behind her.

 Rosa and the Forest’s Scent (4)

    As I was restocking the shelves with fresh towels, I heard the door to Helian¡¯s bedroom slam loudly behind me. The vibrations caused the empty shampoo bottle to fall over, and it cracked when it landed on the bathroom tiles.


    Lunch went well, then. Knowing Helian, it would be best for me not to say anything until she started the conversation. She probably wanted to be alone and think.


    ¡°Rosa.¡±


    Helian had crept up behind me without my notice. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Yes, Lady Saintess? Be careful of the floor, there¡¯s some shampoo from the broken bottle and I wouldn¡¯t want you to slip on the tiles.¡±


    ¡°What have you been hiding from me, Rosa?¡±


    This was a problem. Lying to Helian is easy when she¡¯s not serious about the question she¡¯s asking, but I had the feeling she was determined to extract answers from me this time. ¡°You¡¯ll need to narrow it down, Saintess Helian. I have many secrets.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you, Rosa. Why are you and Frost keeping things from me?¡±


    Frost had let something slip, it seemed. Or perhaps Helian¡¯s interrogation had made it unavoidable. In either case, I would have to pierce the veil slightly. ¡°Lady Helian, I am and will remain your loyal lady-in-waiting. But there are some things that can only be said to a duchess, or to a duchess¡¯s heir ¨C not to a saintess or to a duchess¡¯s daughter-in-law. It brings me no joy to keep things from you, and I¡¯m sure the same is true of Lady Frost.¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯re not answering my question, Rosa.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question directly. If you ask other questions, I may be permitted to answer those.¡±


    ¡°Permitted? So, you answer to someone other than me?¡±


    ¡°The duchess, as she hired me and rules over this territory. But her aside, I also have a responsibility to my family. If I were to breach their trust carelessly, lives might be forfeit.¡±


    Helian was visibly confused despite her anger. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Quite serious. If it makes you feel any better, some of the secrets your wife keeps are things I¡¯m not allowed to disclose to either of you. She figured them out herself, which put me in something of a predicament. But thus far she has kept silent, which keeps her head firmly attached to her shoulders and the three of us out of trouble.¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t have been so honest. Helian was now visibly alarmed and, it seemed, slightly disoriented. I rushed over to stop her from falling and held her tight as she kneeled on the ground. ¡°Lady Saintess, calm down. Everything is going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°You just said she could die, Rosa! And that we¡¯d get in trouble if you told me! Did I put Frost in danger by introducing you to her? Why would Solana even leave me in your care? What did we do to deserve this? I don¡¯t even understand how you¡¯ve managed to keep important secrets all this time, with how you always¡­¡±


    Realizing something, Helian looked up at me. ¡°You¡¯re a fake. You act like that to trick me. Do you only put on that show when I¡¯m watching? Have you all been laughing at me?¡± She was crying.


    I pulled her closer and hugged her. ¡°Helian, no one is laughing at you. We all care about you very much. I¡­ am not at liberty to explain, but please believe me when I say that no one here at the estate is trying to trick you or do you wrong. We want the best for you. The secrets we¡¯ve been keeping aren¡¯t related to you, and your wife was caught up in this by accident. We¡¯re keeping secrets so you can remain safe.¡±


    Helian nodded, and I felt her presence disappear.

 Melting Snow (3)

    Selene entered my office with a grim look on her face. ¡°Frost. Come with me.¡±


    I dropped the stack of papers I was reading and walked to the door. ¡°Do I need my sword?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. Leave it here.¡± As she said that, she took me by the hand and dragged me towards the clinic. My heart sank in my chest, and I prayed that it was merely another training accident and not something more serious.


    Rosa was waiting outside the clinic door as we approached.


    ¡°Lady Rosa. What are you doing here?¡±


    She looked down at her feet and replied quietly. ¡°I¡­ decided it would be best to wait outside. She¡¯s talking to your mother right now.¡±


    It was wise to leave my sword behind. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Rosa took my hands in hers; I realized then that they were shaking. ¡°I was¡­ indelicate in our conversation, and she fainted. She didn¡¯t get injured though; I was right there. Like I promised.¡±


    ¡°Have the healers seen her yet?¡±


    Selene gripped me by the shoulder. ¡°Yes. They didn¡¯t find anything wrong. It¡¯s probably just nerves. She has a lot to think about, what with the Hunt coming up. I¡¯m sure she just needs rest.¡±


    I realized I was holding my breath and exhaled. I felt light-headed. I freed my hands from Rosa¡¯s firm grip and turned to the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to go talk to her. Thank you for bringing me, Selene.¡±


    The dame nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ------


    To my relief, Helian was sitting up in bed talking quietly with my mother and looked healthy. I had feared she might be hooked up to life support machines. A question occurred to me, but I pushed it aside. They both turned to face me as I walked over.


    Mother got up and left, patting me on the back as she went. ¡°See you two later.¡±


    Helian looked embarrassed. ¡°Hi.¡±


    I sat down on the now-unoccupied stool and took her hand. ¡°Hi, Helian. I¡¯m sorry about earlier.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, that was my fault¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have gotten so angry with you.¡±


    ¡°You were right to be upset. I should have discussed things with you before committing to go. If you want, I can talk with Selene and Mother, and we¡¯ll come up with a new plan.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to change your plans just because this happened. I¡¯ve been tired and stressed lately, that¡¯s all. The healers said there¡¯s nothing wrong, so I¡¯ll be fine if I get some rest.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I didn¡¯t get to tell you earlier. When Rosa came to tell me to join you for lunch, I asked her to protect you while I¡¯m gone. That was why she knew¡­ it wasn¡¯t right of me to handle it that way. I should have discussed it with you first. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


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    I could tell she was troubled by the idea that I would ask her lady-in-waiting to guard her. I guess Rosa still hadn¡¯t come clean about everything, but she probably knew by now that the girl was strong enough to handle pretty much any threat below the level of Atropa or Coroban, so I hoped she would understand my thinking.


    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure how to feel about Rosa¡­ it¡¯s as if everyone has been playing a joke on me this whole time.¡±


    I squeezed her hand tight. ¡°I promise you can trust her. She¡¯s a good person. But if it would make you more comfortable, I can find a couple trustworthy guards to assign to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. If you trust her, I¡¯ll trust her as well.¡± She pulled me in for a hug, then freed her hand from my grip. ¡°You should get back to work, I know you¡¯re busy. I¡¯ll see you again before you leave, right?¡±


    I nodded and stood up. ¡°Of course. I should have a couple days before it¡¯s time to leave. Take your time to rest here, and we¡¯ll have a meal together once you¡¯re feeling better.¡±


    ------


    It had been two days since we left the estate, and the sun hung high in the sky. Given the environment we were headed to, I decided to leave Rime back at the estate in Helian¡¯s care, so I was riding a borrowed warhorse. While I had gotten the hang of handling it by now, it was still a rather irritable beast and seemed to dislike me in particular. I suppose it¡¯s true that horses take after their owners¡¯ personalities.


    Small groups of the squires took turns escorting the carriages on foot while the rest rode inside. I was escorted at the front of the group by a couple of the eldest veteran knights. They had grown tired of teasing me after the first day, and we now rode in silence. I supposed it was only natural for the mood to be somber on the way to a Hunt since the wrong attitude could lead to disaster. We would have plenty of time to relax and celebrate after the work was done.


    Normally these parts of the kingdom would be on the cool side at this time of year, but it was warm enough to make us sweat in our uniforms. I was grateful that we could opt to leave the armor in the wagons until we reached our destination, as the threat of monster attacks in this area was near-zero.


    Unlike the still-parched south, the farmlands here were green thanks to the steady flow of all the nearby rivers and streams ¨C largely runoff from the mountain snowpack, which had begun to melt early in spring thanks to the warm weather. Some speculated that by the time autumn arrived, the snow would be completely gone. There had been some discussion of loading the excess water into tanks and carting it to the south so it could be used for irrigation, but the costs involved were extreme enough that the ministers pushing for it were overruled.


    Despite my expectations, we rarely passed adults or children on the roads, and those we passed tended to stare at us with a mixture of fear and resignation.


    I turned to the eldest knight in the order, who was riding to my right. ¡°Is it usually like this, Sir?¡±


    The man ¨C Sir Cerris, to be precise ¨C paused for a moment before replying. ¡°No, not usually. I haven¡¯t seen expressions like that since the war. I suppose rumors from the border have taken root in the area and ruined people¡¯s moods.¡±


    The veteran on my left responded. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve heard that many women and children have headed inland to shelter in the cities. They¡¯re afraid monsters will cross the border. Based on how empty the roads and fields are, it seems there was truth to that rumor.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°We¡¯ll need to do a better job of managing public opinion in the future, I think. Rumors like that can get out of hand quickly, and we wouldn¡¯t want people to start hoarding resources or abandoning their land.¡±


    Dame Viren ¨C the knight to my left ¨C nodded in agreement. ¡°If the people get too used to rumors, they may not react promptly when a real need to evacuate arises.¡±


    Cerris coughed. ¡°Assuming such a thing were to happen, you mean. I¡¯m more concerned that the lack of hands on these farms may lead to a smaller harvest this year. The outlying territories are short enough on food due to the drought, we don¡¯t need that getting worse.¡±


    The practice of measuring and recording temperatures on a regular basis had only become widespread in the last few decades, so our historical records didn¡¯t go far, but the past two years were the warmest on record. Mother¡¯s joke about riots emerged from my memory and I promptly banished it from my thoughts.

 Rosa and the Forest’s Scent (5)

    I couldn¡¯t bring myself to visit Helian while she was in the clinic, but thankfully she wasn¡¯t there for long. As promised, she got plenty of rest once she was discharged, mostly reading books in her room with occasional breaks to go for a walk around the estate or join Frost for a meal. Despite the increased workload now that Helian wasn¡¯t available to help with things, her wife still managed to make time for at least two meals every day, which was good to see. I was sure they would both be lonely once she set off for the Hunt.


    The Hunt filled me with anxiety. The two Solanas and the dame seemed to believe this was just an outlier year, but the data did not support that. Alongside the increased threat from monsters, the weather had been unseasonably warm, so it seemed likely the kingdom would continue to experience drought. The duchess had managed her lands well so there was no risk that the people would starve, but I wondered what would happen if all of this continued into the next year.


    On the morning of the order¡¯s departure, I looked out the window to the main gate. The priestesses had doubled in number over the course of the week and had added chants to their protest repertoire. I was relieved that the chants avoided anything that could be considered l¨¨se-majest¨¦ and were primarily concerned with the health of the saintess. It worried me that the temple had learned of her condition, given the effort we put into removing their spies from the estate.


    The roster for the Hunt ended up being a mix of veterans and promising young squires, which meant that in practice almost everyone Helian knew from the order other than the dame would be going. I hoped that this would help to reassure her of her wife¡¯s safety, but it concerned me that she might end up lonelier as a result. At least we could hope for their speedy return.


    The days passed slowly, and the date of the order¡¯s departure arrived. After Helian said goodbye to her wife and watched them ride off, she returned to her office and saw to the remainder of the week¡¯s paperwork before having dinner, then retired early for the evening at sunset.


    ------


    Helian did not wake up the next morning. After noon arrived, a healer was called, followed by a physician. According to both, nothing was wrong with her, and perhaps she was still recovering from the sustained period of overwork that had caused her to collapse earlier. Their reassurances did little to ease my anxiety, however.


    The gathering of priestesses outside the front gate had expanded again, and their signs were more elaborate. Some of them had begun playing instruments. At the very least we needn¡¯t worry about them setting up a stage or performing plays, as both activities would require a permit.


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    Helian remained asleep the next morning as well.


    ------


    I sighed. ¡°The old man¡¯s screwed us again.¡±


    Solana slammed her fist on the table. ¡°He should know better by now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously on purpose, Sola.¡±


    The dame was right. His Majesty likely thought this an amusing way to harass Solana. He had no way to know that it was playing into the temple¡¯s hands to this extent.


    Well, he did have ways to know, but until this point there had been no indication that his spy network was paying much attention to Helian, so it was implausible that he would have known when he granted the temple¡¯s request.


    That request was for ¡°A meeting between the Saintess and representatives of the Goddess Metis, to ensure her well-being and provide for her spiritual education.¡± Under normal circumstances, this would at most be an annoyance that would leave Helian in a bad mood for a week or two.


    Under the current circumstances, it was a disaster. The best we would be able to do was delay the meeting for a couple days and hope that Helian would wake up in time. It seemed likely that on their arrival they would insist on seeing her immediately, though, and word had probably leaked that she had not been wandering the estate lately.


    Perhaps it was best to embrace the disaster and try to bend things to our favor. ¡°We should just come clean.¡±


    The duchess stared at me, confused. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If we start the conversation by asking them for assistance, we can set our own conditions before they have a chance to make any demands.¡±


    Selene nodded. ¡°That could work. The average priestess is not likely to be a skilled negotiator, and if we make them feel like they¡¯re winning, we can manipulate them.¡±


    Solana crossed her arms. ¡°I still don¡¯t like it. They¡¯ll insist on dragging her off to the temple.¡±


    ¡°What other option do we have? I can at least go with her.¡± And if those priestesses try anything, I can handle them.


    She sighed. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true. We should insist that Helian stays in the county, at least, so that she¡¯s not entirely outside our reach.¡±


    ¡°Good point, Sola. We can justify it by saying we¡¯re concerned about the impact long travel would have on her condition, so they can¡¯t take her to the central temple.¡±


    The outlying temples also had fewer guards and younger priestesses, so it would be easier to get my way if the circumstances demanded it. ¡°Good idea. How about I negotiate? People tend to underestimate me, and it won¡¯t seem strange for the saintess¡¯s lady-in-waiting to beg for the temple¡¯s help.¡±


    Selene sipped her tea and nodded. ¡°Yes, that sounds ideal. Just promise not to stab any priestesses, even if they annoy you.¡±


    Priestesses did tend to be extremely annoying. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I learned my lesson the first time. I was confined to my room for a month.¡±


    The duchess laughed for the first time in days. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to knock some sense into one of Metis¡¯s loyal servants, so I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you actually did it.¡±


    The dame groaned. ¡°I fear for the future of the kingdom¡­¡±

 Melting Snow (4)

    Upon our arrival at the border garrison, it became clear that the situation had been understated in the reports sent to the county. The knights were clearly exhausted, and I could see that many of their blades were chipped or otherwise in need of repair. Most bore obvious cuts and bruises, so I assumed those who looked unharmed were merely hiding injuries underneath their clothing.


    An older woman approached to meet us as I dismounted from my horse. After seeing the insignia on my jacket, she saluted. ¡°Lady Frost, I presume? Thank you for coming.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. Dame Ilex, I presume? It¡¯s good to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances.¡±


    Viren followed up from behind me, approaching to stand at my left. ¡°Things here seem¡­ worse than we were led to believe.¡±


    Ilex sighed. ¡°The situation has escalated quickly. Over the past three days the frequency of monster attacks has doubled, and their numbers have increased to the point that all we can do is drive them off. Their behavior is unusual as well. I¡¯m very glad you brought this many men.¡±


    While I considered my next question, Cerris spoke. ¡°I hope other parts of the border are faring better¡­ what¡¯s the status of the other garrisons?¡±


    The garrison¡¯s overseer nodded. ¡°Thankfully it seems the monsters are less active at other parts of the border. The nearest garrison to our north is in trouble, though¡­ if there are men to spare, we should send aid.¡±


    This helped clarify my thoughts. ¡°Then most of the monsters are likely clustered slightly to our northwest. Perhaps some sort of den where they sheltered and bred faster than usual?¡±


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    Viren was perturbed by this. ¡°The monsters that live in this region aren¡¯t intelligent creatures, and they prefer the outdoors. If they¡¯ve really learned to shelter in caves, that¡¯s a serious problem. It would mean our sweeps of the area have been under-counting them, potentially for years.¡±


    Ilex shook her head. ¡°We considered that possibility. We¡¯ve paid close attention to the creatures¡¯ tracks and watched for anything to emerge from nearby cave systems. There¡¯s been no sign of it. The sudden increase in their numbers is hard to explain.¡±


    It was probably best to stop theorizing and plan the next stage of the Hunt in earnest, but something nagged at me.


    ¡°Could this just be the result of another change in behavior? Perhaps they escaped the sweeps by avoiding garrisons, or began hunting for prey further up in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°Well, Lady Frost, it¡¯s true that their behavior has changed, so I suppose they could have started hiding. But I don¡¯t know where they would have hidden. They can¡¯t climb trees; they don¡¯t shelter in caves¡­ they usually just sleep on the ground out in the open. And the snow¡¯s no good for them, so they wouldn¡¯t have scaled the mountainside to hide there.¡±


    Odd. None of the books or reports I read had mentioned that last detail. ¡°The snow¡¯s no good for them? But there¡¯s snow here almost year-round.¡±


    Cerris laughed. ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t make much sense, does it? You¡¯d think they would have migrated to a warmer climate long before the kingdom was established. Not that we¡¯d allow them to do such a thing now, of course. Colder weather and snow make the creatures quite lethargic. I can relate.¡±


    Ilex nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, and during particularly cold years we rarely see them at all. We¡¯ve all been praying for a good blizzard, if only for a chance to catch our breaths.¡±


    From the look of things, it hadn¡¯t snowed near the garrison in a few days, at least. And based on the agriculture ministry¡¯s calculations, the amount of runoff from the mountains meant that the snowpack was likely much thinner than usual.


    ¡°If you would, Dame Ilex, please lead us to the meeting room. We should put together the shift assignments for the next few days and figure out who we¡¯re sending north to the next garrison.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Please, follow me.¡± She turned and led the way into the garrison¡¯s main building.

 Melting Snow (5)

    It became clear why the garrison¡¯s troops were exhausted. Over the course of the day, monsters approached in large groups 4 separate times. Cerris, Viren and I took turns leading detachments out to deal with them, and to my chagrin the creatures seemed rather skittish ¨C once we had thinned their numbers slightly, they retreated, as if daring us to follow them.


    At present, Ilex and I were looking out to the west from one of the garrison¡¯s watchtowers. Viren had just led the least exhausted squires out to hunt down a small group of monsters that had cautiously strayed towards the border.


    ¡°Is this behavior normal?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, not at all. If I were to describe it, they¡¯re¡­ far too energetic. And as you¡¯ve seen, they tend to run away once the tide of battle shifts. Neither of these behaviors were common in the past. They behaved as if they were desperate to cross the border, but now they seem more curious than anything.¡±


    Well, it¡¯s not all bad news. ¡°At least this means the pressure should let up a little, since we seem to be able to scare them off with smaller groups of men.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, Lady Frost. It seems half the usual detachment is enough right now. We should be able to send men north without putting ourselves at risk, and the garrison personnel might finally be able to get some rest.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Once everyone is rested, though, I plan to lead a full detachment out to get a sense for things.¡±


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    ¡°Is that wise at this juncture? We¡¯ve no idea how they will behave if we pressure them like that.¡±


    That much was true. ¡°I won¡¯t pretend it¡¯s wise, Dame, but we can¡¯t exactly just sit here and hold them off until winter. And if we wait, the weather might worsen enough to prevent us from venturing out.¡±


    This year may have been warmer than usual, but it was still the middle of spring. We could expect snow at least a few times before summer¡¯s arrival, and when it snowed in this part of the kingdom, it tended to snow very heavily.


    Ilex did not seem convinced. ¡°Please forgive me for being rude, but is it necessary to hurry? While it¡¯s been some time since my last Hunt, we don¡¯t do them like this. We wait until after the last snow, so the men don¡¯t have to deal with the cold, and then push out before the creatures become fully active.¡±


    Was it necessary? For many reasons, yes. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your experience, Dame Ilex. But these circumstances are different. I¡¯m concerned that if we wait, the monsters¡¯ level of activity may increase beyond the point we can handle as it grows warmer.¡±


    She patted me on the shoulder. ¡°I can see your logic. If you¡¯re certain this is what you want to do, I¡¯ll support it. Please promise me that you¡¯ll retreat if the situation escalates, at least? I don¡¯t want to have to send one of those letters to your mother, of all people.¡±


    She meant well, but I was still irritated by this. ¡°If you have any letters for the duchess, you can send them with me when I return home after the Hunt is over.¡±


    Ilex sighed.


    ¡°But yes, Dame Ilex. I promise. I know we can¡¯t end something like this in a single excursion, and I don¡¯t intend to try. I¡¯m planning a test run to get a sense of what we¡¯re really dealing with. Depending on how it goes, we may need to request reinforcements from inland, or we may be able to draw things to a close in a matter of weeks. Right now, we simply have no way of knowing.¡±


    I made a mental note to send word to Helian and update her on the situation. No letters from her had arrived yet, but it was natural for less-urgent letters to travel slowly.

 Rosa and the Forest’s Scent (6)

    To my surprise, the escort knights sent by the temple were relatively competent, and the one assigned to ride with us inside our carriage ¨C a young man named Ernest ¨C was easily a match for any member of House Solana¡¯s order. He had a friendly and open personality to suit his name, so our trip to the nearest temple was at least not spent in complete silence. The Radiant Order had a well-deserved poor reputation for the quality of its knights, as many received their posts in exchange for sizable donations or as a reward for clerical tenure, instead of as a recognition of merit. Whoever organized this expedition to abduct Helian had taken the task seriously.


    By this point we had exhausted most of the conversation topics available to us, so I had begun strip-mining the stereotypes best saved for dire circumstances.


    ¡°How has the weather been near the temple lately?¡±


    Ernest rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Unusually warm, I¡¯d say. Though my understanding is that most parts of the county have been warm this year, yes?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. As it happens, a good number of our knights are at the border right now dealing with monster activity ¨C the weather seems to have gotten the pests all excited and ready to storm the walls.¡±


    He grimaced. ¡°I sincerely hope the walls hold. I can scarcely imagine what would happen if the creatures broke through. Records from the era before the walls were built describe horrors that are hard to believe, considering what life is like today.¡±


    This one was certainly an outlier. Most temple knights were known to spend their spare time on meditation, martial exercises, or contemplation of scripture ¨C so for Ernest to be this familiar with historical records, that suggested he had an educational background outside of the temple.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, Sir, how long have you been part of the Order?¡±


    ¡°Not that long, really. I was only knighted last year. Unlike most of my colleagues, I enlisted shortly after my coming-of-age, once I had a proper opportunity to consider my place in life and decide what my real goals were.¡±


    A noble, then. ¡°I can understand that. It may be hard to believe, but I only entered my line of work a few years ago as well.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I can hardly imagine what you were doing before, but I confess, I had been wondering whether ladies-in-waiting typically possessed a skill set like yours.¡±


    It seemed we had been sizing each other up this whole time. I appreciated that he¡¯d refrained from raising the topic until now ¨C typically anyone who noticed would struggle to contain their curiosity, and I had to contrive a suitable excuse. I usually went with something along the lines of ¡°oh, we all have to learn to hunt back home¡± and demurred if they insisted on asking where I was from.


    Ernest turned to look at Helian. ¡°She¡¯s been leaning up against you for a while now. Your arm isn¡¯t getting numb, I hope?¡±


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    I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m pretty sturdy, as you may have guessed.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°To be honest, I wish more of my brothers and sisters at the temple were the same. We¡¯ve gotten something of a reputation, and it¡¯s frustrating to hear people talk¡­¡±


    I felt a twinge of discomfort. The young knight acted as if my gift was having its typical effect, but I was certain that it was not. His speech and mannerisms were controlled, and I could tell he was choosing his words carefully.


    I would have to determine whether all clergy were somehow protected. That would be a very unpleasant discovery, but the alternative ¨C that only this young man possessed such a trait ¨C raised a set of troubling questions as well.


    ------


    Once we arrived, Ernest helped me get Helian out of the carriage, and I began carrying her inside as he led the way. The groups of priestesses milling about in the temple grew silent as we approached, and while most had the decency to refrain from openly staring, I could tell we had their attention. Word had no doubt spread of Helian¡¯s condition and our trip to bring her here.


    ¡°We¡¯ve prepared an attached pair of rooms for you in the annex, near the revered mother¡¯s chambers. It should be pretty quiet there, and there¡¯s only one hall that leads to them so it will be easy to keep things secure.¡± Ernest pointed to the right as we approached a 4-way junction and waited for me to turn the corner.


    I smiled. ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you. We¡¯ve already tried rousing her with loud noises to no avail, so it¡¯s probably for the best to let her get rest in a quiet space for now. Can I assume you¡¯re one of the people assigned to protect us during our stay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be on shift most days. Two of my seniors from the order will be taking the other shifts ¨C they¡¯re quite reliable, so you¡¯ll be in good hands, even if they¡¯re not particularly good conversationalists.¡± He grimaced.


    As promised, the ambient noise of the temple¡¯s residents faded to silence as we made our way through the annex. We arrived at the end of a wide hall, and Ernest opened the door at the end and gestured for me to enter. Once we were inside, he closed the door.


    Hmm. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I have a somewhat unusual request.¡±


    He tilted his head. ¡°Yes? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Is there a way to ensure the door can¡¯t be unlocked from the outside?¡±


    He stroked his chin, as if to indicate that this required serious consideration. He had already decided on the answer moments ago, however. ¡°I think that might be possible. I¡¯ll look into it.¡±


    ¡°I hope you understand that it¡¯s nothing personal. We¡¯ve had many issues with security in the past, and Helian especially prefers her room to be secure at night when she sleeps. Even the estate¡¯s servants didn¡¯t have a key to her quarters.¡±


    Ernest sighed. ¡°I¡¯m starting to get the picture. I think if I explain to the revered mother, she will be willing to relinquish the spare keys so that no one can enter without permission other than her, at least.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Do you know if there was any agenda planned for the day? If we need to make introductions or meet with anyone, I think I can be ready within an hour or so.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°No, we assumed you would want to recuperate after the trip, so nothing is planned until tomorrow. The revered mother was hoping you¡¯d join her for breakfast, and the elders want to meet with you in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°That sounds fine. If it¡¯s not too much trouble, could someone bring our luggage in from the carriage? I don¡¯t want to leave Helian unattended.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lady Rosa. I¡¯ll see if I can find someone to handle it. You only brought a couple bags, so I doubt it will be an issue in any case.¡±


    I smiled. Even if I couldn¡¯t trust the young man, he was at least agreeable. With any luck there would be other people here with similar personalities, and things wouldn¡¯t be too difficult¡­

 Melting Snow (6)

    A few days later, the weather was especially favorable, and the men were well-rested. After a discussion with Ilex and the other veterans, I decided the time was right for the first expedition. Once I explained the plan to the squires who had accompanied us here a handful of them volunteered, and once the more experienced knights were added to their number, we had more than enough people. I was glad that I wouldn¡¯t have to forcibly enlist anyone for my little venture, lest I cultivate resentment and make the rest of our stay at the border too awkward.


    Our objective was to push as far out from the wall as safely possible and take note of everything we saw along the way ¨C the monsters¡¯ numbers and behavior, any signs of nesting or habitation, unusual damage to trees, and so on. I hoped that the information gathered from a few of these expeditions would allow us to identify the root cause of the monsters¡¯ unusual activity this year.


    To stay mobile and avoid scaring the monsters away entirely ¨C as they had been unusually skittish up until this point ¨C we decided to deploy a small team of a dozen people and not bring spare horses. The first excursion would ideally make clear how far we could safely travel in this configuration. Under normal circumstances we wouldn¡¯t deploy a group this small during a Hunt, but for the purposes of scouting, it was more than enough so long as we stayed on our toes and returned before the sun began to set.


    While I believed the monsters were likely clustered to our northwest - between this outpost and the next - the first expedition would head due west instead, to reduce the risk of encountering a large or particularly aggressive pack of the creatures. With any luck we¡¯d be able to catch sight of whatever lay to the north as we made our trek, but it was most important to avoid any injuries, so there was no harm in exercising caution.


    At the moment, I was supervising as the knights made their final preparations to set out. The sky was clear, and while the air was a bit chilly, we would have no problems staying warm between our armor and inner layers. I¡¯d ordered everyone to bring spare blankets just in case, as for some reason I had a feeling it might be necessary.


    ¡°You look nervous.¡±


    Rufus turned to face me as I spoke. ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose I am. How about you?¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Of course. But don¡¯t tell the others.¡±


    ¡°I probably shouldn¡¯t say this, Lady Frost, but¡­¡±


    I smiled and waited for him to continue.


    ¡°Are you certain this is a good idea? Not the expedition itself, I mean, I¡¯m not suggesting you came up with a bad plan, just¡­ shouldn¡¯t someone less important lead it? Or the first one, at least?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°First and foremost, that would be setting a bad example. I came up with the idea, so I should be willing to stand behind it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem convinced, so I kept making up excuses. ¡°Second, what we¡¯re doing isn¡¯t that risky, so if anything, this is a chance for me to get more experience. Later expeditions will be taking more risks, most likely, and I plan to let the veterans handle those. Don¡¯t tell the others, though, they¡¯ll think I¡¯m a coward.¡±


    He smiled, as it seemed he believed me. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sure. Maybe I¡¯m just prone to worrying, after everything that¡¯s happened¡­¡±


    I patted him on the back. ¡°That¡¯s only natural. In any case, if you promise to watch my back, I¡¯ll watch yours, alright? Between you and Viren I hardly have anything to worry about. Once we return, we can make up some ridiculous stories to tell Ruby over drinks.¡±


    ------


    Well, shit.


    It seemed that our safe detour to the south of the expected epicenter wasn¡¯t enough or had in fact sent us right towards its actual location. No more than 90 minutes into our little excursion, we had nearly blundered straight into a massive pack of monsters. We were proceeding slowly, of course, and thanks to the careful attention of the two knights who had taken point, we were able to stop before spooking the creatures or exposing ourselves.


    But they were aware of us. More than a dozen of them were standing upright, staring in our direction, and wagging their tails. I wasn¡¯t sure what it meant for a lizard to wag its tail, but I assumed it wasn¡¯t good.


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    ¡°Dame Viren¡­ you know these things better than I. Do they tend to pursue if you flee? Should we perhaps backpedal very slowly?¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°Yes, they tend to do that¡­ it¡¯s normally not an issue since we outnumber them, but¡­¡±


    We did not outnumber them. We at least had a handful of advantages in this situation ¨C a good distance between us and them, which would serve as a head start; speedy horses that were not yet exhausted; and most of all, we were all in good health and properly equipped.


    The knight to my left turned to me and wordlessly extended his hand, offering the binoculars he had been using. He looked terrified. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ you should look further up the slope.¡±


    To find something delightful, no doubt. I put them to my eyes and surveyed the environment. The good news was that while the creatures closest to us were on alert, the rest of them seemed to be uninterested or unaware ¨C they were playing in groups or resting idly on the ground. Something about the knowledge that they were smart enough to play made me nervous, but there were other things to worry about right now.


    For example, what I saw further back. The dense snowpack on the mountainside most directly exposed to the sun had begun to melt, and the gaps in the snow revealed vast amounts of ice concealed underneath. Ice with creatures trapped inside it. I shifted my focus to the edge of the mountainside closest to us and saw something that made my blood run cold.


    Two of the lizards were digging with their claws, and in front of them was another creature half exposed from the ice. As I watched, it blinked. The damn things were unearthing each other, and it seemed they somehow had survived being trapped in ice for who knows how long, waiting for the right weather to set them free.


    Viren cleared her throat to my right. ¡°Um, Lady Frost? What is it? What do you see?¡±


    I handed her the binoculars. ¡°Take a look at the end of the slope, straight ahead.¡±


    She did as instructed, confusion evident on her face. It soon turned into obvious distress. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    I sighed. ¡°Dame, do you suppose these creatures are cold-blooded?¡±


    She lowered the binoculars and handed them to Rufus, who was at present sweating bullets and staring at the two of us. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯ll have to explain that term to me¡­ what does it mean?¡±


    It occurred to me that Helian knew a lot about lizards. If only she were here right now.


    I turned to the knight on my left. ¡°Tell the others to prepare to return¡­ slowly and quietly. We¡¯ll go back the way we came.¡±


    He nodded and went to speak with the others.


    On the bright side, I felt as if I finally understood what was going on.


    It was natural for creatures¡¯ physical traits to change from generation to generation, and alongside these changes could come changes in behavior or instinct. Normally these changes were quite slow, however, so that failed to explain why the monsters were acting so strangely this year.


    However, we weren¡¯t dealing with generational changes. We were observing old behaviors, behaviors long since left behind as the creatures had adapted to changes in their environment. Now, as their environment changed once more, it seemed their ancestors ¨C newly thawed from the ice ¨C had taken the lead or were even teaching behaviors to the new generation. If the creatures were smart enough to play with each other, they were no doubt smart enough to learn.


    A loud crashing sound from behind us stirred me from my thoughts.


    Viren cursed. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    The knight I had sent away returned in a hurry. ¡°Lady Frost, bad news¡­ it seems the path behind us has collapsed.¡±


    ¡°Collapsed? It was dense snowpack, and we¡¯re in the middle of the forest!¡±


    He swallowed. ¡°It seems there was a river or something running through the forest, and it was frozen over¡­ Olbert said he heard some loud cracking noises earlier as we passed, but he didn¡¯t think it was worth mentioning¡­ In any case, there¡¯s basically a canyon full of frigid water and snow to our east now.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll have to take a detour on the way back. Seeing as there¡¯s a sheer drop to our south, we¡¯ll have to cut north and try to find a place to cross the river and pass one by one to avoid disturbing it with our weight.¡± I made a mental note to ensure that future expeditions traveled in single file; I suspected we put too much strain on the frozen river¡¯s surface by staying in formation, mounted on horses as we were.


    Rufus coughed. ¡°Frost¡­ I think they heard that noise¡­¡±


    He was still looking through the binoculars. ¡°How bad is it, Rufus?¡±


    ¡°Most of them are standing up now, and some of them are pacing back and forth.¡±


    Dame Viren patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s get going.¡± She turned to face me. ¡°Agreed?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no time to waste. Rufus, take point and lead us back to the wall. Viren and I will take the rear.¡±


    He handed Viren the binoculars and set his horse to a slow trot, returning to the rest of the group, and began quietly relaying my orders.


    The dame cleared her throat. ¡°Frost, I think we should-¡±


    Her suggestion was interrupted by a high-pitched squeal from our west. We both knew instinctively what it meant, and there was no longer a need for the binoculars.


    I pictured what I had seen earlier in my mind. The need for a detour meant the creatures would not struggle to catch up with us, and if even half their number pursued, we would be in for a difficult fight. Since we would not be retracing our steps, it was possible we could blunder into more of them and end up surrounded.


    ¡°Viren. I¡¯m going to do something stupid. I¡¯ll be right behind you, so go.¡±