《Silver Amelia》


 [Read this Before you Start]

    So it came to my attention that some, despite there being a NOTE on the story description, refuses to think about why the sequence of chapters had ended up like this. And by this, I meant the following before the prologue:


    [Observer''s Notes], [Celestia''s Corner], [(Not a chapter) Questions, Recommendations, or Suggestions], [Unknown 1.01], [Unknown 1.02], and [Unknown 2.01].


    These chapters are there so it would be easy to check on some extra info and for the readers to leave behind a comment or suggestion regarding the story. Regarding why it was placed there, it is because I didn''t want to break the flow of the chapters. It was intended so that every time a reader clicks on the Next Chapter, they are assured that it is a story chapter and not an informative chapter. This is born from recalling that I myself dislike those chapters and a reader that made me remember the pain of encountering it. Thank you for that.


    [This informative chapter would be placed at the front too after the next chapter is posted.]


    Next is the Unknown Chapters. Like I stated, it was STALLED, and is tagged as a READ AT YOUR OWN RISK chapter. So please don''t complain that you''ve read it before the PROLOGUE.


    Next is,


    This novel will be re-written after I finished it and gained more experience in writing.


    I don''t know if people can''t understand this line completely, but even so, I''ll explain.


    As I had been saying throughout the past, which a few readers probably knew by now, or everyone should have realized by now, I AM AN AMATEUR. So please! just PLEASE, don''t expect me to write at a professional, publishing, or editorial level of prose.


    English is my second language. My course in college is mostly unrelated, if not completely unrelated, to English. In fact, I hate English from the very start. It is my bane. But here I am writing in English just because I wanted my MC''s story to be heard. It just so happens that English is the best tool for me to deliver it to the audience.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Now, This novel will be re-written


    Just as it says. Why? Because I myself know how badly I wrote. True, there are TONS of mistakes. There are words that should be replaced. Grammar to be fixed and more. I know that, okay? Fully well. But yes, I do appreciate feedback and corrections, but if you''re going to be sarcastic about it, please be reminded that I''ll ignore it. After all, what I''m after is something constructive, not some cheap words from a grammar nazi who seemed to hate anyone who makes a mistake.


    I take note of feedbacks silently, so just because I didn''t comment or reply doesn''t mean I''ve ignored it.


    Mistakes remain in a lot of chapters. I believe so, too. Why? Because I can only write or edit, there is no both for my situation.


    First, I don''t make a living with writing. I myself know that I''m not cut out for writing, so I can''t hope or see myself making a profit out of it. In other words, I have a life separate from writing. I work to feed myself and spare some for my parents. Being in a country where the wage is low, despite being a developer, I have to work myself in order to live. Even the event of my laptop breaking down broke a large hole in my wallet.


    So please understand that I barely have enough time to go back and edit the old chapters. Even if I were asked to choose, I''d rather write the next chapter than edit. I don''t want my lasting imagination to fade just because I kept on grumbling on editing chapters, especially now that I''m over 250,000 words.


    In reality, I still can''t believe I am able to write despite my busy life. Maybe because I''m too committed to trying to finish this that I use whatever time I can scrape in my weekend just to write.


    On another note, which is probably another source of mistakes, is that I mostly finish and upload a chapter around midnight or an hour or two after it. Most of the time, if not every time, I do it in a state that I''m barely awake. So it''s kinda hard for me to spot obvious errors even after re-reading the chapter two or three times. Sorry about it in advance, and I hope you understand, but I do take my time in trying to make a pass of the chapter a few times before uploading it.


    Why not get an editor?


    Frankly, I''m not up for it. First, I have no money to pay a person to edit it for me. Two, it will delay the release, which is already slow if you''d ask me. Third, I don''t want to get another author to edit my work as a favor. I don''t want anyone to edit this fiction out of simply helping. If possible, I want an editor that is interested in the story itself and willing to sacrifice his own time.


    All said and done, thank you for reading up to this point. I appreciate that you took your time to read.

 Observers Notes

    Southeast Randia Map:


    Note: Not everything is on the map.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <hr>


    Ranida Continent Map


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <hr>


    Characters:


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Main Character:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Amelia Laurel / Lia / Mia</td>


    <td>Protagonist, Silver Princess, 1st Princess, Daughter of the Primary Queen, Moon Child</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Royal Family Members:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Randolf Laurel</td>


    <td>Grandfather of Amelia, 6th King of Laurel (Dead as of Ch. 2)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Galilea Laurel / Galilea Est Faisal</td>


    <td>Grandmother of Amelia (Dead as of Ch. 30)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Auguste Laurel</td>


    <td>Father of Amelia, 7th King of Laurel</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Diane Laurel / Diane Fei Trois</td>


    <td>Mother of Ameli, Primary Queen</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Liz Laurel</td>


    <td>2nd Queen Consort of Auguste, Mother of Mark</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Lara Laurel</td>


    <td>1st Royal Mistress of Auguste</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Camille</td>


    <td>2nd Mistress (Unannounced), Mother of Rick and Fae</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Argent Laurel</td>


    <td>1st Prince, Heir to the Throne, Elder Brother</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Mark Laurel</td>


    <td>2nd Prince, Son of the 2nd Queen Consort Liz Laurel</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Elaine Laurel</td>


    <td>2nd Princess, Daughter of the 1st Mistress Lara Laurel</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Rick and Fae</td>


    <td>3rd Prince and 3rd Princess (Unannounced), Son and Daughter of Camille</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Extended Family:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Duke Tervin / Argon Tervin / Argon Laurel</td>


    <td>Amelia''s Uncle, Used to be the crown prince,Lord of Tervin Dukedom</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Hans Tervin</td>


    <td>Amelia''s Cousin, in a debt with Amelia</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Brent''s Royals:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Maxwell Brent</td>


    <td>1st Prince of Brent''s Royalty, Originally Amelia''s to-be-husband</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Clarissa Brent</td>


    <td>1st Princess of Brent''s Royalty, Bethrothed to Argent Laurel</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Amelia''s Servants:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Erina Frei Trois</td>


    <td>Personal Attendant, Closest Aide, Considered as Amelia''s second mother, was once adopted by the house of Trois</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Mira</td>


    <td>Personal Attendant (Dead as of Ch. 9)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Ria</td>


    <td>Personal Attendant (Dead as of Ch. 9)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Ark</td>


    <td>Amelia''s Butler.</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Amelia''s Subordinates:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Marianne Ost Leigh Albert / Mola</td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td></td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Knights:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Gust</td>


    <td>Royal Guard Member (Dead as of Ch. 13)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Maize</td>


    <td>Captain of Amelia''s Guards / Personal Army</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    True Divines:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Jormugandr / Gandr</td>


    <td>A serpent of unimaginable length sealed by Amalthea in the ocean past Alabaster, 1st among the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Amalthea / Thea</td>


    <td>Golden Goat, Divine Beast of Alabaster, Guardian of Alabaster, 2nd of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Leviathan Twins / Levias</td>


    <td>Twin sea serpents that roam the oceans and seas of Origin, 3rd, and 4th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Cocytus</td>


    <td>Dragon centaur covered in a never-melting armor of ice, 5th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Legethon</td>


    <td>A formless being of magma, usually in a shape of small fish, 6th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Siarys</td>


    <td>A feathered dragon with two pairs of wings that represents North, 7th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Pietys</td>


    <td>A feathered dragon with two pairs of wings that represents South, 8th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Rystys</td>


    <td>A feathered dragon with two pairs of wings that represents East, 9th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Vakaris</td>


    <td>A feathered dragon with two pairs of wings that represents West, 10th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Cybele</td>


    <td>Dryad Mother, overseer of animals, 11th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Demeter</td>


    <td>Dryad Mother, overseer of nature, 12th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Charon</td>


    <td>A skeletal torch, Soul Keeper, 13th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Celestia / Celes</td>


    <td>Ancestral Mother of Amelia, World Guardian, Divine Beast of the Lake, The Moon, 14th of the True Divines</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Other Divines:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Angels</td>


    <td>A legion of divine beings instead of one or a few. Originally tasked by the Human God to protect the humans</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>(More details to be added as the story goes)</td>


    <td>(More details to be added as the story goes)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The Tribe:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Sylvar</td>


    <td>Tribe Elven Chief</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Kan</td>


    <td>Tribe Elven Chief</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Ran</td>


    <td>Tribe Elven Chief</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Garfin</td>


    <td>Tribe Dwarf Chief, Top Tribe Weaponsmith</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Arkand</td>


    <td>Tribe Dwarf Chief</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Dresbon</td>


    <td>Tribe Dwarf Chief</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Kanna</td>


    <td>EnarfRider / Tamer</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Mon</td>


    <td>Tribe Messenger</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Heroes:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Meiko Iwasaki</td>


    <td>A female hero who fled from Libet a few days after the summoning</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>(More details to be added as the story goes)</td>


    <td>(More details to be added as the story goes)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Others:


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Elena</td>


    <td>Celestia''s first-born child</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Marco</td>


    <td>Lynx</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Lara Brent</td>


    <td>Amelia''s unborn daughter from her slumber</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Talya</td>


    <td>Mad Fairy</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Beatrice</td>


    <td>A church girl/zealot who cornered Meiko using the lives of the refugees (Dead as of Ch. 47)</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <hr>


    Beastiary:


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>White-tail (Wyvern)</td>


    <td>


    A superior type of wyvern that makes its nest near the mountain peaks.


    Covered in long black feather-like scales.


    Razor sharp tail for hunting its enemies accompanied by its sharp claws.


    Does not have a breath attack, but uses a nosedive tactic and air maneuvers.


    Believed to carry the blood of the Gryphons.


    Scales from the third of its back to its tail turns white after 3 years as a sign of maturity. The difference in size of the white patch differs from one White-tail to another. Used to attract another White-tail for mating.


    Females areknown to be very aggressive when guarding its eggs.


    Known to hunt lesser dragons or weaker beasts.


    Reproduction similar to birds.


    Size: 16 - 18 feet long with a total wingspan of 20 - 22 feet.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Tree Mimic (Parasite)</td>


    <td>


    A parasitic beast that travels from one tree to another


    Forcefully modifies a tree, making it bear an unnatural yet tempting fruit.


    Hides below the trunk, waiting for a prey to near it. Usually, asleep.


    Its Seedsgrow various plants that immediately adapt to where it was grown. The plant grown is random. Considered as treasure when compared to Chest Mimics.


    Mating habit. (To be discussed in story)


    Size: Unknown.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Catoblepas (Buffalo)</td>


    <td>


    A large hairy buffalo that roams Alabaster


    Its head is usually pointed downwards.


    Covered in a very thick, long, and messy fur.


    Uses its eyes of petrification to disable its enemies and finishes them off with its large hooves.


    A Herbivore.


    Reproduction similar to cattle.


    Size: 6 - 7 feet tall and 8-9 feet long.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Phiptere (Snake)</td>


    <td>


    A small winged snake/serpent.


    Clings at cliffs with the claws at their wings.


    Known to move in groups.


    Usually coordinated by a Queen Phiptere.


    All Phipteres are male except for the Queen.


    Reproduce through the Queen.


    Size: 4 - 6 feet long with a total wingspan of 3 - 4 feet.


    Queen: 10 - 12 feet long with a total wingspan of 12 - 14 feet.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Cerastes (Snake)</td>


    <td>


    A huge snake that roams Alabaster. One of its top predators.


    Covered in smooth white to light-brown scales.


    Have small horns that enable it to cast magic


    Actively roams during the night.


    Known to prey on anything it sees.


    Reproduction similar to snakes.


    Size: 18 - 26 feet long and 4 - 7 feet tall.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Spiked Hyrax</td>


    <td>


    A small spiked creature.


    A docile creature known to feed on plants or fruits.


    Uses its spikes to defend against other beasts.


    Reproduction similar to rabbits.


    Size: 1 - 3 feet long.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Formosa (Jellyfish)</td>


    <td>


    A harmless jelly-like creature.


    Used to create high-quality nightwear.


    Lays its eggs in lakes.


    Usually found in the sea of Formos.


    Known to travel from the lake to the sea of Formos during high tide after laying its eggs.


    Size: 0.65 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Snapmaw (Alligator)</td>


    <td>


    A large brown scaled lesser drake.


    Known to reside near lakes.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Uses its scale to camouflage before jumping over to a pray and killing it with its large and powerful jaws.


    Reproduction similar to ordinary alligators.


    Size: 6 - 10 feet tall and 11 - 15 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Rikea (Quadrupedal Salamander)</td>


    <td>


    Frequently consumes Dasbalites to serve as a different energy source.


    Sensitive to movement and sound (Echolocation).


    Blind.


    Found in the caves surrounding the Sapphire Domain.


    Reproduction similar to cave salamanders.


    Size: 3 - 4.5 feet tall and7 - 8 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Rikea (Bipedal Salamander)</td>


    <td>


    Frequently consumes Dasbalites to serve as a different energy source.


    Sensitive to movement and sound (Echolocation).


    Blind.


    Found in the Endless Chasm.


    Uses its claws to hang on walls/pillars or to hunt smaller beasts.


    Reproduction Similar to cave salamanders.


    Size(Standing): 5 - 6.2 feet tall and 3 - 4 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Gidra (Earth Drake)</td>


    <td>


    An intermediate earth drake.


    Constitutes of rock-hard crystalline-like scales.


    A body structure similar to a horse, but has a dragon tail.


    A blind predator who can sense even minimal movement.


    Uses earth magic when cornered.


    Reproduction similar to lizards.


    Size: 13 - 15 feet tall and 16-18 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Devourer (Evolving Creature)</td>


    <td>


    A weak best at an early stage.


    A beast of females only.


    Produces eggs before reaching maturity.


    Could change depending on the things it eats.


    Could reach the level of the Ancients, possibly Divines.


    Size: 1 - ??? feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Flameclad</td>


    <td>


    A lesser drake


    Known to live on the volcanic island at the center of Formos Sea


    Has a shoveled jaw


    Protruding spikes covered its back that pointed backwards. Pores surrounded the spikes and its square shaped scales


    Size: 8-10 feet tall and 20-26 feet long


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <hr>


    Races:


    (Will add more details at a later time)


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Humans</td>


    <td>


    A race known to build and rule kingdoms.


    Varying body types across the land.


    Skilled in different fields.


    Known to have an average amount of mana.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Elves</td>


    <td>


    A race known to reside in Avalon.


    Slim bodies with long pointed ears.


    Could see and contract spirits.


    Masters of bows.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Dwarfs</td>


    <td>


    A race known to roam the lands in search for the best materials in order to create the best from their craft.


    Short and stocky bodies accompanied by beards.


    Known to have a great amount of strength.


    Masters of crafts.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Enarfs</td>


    <td>


    A raced formed through the joining of an Elf and a dwarf.


    Slim and small bodies.


    Has a fragment of a dwarf''s strength.


    Unaging body similar to Elves.


    Could feel spirits.


    Great riders/tamers.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Lynxes</td>


    <td>


    A race comprised of happy go lucky cats.


    Three times larger than an ordinary cat.


    (More details to be added as the story goes)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Lycaons</td>


    <td>


    A bipedal wolf-like race.


    (More details to be added as the story goes)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Fairies</td>


    <td>


    A tiny humanoid race with large butterfly wings.


    Well-known for their cunning trait


    Physically weak


    Known to cast below average magic chant-less


    Large mana pool


    Masters of deception


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Destolion</td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Avians</td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Nereids</td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Goblins</td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <hr>


    Book of Magic:


    7 Systems: Neutral(not considered as an element/affinity), Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Dark.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>Body Reinforcement</td>


    <td>


    Neutral system, basic level.


    Supports the body in order to perform slightly above the limit.


    Has a drawback of inducing pain to the user after usage.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Telepathy (Active)</td>


    <td>


    Neutral system, basic level.


    Chant-less.


    Does not cost any mana.


    Easily interceptable.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Far Sight</td>


    <td>


    Neutral system, basic level.


    Increases sight range.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Kindle</td>


    <td>


    Fire system, basic level.


    Creates a small fire.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Fireball</td>


    <td>


    Fire system, basic level.


    Creates a ball of fire in a specific location.


    Can be controlled.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Sun''s Seer</td>


    <td>


    Fire system, Advanced Level.


    Similar to a fireball but the intensity is at least 40 times stronger than an ordinary Fireball.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Water Ball</td>


    <td>


    Water system, Basic Level.


    Creates a ball of water on a specific location.


    Reduction of mana consumption is possible if water is provided.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Stone Mold</td>


    <td>


    Earth system, basic level.


    Molds any matter to a shape similar to a stone.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Earth Spike</td>


    <td>


    Earth system, basic level.


    Molds the earth to produce an earthen spike.


    Unusable in water.


    Mana consumption rises depending on the type of soil or matter used.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Rock Bullet</td>


    <td>


    Earth system, basic level.


    Molds earth into a rock in an elliptical shape and shoot them like a bullet.


    Possible to omit the molding process to reduce mana consumption.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Pitfall</td>


    <td>


    Earth, system, intermediate level.


    Molds the earth and forms a pitfall.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Wind Whisper</td>


    <td>


    Wind system, basic level.


    Chant-less.


    Mana cost similar to half a Fireball.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Wind ball</td>


    <td>


    Wind system, basic level.


    Creates a ball of wind on a specific location.


    Can be controlled.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Whirlwind</td>


    <td>


    Wind system, intermediate level


    Creates a small cyclone


    Slashesnearby enemies with wind blades


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Flash</td>


    <td>


    Light system, basic level.


    Creates a sudden flash of light.


    Does not affect the user.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Barrier (Low)</td>


    <td>


    Light system, basic level.


    Creates a thin barrier of light.


    Unable to pass through from either side.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Light Ball</td>


    <td>


    Light system, basic level.


    Creates a ball of light to illuminate the surroundings.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Heal</td>


    <td>


    Light system, intermediate level.


    Covers the hand of the user with healing light.


    Heals the person touched by the user.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Hide</td>


    <td>


    Dark system, basic level.


    Reduces the presence of the user.


    Increases hide ability when underneath a shadow.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Cloak of Concealment</td>


    <td>


    Light and Dark system, intermediate level.


    Hides the user by blending light and dark.


    Does not completely hide the sound and smell produced by the user.


    Mana cost jumps dramatically if used by aperson not under the Light and Dark affinity.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Illusion (fake)</td>


    <td>


    Light and Dark system, intermediate level.


    Creates an illusion based on the imagination of the user. Requires a great amount of imagination to look real.


    Does not have a mass.


    Mana cost jumps dramatically if used by apersonnot under the Light and Dark affinity.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <hr>


    Shard/Crystal Practices:


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td rowspan="2">Overloading</td>


    <td>


    Active Magic:


    Continuously activates the magic circle embedded in the shard/crystal.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Passive Magic:


    (To be mentioned in the story.)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td rowspan="2">Breaking</td>


    <td>


    Active:


    Activates the magic inside the shard/crystal in a higher degree of power.


    Shard/Crystal breaks to dust in return.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Passive:


    (To be mentioned in the story.)


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>Incomplete Embedding</td>


    <td>


    Active / Passive:


    Will explode upon being filled with mana.


    Degree od explosion differs depending on the complexity of the incomplete magic circle.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <hr>


    Currency Exchange:


    1 Copper = Smallest Unit


    5 Copper = 1 Large Holed Copper


    2 Large Holed Copper = 1 Large Copper


    5 Large Copper = 1 Holed Silver


    2 Holed Silver = 1 Silver


    10 Silver = 1 Gold


    10 Gold = 1 Large Gold


    20 Large Gold = 1 White Gold


    Breakdown in Coppers:


    5 Coppers = Large Holed Copper


    10 Coppers = Large Copper


    50 Coppers = Holed Silver


    100 Coppers = Silver


    1,000 Coppers = Gold


    10,000 Coppers = 1 Large Gold


    200,000 Coppers = 1 White Gold


    <hr>


    Calendar:


    Note: Story started in the month of Spring


    Sequence: Winter -> Spring -> Summer -> Fall


    ActualSeason Sequence:Spring -> Summer -> Fall -> Winter


    Days in a Month: 28


    Spoiler: Year 1512<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Spoiler: Spring, 1st Month:<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Sunday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Monday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Tuesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wednesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Thursday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Friday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Saturday</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="6">From Academia to Aves</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Unofficial Banquet</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 2</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Stroll</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Duel, Argent''s request</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Official Banquet</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Rest</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Marco test</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Mana herb</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Nightmare</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 3</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2">Journey to the Tribe</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Arrival, Rest</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Ritual, Proving Day 1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">Journey to the Past (Time Discrepancy)</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 4</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="7">Deep Slumber</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Spoiler: Spring, 2nd Month:<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Sunday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Monday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Tuesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wednesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Thursday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Friday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Saturday</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="7">Deep Slumber</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 2</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wake</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="6">Training with Celes</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 3</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Amalthea''s Trial</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2">Journey Back, Tree Mimic</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Return, Rest</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Kanna, and Birby</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Celebration</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Record Review</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 4</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Record Review</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Rest, Wyvern Training</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Council Meeting</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2"> Tribe Tour</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wyvern Scouting</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Servant Briefing</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Spoiler: Spring, 3rd Month:<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Sunday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Monday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Tuesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wednesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Thursday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Friday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Saturday</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Argent''s Arrival</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">Alabaster Caves</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">Missing Amelia </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 2</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="5">  Promised Dream</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Day of Apology</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Dwarf Grave Visit</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 3</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="4">Short Farewell and Travel Back using the Trade route </td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="3">Aves</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 4</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2">Aves</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">To Fargan</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Meeting with Maize and Maxwell</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Make Me Chapter</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Dialogue</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Rush to the refugee''s settlement/announcement of the treaty</td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Spoiler: Summer, 1st Month:<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Sunday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Monday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Tuesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Wednesday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Thursday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Friday</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Saturday</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 1</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">White-tails descent and announcement of the church''s poisoning</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Letter to Hero Meiko</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Information gathering and planning</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Amelia''s bleeding</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">The day the ring was given to Amelia</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Amelia''s gift to Maxwell</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Forest search before midnight</td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 2</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Result of the battle against the church</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2">Amelia laid unconcious</td>


    <td style="text-align: center">Amelia''s issuance of a Royal Order</td>


    <td style="text-align: center" colspan="2">A day of rest and travel to the port city of Piraeus</td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 3</td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td style="text-align: center">Week 4</td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    <td style="text-align: center"></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Celestias Corner

    "Ara, ara, what seems to be here?" said Celes with a finger over her lips, leaning close to the screen with hips bent to a hinge. "My corner is it? My, how I wonder what''s this for? Care to tell this lady?" she asked, head tilted slightly.


    "So here we have Celestia''s Corner!" Then loud claps were heard from the imaginary audience.


    "Now it isn''t," commented Celes, as the audience appeared one by one.


    "In any case, in this corner, you may ask Celestia a question! It can be anything! Her almighty knowledge shall bring forth the truth and only the truth! You can even ask how tall Amelia is!"


    "Wait!" shouted Amelia in the distance. "I don''t think anything good will come out if you ask anything about me!"


    "Ara, I''d be willing to tell everything there is to know about Amelia," said Celes with a mischievous smile.


    "I knew it!" pointed Amelia. "You''re up to no good!"


    "Shoo, shoo. You''re not the spotlight this time. Go back to your story."


    "But this IS my story!"


    Poof!Then Amelia vanished to somewhere.


    "Now that she''s back to dealing with the chu- cough! cough! Anyway, you can ask Celestia a question in this corner. You may also ask a question through the google form as prepared for anonymity. The answers to the questions asked will be posted in this same chapter after the 2nd arc. Questions with answers that can spoil the story will be avoided or at least answered in a runabout way."


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    <hr>


    1st Question for Celestia:


    One of the imaginary audience raised his hand and asked, "How many heroes have managed to live lives without you having to hunt them down?"


    While sitting on a chair that appeared out of nowhere, "Let''s see," Celestia said with crossed legs. "Counting them have crossed my mind once. However, since eons had passed, I stopped. But as of now, since the recent Reset due to my last battle with God Metis, and limited only to the continent of Randia, there are four." Then a mischievous smile rose on her face. "From what race they came from, I''ll leave you guessing."


    2nd Question for Celestia:


    After nodding to Celestia''s answer, the imaginary audience then followed with another question. "What are some common races we haven''t met yet?"


    "Common races is it? If you''d ask me, all of the races are common to me." Then a childish laugh escaped her lips.


    "But if I''m to change my point of view similar to that of a human, Amelia for example, then..."


    After shifting her crossed legs, she said, "Goblins. Goblins are a race, but since they develop speech only after they matured, the races of today considered them as Beasts who later acquired intelligence. Sadly, they''re a misunderstood race, but I have no plans to correct this misconception."


    "Other than those, there are the Avians, a collection of race similar to birds. Distoleons of the western desert. Nereids of Formos Sea. Alabaster Nymphs. NorthernAnthrogos. I could add more, but I''d like to stop here. But all of those races I''ve said are currently present in the continent of Randia."


    <hr>


    Feel free to send questions through the form. Comments will be answered immediately.

 (Not a chapter) Questions, Recommendations, or Suggestions

    As the title says, this is not a chapter.


    The goal of this post is to communicate with my readers. Well, this is my first time writing and I really want to show Amelia''s story. So I want it to be as engaging as possible.


    To get straight to the point, please feel free to ask a question regarding me or my work ''Silver Amelia''. Feel free to ask anything. I don''t bite.


    You can also bring up suggestions and recommendations you can give which you think may or may not help in improving my work.


    Possible Questions:


    <hr>


    -Why are you not detailing their height/appearances?


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    >That''s because I don''t want them to eat up a lot of word count in the story since the appearance is generally trivial in most cases (at least in this fiction, which I even used a Noble''s POV to describe how Amelia looked). But I''lltry to post a character data in the future so that the story won''t be disturbed and it would be easier toimagine. I''ll try to add my shitty drawings with it as well.


    <hr>


    -Was the story supposed to be like this before it was published?


    >No. The story before is more of a pure revenge kind of story.


    <hr>


    -Why a female MC?


    >Idk, the story regarding Amelia (her past) just popped in my head while I was taking a bath, then I suddenly thought that it should be heard. something like that.


    <hr>


    -Do you have plans for intermissions?


    >Yes I have. It would be entitled ''Teach me Amelia Sensei''. Some would include the POV of other characters.


    <hr>


    -Do you plan to include topics relating to real life?


    >Yes, I do. Maybe a little about economics every now and then. Some about ecology. Maybe logic too?


    <hr>


    -What''s a Formosa?


    >It''s a jellyfish.

 Unknown: 1.01

    In a corridor stood pillars of white, joining the cream marble flat with the murals of varying masks. Iron flowers dangled, crowning in a shade of black, painting the way in a hallway surrounded by night.


    In a rhythm with the twinkle of the night, a gentle tap came masked by the breeze collecting the night''s shivering might.


    [What do you need?] Shaped in a V, his golden eyes peeked from the pointed visor. Reminiscent of a dragon''s jaw, his helm gleamed in a silver hue. Combed by menacing twisted steel horns, the man turned with a clink.


    With a sharp yet silent swing, a familiar thin sword reflected the twinkling stars in a bluish silver hue. ¡°I came to reclaim my mother¡¯s life.¡± Facing the man in an armor scaled by sharp steel, her brown hair fluttered along with the cold breeze.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Pummeling the floor with a pole, a red banner fluttered over his head. [Ha ha ha ha.] The man chuckled, holding a halberd forged in a rugged black. [A girl speaking nonsense. What should''ve have I expected?]


    ¡°Chuckle all you want, but your life is mine.¡± Leaning forward, she scowled with her ocean blue eyes as a crystal dangled loosely from her neck.


    [Leave, foolish girl.] The man took a step forward and swung his halberd, slicing deep into the marble floor. [Do not waste your time, nor your life. A measly girl like you should spend your days in a peaceful home.]


    Raising her thin sword, ¡°Some words from the man who killed my mother.¡± She said pointing its edge before the man.


    [I have no memory of your claims.] With a quick pull, he lifted his halberd with ease and let it stand it his front, holding it with both hands. [But if it¡¯s your wish to claim this place as your grave, then who am I to object such offer?]


    Raising the corner of her lips, ¡°It''ll be my pleasure to send you to my grave instead.¡± She grinned confidently.

 Unknown: 1.02

    A step back, a halberd slit her waist-fit brown leather armor open from the stomach.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The man boasted, rotating his hold, he took a step forward and slashed with his halberd.


    ¡°...¡± Despite the cut that revealed her fair-skinned abdomen, she quietly stepped aside and turned her body to dodge.


    ¡°Unable to reach me?¡± He asked. ¡°Why not trade blows with me?¡±


    Despite his words, she kept on dodging. At each glint of the halberd, she was slowly driven back to the stairs behind her.


    ¡°This is the end!¡± He shouted.


    Cutting through the air, a halberd wedged deep into the marble.


    Dodging the halberd¡¯s blade by a twist, ¡°slow,¡± the woman muttered. A step, the woman lunged with her sword, aiming for a thrust towards the man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Hah,¡± A short laugh left the man¡¯s lips as he bent his neck and body to the side. Dodging successfully, ¡°Naive,¡± he released his arm from the halberd and delivered a right hook.


    Unable to take any chances, she twisted her body closer, dragging the sword to a slash at his neck while leaning her back against him.


    Raising his left arm, he diverted her sword¡¯s trajectory while scraping his bracers in the process.


    Taking the chance, he tightened his right arm to lock the girl between his arm and body.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± he declared, further tightening his hold.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not!¡± As if answering her shout, the sword crackled streaks of lightning.


    ¡°Nuooh!¡± he shouted in pain. Gritting his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll take you down with me!¡± Mustering his strength, he lifted the woman by the neck from the floor.


    ¡°Khaa! hah!¡± she squealed, receiving the same electric strike man¡¯s bracer while gasping for air.


    Loosening her grasp on her sword, the crackling sound withered, leaving a man and a woman sweltering.


    Underneath the woman, crystal fragments fell like sand.


    Grabbing his right arm, she pried it open then fell to her knees. ¡°Khah!¡± She coughed several times, ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡± Her irises trembled while a liquid dripped from her lips.


    Casting a shadow above her, Crash! She rolled to the side before a fist smashed the floor.


    ¡°Fuu¡­ Fuu...¡± He breathed through his visor. Silently, he fixed his posture and grabbed the halberds handle.


    Squinting her eyes,¡°Cough! Cough!¡± She coughed placing her left arm over her chest covered in a frilled white silk.


    ¡°That rapier of yours.¡± He muttered as he lifted the halberd back to his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s quite a dangerous sword.¡±


    Fixing her posture back to pointing the end of her rapier, ¡°I had it made by a dwarf.¡± she snickered a grin. ¡°To take your life.¡±


    ¡°Some words.¡± He muttered as his left arm quivered. ¡°Hmph.¡± He snorted. ¡°You''re worthy enough to disable my left huh.¡±


    ¡°Acting all high and mighty now, oh Hero of old?¡± Flipping her arm on her hips, she grabbed a vial, bit its cork, spat it, and drank the liquid in one go.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same?¡± He asked. ¡°Celestia¡¯s child.¡±


    ¡°Celestia?¡± Grabbing the loose hairpin, her silver hair swayed in the wind. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not a name I recall.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a fool of me.¡± He glared. ¡°You must have known Celestia!¡±


    ¡°Like I said,¡± Sheathing her rapier, she grabbed a different necklace and tied it to her neck. ¡°It¡¯s not a name I know.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I used to live peacefully in a castle, but it all changed when you arrived.¡± Again, she drew her rapier. ¡°Now I¡¯m here to take your life before it all begins.¡±

 Unknown: 2.01

    Emitting a rustling sound, a blonde-haired woman shuffled through the leaves. Shifting her eyes left and right, she grabbed hold of a branch and scanned the surroundings.


    Darting her eyes like a falcon, ¡°Fuu...¡± She exhaled, calming her breathing.


    Reaching behind her long pointed ears, she pulled a thin feathered wood. Slightly twitching, unrhythmic footsteps blended with birds'' chirp. Locating the source from the corner of her eyes, she raised a beautifully carved wood at her front. Using her three thin fingers, she pulled its string.


    Squinting her eyes, she further pulled the string and aimed ahead of the green-skinned creatures.


    Adjusting her aim, she pointed the tip slightly ahead and below the group¡¯s center before releasing her hold. Silently, the arrow swam through the air unhindered before missing any of the creatures dressed in a tattered cloth.


    ¡°Guwa?!¡± The green skinned creature wondered in surprise on the arrow that struck a stone on the ground.


    Immediately after, the ground molded into earthen spikes and pierced the group from below.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Unfortunately, ¡°Guwa! Guwa!¡± One of the creatures survived and started to run, but sadly.


    Thuck. Another arrow struck his head.


    ¡°Haah...¡± The girl muttered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m hunting goblins at this day.¡±


    Falling from the tree, her knee-high brown leather boots contrasted with her slim legs.


    Approaching, the goblin¡¯s corpses hanging from the spikes, ¡°Goblins near a Tree Mimic, huh¡± She muttered. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder why goblins are here of all places.¡±


    Skirting around the corpses, ¡°Heh, they do have them.¡± She said, lifting a tattered fabric on the goblin¡¯s lower body. ¡°If Sylvar is right, then there must be humans or another race living further northeast of here.¡±


    ¡°But even if there is,¡± She said as she shifted her sight towards the east. ¡°Why are the goblins sending groups of scouts to the west?¡±


    Taking a step away from the corpses, ¡°It would¡¯ve been easy to find out if the wyverns weren¡¯t afraid of the dragon¡¯s territory.¡± She said. ¡°Hmm¡­ Kanna should¡¯ve tried taking it down before leaving.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Silphy.¡± She called.


    Before her blue eyes, a green object swirled into a ball.


    [Yes? Yes?] It asked.


    ¡°Pass a message to Sylvar for me.¡± She said. ¡°Tell him it¡¯s highly likely that his doubts are true.¡±


    [Okay. Okay.] Silphy uttered before swirling back to nothing.


    ¡°Now then,¡± she said. ¡°I should at least return with some fruits in tow.¡±

 Prologue

    Sitting on a chair, I observed what the kingdom of Laurel boasts of as the Royal Guards, training in the field. Given the task of protecting and escorting the royal family, they specialized in interpersonal combat rather than combat against beasts.


    To my dismay, they performed their sword strikes at woodenpells. Their movements were refined and graceful, but they don¡¯t give a strong impression. I had expected a mock battle, a sword dance, or a duel, not an irksome play of lumberjacks chopping wood.


    ¡°Your Highness, may I request your opinion on this matter?¡± My personal maidservant, Erina asked as she stood beside me.


    ¡°Disappointing¡± Lacking the interest, I replied. ¡°Others may be satisfied with this level of performance, but that does not include me.¡±


    ¡°You have my sympathy, your Highness.¡± She said moving her sight back to the training ground.


    When I was around 9 years of age, I was able to visit a few other neighboring kingdoms with my grandfather. During the visits, their show of military performance was a few levels above what is being showcased before me.


    A diplomatic show of military might may be a staged performance, but they still have a strong presence.I mean, the Royal Guards aren¡¯t even using magic to make it more appealing or intimidating,I thought.


    After waiting in agony for a few more minutes, the training halted, and the Knights came forward in an orderly manner. After arranging themselves, a representative came to the front and at the same time, they gently bowed.


    ¡°Her Royal Highness, Princess of Laurel, we give our utmost gratitude for participating in the training of the Royal Guards.¡± Said the knight.


    Ah¡­ A typical handsome young knight; blonde hair, blue eyes, masculine, and a confident smile. I wonder how many noblewomen had he brought to his chamber.I thought as I reviewed his appearance.


    ¡°No. As guards of the royal family, I ought to offer you my gratitude.¡± I said as I stood from my seat. ¡°The royal guards have defended and supported our family for decades; I hope this relationship to continue persisting throughtime,¡± I said I slowly approached, displaying a light smile.


    ¡°Fear not, your Highness. It is our pledge and honor to defend the royalty of Laurel with our lives. Please do not hesitate to use us as your arms and shield.¡± The knight said earnestly.


    ¡°Truly, the royal family is blessed to have knights like you at their side. If it is not too much to ask for, I would be expecting more of the Royal Guards.¡± I replied.


    ¡°Worry not. Your Highness¡¯ expectation shall properly be met.¡±


    ¡°Well then, if you would excuse me, I have some other matters to attendto,¡± I said as I gave alightcurtsy. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±


    ¡°It is our pleasure, your Highness.¡± The Knight replied before bowing a second time along with the other Guards.


    After I disappeared into the hallway, the Knights dispersed.


    Free at last!I joyfully thought.


    ¡°Sigh.¡±I breathe out lightly.


    Why didn¡¯t they prepare something more fitting of the royal guards? Are they mocking me?I thoughtas I recall the recent event.Anyway,maybe I should take rest at the manor after going back?


    Stolen story; please report.


    A few steps before reaching the entrance, I heard a voice calling my name.


    ¡°Amelia! Wait a moment Amelia!¡± The voice called as hurried footsteps resounded on the hallway.


    Ah, this rude voice¡­I thought as I remember the culprit.


    ¡°My, if it isn¡¯t Lord Tervin, is there something urgent that requires my immediate attention?¡± I asked after turning around to meet the owner of the voice, expressing a smile.


    ¡°Finally¡­ I found you¡­¡± While slightly gasping for air he spoke.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I slightly tilted my head to the side.


    What is it now?


    ¡°Amelia, how was it? That is, your travel back here?¡± He asked, ignoring the question I asked him.


    Isn¡¯t it obvious that I would be tired after a long travel, even more so having to agonize over that training?


    ¡°As you can see, I am fairly well, but considerably tired and would like to have somerest,¡± I replied with a wry smile.


    ¡°Amelia, you can drop the formal speech, you know. We are cousins, you know. So come on, let¡¯s be casual like when we were kids.¡± He said smiling.


    ¡°Lord Tervin, we are no longerchildren,¡± I replied, with a slight hint of irritation. ¡°And besides, we had yet to meet for the last two years.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He said. ¡°Amelia, join me, I have some sweets prepared. Maybe that¡¯ll improve your mood.¡±


    ¡°My apologies Lord Tervin, but I wish to make haste and receive a fitting rest, so please state your business.¡± He frowned at my statement.


    ¡°Sigh.Well, fine.¡± He said in sorrow. ¡°You are invited to a Banquet tonight at the palace gardens, everyone will be waiting. Oh, and it will be hosted by my father, so be sure to come.¡±


    In response, I moved my sight towards Erina to inquirefurther information.


    ¡°My apologies your Highness, I have yet to be informed of such gathering.¡± She apologized by lightly bowing her head.


    ¡°Well that is expected, some parts of it were rushed anyway,¡± He said as he looked to the direction of the entrance.


    Rushed you say?I thought, confused.Is that possible for an event that is to be hosted at the palace?


    ¡°Is it possible to prepare such a large gathering, in such little time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well, I guess?¡± He said, nonchalantly. ¡°Just come later and you will see. Well then, I¡¯ll be going now. See you later, Amelia!¡± He said as he took off in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Your Highness, let us return to the carriage,¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, let usreturn,¡± I replied.


    It did not take long before I ended up sitting inside the carriage along with Erina.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Erina, do you know any reason why they would rush such an event?¡± I asked, curiously.


    ¡°Apologies your Highness,¡±shesaid. ¡°I lack the necessary information.¡±


    ¡°Erina, we are inside the carriage so should drop the formalspeech,¡± I said. ¡°Not even the coachman can hear us here.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon.¡± She said.


    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while, huh? That is since we last joined a banquet.¡± I said trying to remember the last time I joined a similar gathering.


    ¡°Will you be joining?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Honestly, I feel there¡¯s something amiss about that banquet for it to be rushed, but since it¡¯s been quite a while, I might as wellgo,¡± I said, unsure.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous? We should at least gather information on the participants.¡± She suggested.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,then,¡± I replied as I looked through the window.


    ¡°It has also been a while since you wore a dress, so I¡¯ll prepare something ¡®appealing¡¯. Fu fu fu.¡± She laughed playfully.


    ¡°Erina, whatever you are plotting, please stop.¡± I glared at Erina as I moved my sight towards her.


    ¡°My, my, whatever are you referring to your Highness?¡± She said, placing her right hand over her mouth, laughing mischievously.


    ¡°Seriously Erina, pleasestop,¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you would immediately have babies, your Highness.¡± She casually said, while she warmly looked over my body.


    ¡°That leap in logic of yours is quite disturbing! Please take that back!¡± I shouted in return.


    Well, let¡¯s leave the rowdy conversation in the carriage for a while.


    The 1<sup>st</sup>princess and 2<sup>nd</sup>child born between King Auguste Laurel, and Queen Diane Laurel, Amelia Laurel, is my name.


    In any case, whoever you are, whom I do not see, feel, nor touch. I want you to witness my story. I want you to know who and what I really am. Not like some typical beautiful princess, up for grabs, or someone to be saved by a hero like most stories do.


    Now you might be thinking, ¡°Why is she talking to us?¡± or ¡°What are you expecting from us?¡± or something like ¡°Is this some kind of template?¡±


    Well, it¡¯s not like I know that some sort of power or being is watching over me, or to be precise watching over ¡®us¡¯. It¡¯s just that I wanted to believe that there is someone out there who could see the bigger picture, which would be you.


    And so I am asking this favor of you. I want you to know who I, Amelia Laurel am as a person and as a princess. I want you, who have no power whatsoever to neither help nor interfere with the decisions I¡¯ve made to bear witness to the truth. I want my name and the truth of my existence to have its place, at least in your mind.


    This is my story, as the Silver Princess in this rotten world.

 Chapter 1: Before the Banquet

    A few moments later, a large shadow from the distance could be seen through the carriage¡¯s window. A large gray structure spanning a wide portion of the horizon, the city walls of the capital, Aves.


    The capital city surrounds the royal Palace Tercel on the northern side. The city and the palace are separated by a wall one-third shorter than the 20-meter city wall, creating two areas. The first area, facing the sea of Formos, is designated for the residents of Aves. The second area is designated for the nobility, the special workshops, and the palace.


    As the carriage approached the city walls, the coachman released the falcon perched on top of the carriage. Subsequently, the coachman reduced the carriage¡¯s speed.


    Soon after that, a stream named Twins in front of the city wall became visible. The stream serves as a natural moat and a source of fresh water.


    When the carriage halted, a rattling sound of chains started clanking. After a heavy thud, the carriage started moving again.


    At the side of the pathway, City guards are seen lined at the sides standing at attention. Nevertheless, the carriage moved forward unaffected.


    ¡°Erina, have you informed the coachman of our destination?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, we are currently heading towards the manor,¡± She answered. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to head directly to the palace, your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Please spare me; stacks of paper might be waiting for me at thepalace,¡± I answered with a sigh.


    No, I¡¯ll definitely get desk work after some greetings filled with flattery. I would like to avoid that as much as possible.


    ¡°Your Highness, escaping from your responsibilities is unbefitting of royalty,¡± She said in a stern manner.


    ¡°Please tell that to my Father instead,¡± I answered in protest. ¡°And Erina, I¡¯m not escaping from it, I¡¯m just delaying it. Get it? Delaying, not escaping. I said it twice because it¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Erina stared at me in silence.


    I averted my gaze towards the window in response.


    I¡¯m definitely not guilty.


    <hr>


    After arriving at the manor, menservants, maidservants, and a few Knights welcomed me. We exchanged a few greetings before I was led to mybed-chamber.


    I lay on the bed looking at the ceiling.


    ¡°Hmm, so even Ark has insufficient information regarding thebanquet,¡± I muttered.


    Ark is one of my menservants in charge of maintaining thismanor. He specializes in gathering information and is often tasked to monitor suspected nobles. Due to this, his information network is quite broad. Therefore, Ark not having sufficient information makes the banquet dubious.


    Well, he did tell me that, my little sister and second Princess Elaine would be participating. I thought. And the fact that the host is Duke Tervin, my uncle, there is probably something in store for that ¡®rushed¡¯ banquet of his.


    Knock. Knock.


    ¡°Pardon me, your Highness, the meal has been prepared,¡± Said the maidservant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready in a few seconds,¡± I replied.


    I sat up on the bed and glanced at the wooden clock hanging nearby.


    28 minutes before noon. I still have some time to rest after the meal.


    After checking the time, I went through the door to meet the maidservant waiting at the side. I was then escorted promptly to the dining room.


    I ate in a relaxed manner while working my way with the prepared cutlery and engaged in idle chatter with the servants.


    Thereafter, I took a bath I asked of the servants to prepare.


    ¡°Ah, such bliss,¡± I muttered as I relaxed in the bath with closed eyes.


    Swishing sounds were emitted as I moved my limbs within the water.


    I wonder, why is bathing not as prominent as I think it should be? I wondered. Maybe I should start spreading rumors to promote it? Even heroes from the records were said to have taken a bath as often as possible.


    In history, there were three known heroes summoned by us humans. Well, at least from the existing records. I thought as I recall history from what I have read.


    In this continent, some ruins of old civilization were found, but records of them were scarce. In another ruin, it was hinted that the history of the human race dates more than what we have in our records.


    There are probably more than three of them. I¡¯m sure of it. I concluded.


    In any case, in the records of all three heroes, it was noted that they frequently took a bath. Knowing that they have advanced knowledge that we did not have, taking a bath frequently should have benefits. Besides, taking bath is relaxing. Such bliss shouldn¡¯t be ignored, right? I thought to myself.


    Hmm¡­ How does it go again? Ah yes. First, the Heroes were summoned using a magic circle passed down from our forefathers. It was stated that it was a gift from the human God. I recalled.


    I heard that the summoning process requires a huge amount of resources. So it is not something that could be frequently done, but maybe Laurel can? I pondered on the possibility.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The problem is that it¡¯s a gamble. Since the summoning process could fail, we might end up wasting resources for nothing. Aside from that, the summoned Hero might not be as desirable as what we might expect.


    Well, considering the fact that they have advanced knowledge, maybe that¡¯d be enough help? I questioned.


    According to the records, there are cases where that they are not allowed to speak of their ideas due to a magic of sorts that obscures their speech. I recalled.


    Maybe telepathy would work? Maybe let them write it instead? Or maybe we are not allowed to cheat our way in development? I thought looking for a possible reason.


    Anyway, I¡¯m thankful that the idea of using paper got through. I thought. I wonder how things would have been without paper¡­


    I further submerged my body as I wondered how different things would be without paper.


    Going back to the heroes, it¡¯s quite envious. For them to have blessings and be called a hero upon summoning, funded by the church or kingdom and is able to freely cross borders, how easy could their lives get? I thought envious of their freedom.


    I also read that they are considerably strong, strong enough to take large beasts on their own. Compared to an average knight, a hero is said to be several times stronger.


    The only problem with them is that they sometimes don¡¯t think too much of their actions. I thought as I started blowing bubbles from my mouth.


    One of those actions is related to the Lycaons, a race known to regularly hunt humans as tokens. I recalled as I closed my eyes. One time, adventurers were caught alive and were brought to their den. The Hero, upon hearing the news, went to rescue the adventurers. Fortunately, he was successful.


    Unfortunately, the Lycaons were angered and assaulted a nearby town. The Hero, who was there, was able to repel the Lycaons, but the number of casualties was nothing to scoff at.


    They¡¯re like wild horses. I honestly thought. They need someone to give them a second thought or someone who would rein them.


    Regarding their ending as heroes, each of them has their own. The first hero was slain along with his party members except for one who survived since nature called her when they traveled through the forest.


    It was more like fate called her. It¡¯s an unpleasant way to survive though.


    According to her statement, a woman with silver hair single-handedly slews the party in just a few seconds. Fortunately, the said woman did not try to pursue or capture her. So she was able to return safely and report the details regarding the Hero¡¯s death.


    For the second hero, he declared that he would unravel the mystery of the forest of illusions and prove that the large tree at the center was what he calls Yggdrasil. The tree was not recognized as Yggdrasil in future references though. That aside, after the Hero entered the forest of illusion, he never came back.


    I wonder how he died in the forest¡­ If only someone could enter that forest and unravel what¡¯s inside¡­


    For the third¡­ If I remember, he just vanished? Along with her party members, he just vanished like thin air. Hmm¡­ Maybe the silver haired woman is related?


    As I struggled to think about things related to the Heroes, I started to feel that the temperature of the water started to drop.


    I stood up from the bath and approached the maidservant waiting nearby. I sat on a wooden stool and let the maid wash my hair in silence.


    ¡°Your Highness¡¯s silver hair is a sight to behold.¡± The maidservant said.


    I stayed quiet as I ignore my maidservants¡¯ compliments.


    After the bath, my hair was dried and was subsequently dressed with a light one-piece pouf. The maidservants left after I gave them the order.


    Knock. Knock.


    ¡°Your Highness, It is I, Erina.¡± A voice called from the other side of the door.


    ¡°You may enter,¡± I replied.


    As Erina closed the doors, I sat down on the bed.


    ¡°Erina, I¡¯ll take a nap so wake me up in about 3-4 hours,¡± I ordered. ¡°Start the preparations for the banquet as well.¡±


    It is currently 12 minutes past one in the afternoon, so 3-4 hours should be fine.


    ¡°The necessary instructions have already been addressed,¡± Erina replied accompanied with a smile. ¡°You may take a nap with ease.¡±


    Yaaawn. Ah, now I remember.


    ¡°Erina, you may now take your leave.¡±


    Erina took a bow and left the room quietly.


    Ah, Right. There is one more thing about the heroes all have in common. And if I were to describe, it would be like this. ¡®Heroes are as dense as Adamantite.¡¯ I thought as I recalled my observation from the records.


    The Heroes party member sure leave interesting diaries. I giggled. How do those diaries go again? Hmm¡­ I think it goes like this?


    *


    __ Day of _____ Month, Year ____. Attempt number XXX.


    Today I have attempted what I have heard from those lustful Nobles. I tried cooking for the Hero while only wearing a piece of cloth called an apron. The Hero was extremely flustered and was completely red. I thought it was going well and have prepared my heart for what¡¯s coming tonight. But in the end, he just gave me something to wear instead. I could not figure out why this happened. Probably, if I did the same for any other man I would definitely be brought to some sort of alley or bed-chamber and then who knows what. In the end, I could only try to heal my broken resolve.¡¯


    *


    ¡°At ¡®least¡¯ one of a similar diary would ¡®always¡¯ be found from one of the female party members of the summoned heroes,¡± I said laughing happily


    ¡°But really, those diaries are troublesome because of similar entries. It¡¯s a good thing that only those with a high level of authority are able to access it,¡± I said considering the contents of those entries. ¡°Giving access to those entries would definitely break a child¡¯s innocence hahaha.¡±


    ¡°Just imagine that other party member did, and the other one too. Then the other one was so bold she went naked. Ah! Ah! There¡¯s that one too! Then they- Uwaaaaaaah. T-those are truly shameless actions. Ahaha,¡± I kept muttering.


    After a few minutes.


    ¡°Well, time to sleep,¡± I muttered with the tip of my ears tinged in red.


    <hr>


    Later in the afternoon, I slowly rose from the bed while stretching my body after being woken up by Erina. Again I glanced at the wooden clock and checked the time. It was 13 minutes past five.


    ¡°Is everything in place?¡± I asked Erina.


    ¡°The carriage is currently waiting outside, your Highness,¡± Erina answered. ¡°The dress has also been prepared.¡±


    ¡°Did you place the dress in the wardrobe?¡± I asked as started to approach the wardrobe. ¡°And please, call the servants.¡±


    Clap. Clap.


    After Erina clapped, the maidservants started entering the room. I ignored the scenery as I pried open the doors of the wardrobe.


    After that, I stood there astonished for a few seconds.


    Contrary to what used to be a wardrobe filled with numerous clothes, it was empty. No, it was not empty, but there is one dress left inside.


    I slowly moved my gaze to Erina.


    ¡°Erina,¡± I asked suspiciously.


    ¡°Is there any matter your Highness?¡± Erina Replied with a smile.


    ¡°Where did the other clothes in the wardrobe went to?¡±


    ¡°Ara, I have no idea of what your Highness is asking me,¡± Erina replied with an unfaltering smile.


    This can¡¯t be¡­ I thought in despair.


    I shifted my sights towards the maidservants inside the room, but they only responded with a smile similar to Erina.


    No! This can¡¯t be! I have been betrayed! This is a conspiracy!


    ¡°There is no other option your Highness,¡± Erina said with a bright smile plastered over her face.


    I slumped to the floor and resigned myself to my harsh fate.


    Such is a cruel world. I thought as looked up to the ceiling with the hope in my eyes succumbing to the dark abyss.


    <hr>


    While my hair is being arranged from behind, I asked Erina the thing that was bothering me for quite a time now.


    ¡°Hey Erina, I wonder why is there a magic tool attached to the ribbon of the dress,¡± I said with resigned eyes.


    ¡°It is a decoration, your Highness,¡± She replied playfully.


    ¡°What a grand decoration, for several layers of spells to be embedded into it,¡± I sarcastically said.


    ¡°Decoration, your Highness,¡± She emphasized.


    ¡°¡­¡± At this time, I have nothing more to say.


    A few moments passed and I was now riding the carriage moving towards the palace garden. I sat there staring outside like a princess waiting for a Hero or a Knight in shining armor to take her away in this moonlit evening.


    Please save me¡­


    Despite my silent pleading calls, not even a fly came to rescue the princess in distress.


    After alighting from the carriage, what greeted my sight was Knights in ceremonial clothing lined side by side. A long majestic red carpet on the ground with intricate lamp lights on the sides. Round tables covered inwhitetablecloth with decorated chairs surrounding it. Guests clothed with jewelry, silk, and high-grade leather littered the garden.


    There was not a single thing that could be indicated with the word ¡®rushed¡¯.


    As for me, I stood there trying to figure out what was going on. Then, I looked at my dress.


    Wait, could it be that¡­ No, no, no. But could it really be?


    ¡°Gahahaha!¡± A man laughed heartily. ¡°Amelia, you have arrived just in time for the start of the ceremony!¡±


    At that moment, I felt like something broke.


    I-is this, my marriage ceremony?

 Chapter 2: Night of the Banquet

    Tap, tap, tap. My footsteps resounded as I slowly walked down the carpet.


    Left. Right. Left. Right. I looked forward and maintained a straight face. But even so, it¡¯s as if I¡¯m staring at an endless abyss. Dark and cold.


    As I peer into it, I hear mutters, and voices from the surroundings. The voices were inconsistent, some were loud, some were silent, some are near, and some far. But as I continue, the voices started to turn to whispers, soon the whispers turned to silence. It¡¯s as if the curtain on a play had risen.


    One by one, I started to feel gazes around me. One, two, three¡­ It kept on incessantly increasing, like rain drops from the sky, immeasurable. Among those gazes, were curious ones, some felt like the eyes of wonder, but the others wore gazes of awe.


    Nevertheless, I kept on walking, slowly as if every step were synchronized with my heartbeat, one by one, left, then right.


    A few moments passed and feeling of wanting to go slower started to swell within me, but deep inside, I felt that slowing down is an act of cowardice, an act that would serve as the hammer to smash my resolve into countless pieces.


    All these eyes, this gazes, as if they are expecting something from me. These people, they are without doubt citizens of Laurel. As a princess of this kingdom, I at least have the responsibility to answer them.


    I have to do this despite my wishes, now that every audience in this banquet is witnesses. With this, I have already sealed my own escape. Turning back now would only bring shame to this kingdom, the royalty, and to me.


    These feelings are too familiar. This feeling of losing my chance. The cold weight in my chest. And this feeling of being cornered. Ah, yes, the feeling of regret, sadness, and helplessness. So you¡¯ve come to haunt me after all the time and effort I gave¡­ I thought as I continued down the carpet.


    Before I approached the end of the aisle, I balled up my emotions, hid it, and swallowed it whole.


    When I took the last step and stood before a tall, broad-shouldered, and medium built man with the same silver hair as I.


    Is this the man that my fate has decided? I thought as I met my eyes with the man before me.


    <A random Noble¡¯s POV>


    I was holding a glass of wine while having a pleasant chat with my fellow Nobles. We exchanged our experiences in managing the territory, but more often than that, we talked about our complaints in the difficulties we encountered. It trailed off and turned into a competition on who had it even worse than the other.


    ¡°Oh, indeed, I too had a headache from a similar case, but mine was a wyvern.¡±


    ¡°I had the same trouble in my territory previously. Now and then, a few juvenile wyverns fly down the mountains looking for a place to build a nest.¡±


    As we were chipping our own responses, the noise from the other guests starts to die down.


    Such an abrupt silence has made us turn our gazes towards its source. There and then, our sights were glued to the woman walking down the carpet.


    Silver hair tied up into a braided bun pinned by an ebony hair stick. A slim, young body wearing a simple yet attracting white gown decorated with black ribbons. And lastly, a small silver tiara decorated her head.


    It was none other than the first Princess, Amelia Laurel, dubbed as the Silver Princess.


    Every single gaze among the guests was instantly absorbed, not just because she was the princess, but because of spectacle that none of us expected.


    In each step her Highness took, the dress emits dust of light, which created a trail a beautiful trail of light dust slowly descending to the ground.


    The hem of the gown gradually turned translucent up until above her Highness¡¯s knees. Under the translucent cloth are intricate patterns that heighten the beauty of her Highness¡¯s gown.


    But what drew the guests to quietly gaze in pure awe was not the display of the beauty of her Highness. It was the air that surrounded her. The air that exudes resolve, resolve coupled with determined and dignified steps. It was as if she was an honorable Queen is moving towards her throne.


    To think that her Highness would demonstrate such presence during her coming of age. Her Highness¡¯s future, I want to witness it.


    I thought as her Highness approached the end of the carpet, where a man stood wearing a surprised expression. It was none other than her Highness¡¯s father, 7thKing of Laurel, King Auguste Laurel.


    <Amelia¡¯s POV>


    One second, two, three¡­ I stood with a blank expression for who knows how long. The longer I stood the more I felt that time had stagnated.


    ¡°Amelia, your hand,¡± The man, who was my father, and also the king, asked me as he raised his own.


    Unconsciously, I offered my hand without muttering a single word. During that time, numerous thoughts started swirling within my mind, looking for answers to this unusual event. As I kept my thoughts running, I was led to a seat inside a large garden alcove.


    ¡°Now listen, my dear guests!¡± My father joyfully shouted. ¡°Today, we celebrate my beloved daughter¡¯s coming of age! And tonight we feast!¡± At the same time, he raised a chalice into the air.


    ¡°Oooooh!¡± The guests shouted in return. Afterward, the minstrels began to play their instruments to make the night livelier.


    After his speech, I started to realize the situation. Slowly, I felt a cold sensation creeping over my body, a sensation similar to blood draining.


    ¡°I was wondering why you ignored me when I called for you at the entrance,¡± A man said nearby. ¡°But it seems you had a huge misunderstanding judging from that pale face of yours.¡±


    I looked towards the source of the voice and found my uncle, Duke Tervin, wearing a wide grin on his face while forcing himself not to laugh.


    ¡°You probably thought it was some other kind of ceremony, right?¡± He asked chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m guessing a ceremony related to marriage?¡±


    Ah¡­


    I shuddered after I heard his words.


    ¡°Gahahahahaha!¡± He laughed with his hand over his stomach.


    As my uncle laughs over my misunderstanding, I felt my mentality taking hits one blow at a time.


    Please stop¡­ I earnestly thought.


    As I sat there agonizing in silence while wishing for the world to end immediately, my father came.


    My father, in wonder, asked Uncle for the situation. Which Uncle explained with traces of tears in his eyes. When Father realized, he wore a wry smile on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this secret is safe with us,¡± he said as he placed his hand on my shoulder.


    That does not make me feel better at all. And besides, Erina probably knows... Realizing that Erina probably knew of this, I shuddered a second time. Just thinking about the ways she could use this against me, it¡¯s terrifying¡­


    ¡°That aside, Auguste won¡¯t let you get married so easily you know?¡± Uncle said.


    ¡°Anyone who wants my daughter needs to at least take my fist every day for at least a year,¡± My father added. ¡°And I¡¯ll be sure to use augmented knuckles while I¡¯m at it.¡± He said as he proudly raised his fist.


    ¡°If only you would say similar words to Argent, I¡¯m sure he would be motivated.¡± Uncle said as he scratched his head.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Hmph. He¡¯s no longer a flightless chick.¡± Father said in a dismissive manner.


    As I listen silently, I started to regain control over my scattered emotions.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, where is Elder Brother?¡± I asked. ¡°And wasn¡¯t Elaine supposed to attend today?¡± I continued.


    ¡°Elaine might have overslept, and probably being dressed as we speak.¡± My uncle answered. ¡°I have no idea for Argent.¡±


    ¡°He might not arrive.¡± Father answered passively.


    ¡°¡°Huh?¡±¡± Uncle and I wondered.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I dumped the papers in his room.¡± He proudly said.


    I felt slightly delighted at his statement, but at the same time, I felt sorry. It¡¯s quite a complicated feeling, to be honest.


    ¡°Father, why was the celebration held today?¡± I asked confused. ¡°It¡¯s earlier by three days.¡±


    Albeit a little late, I still remembered to ask. I also inquired about the royal guard¡¯s unsightly actions.


    Regarding the royal guards, it was actually a staged performance. Its role was to delay my arrival to the capital and to increase the odds of me returning to the manor instead of the palace.


    Now that they mentioned it, it is unlikely that my cousin would be there just to invite me. And as I was preoccupied with Erina, I failed to notice that not a single Noble waited for me at the city walls. Aside from that, Ark knew that Elaine was joining the banquet he had no idea of.


    I¡¯ve let my guard down so easily¡­ But I guess it¡¯s fine since it worked as a surprise.


    Aside from that, the reason behind the date was simple. It was to assure that the 2nd Queen consort wouldn''t be able to attend. Another reason is to name the celebration under the Duke''s house in order for it to be considered unofficial.


    According to them, they gave the 2ndQueen consort a task to investigate a village two days away northeast of Aves. It was ascertained that she would arrive the day before the announced celebration.


    The three-day buffer between the dates is insurance if ever the consort arrives earlier, or if ever a miracle happens that she gets wind of the plans.


    In addition, Mark, my 2nd brother, is accompanying her, so he too won¡¯t be joining this evening.


    And as for this ridiculous dress woven with the skin of Formosa, emits light dust, and a few more functions to accentuate the beauty of the wearer is a mystery to both my father and my uncle. They were even surprised that I asked. They thought I had it prepared it in advance. In conclusion, this dress was prepared by Erina.


    There¡¯s no need to investigate, that¡¯s all the evidence I need. I thought without any hint of doubt. Where did she get the funds to-


    My face paled after I had a glimpse of my wardrobe while surrounded by traitors.


    N-no, it shouldn¡¯t be, right? S-she couldn¡¯t have sold them right? I must confirm it, yes. Yes, she couldn¡¯t have¡­ but what if she did?


    At that moment, I was dragged into a dimension of endless doubts and questions. After a few minutes, I have decided that It¡¯d be better to confirm first. I decided this while a lingering heavy feeling remains.


    A few moments later, while sharing a meal, and idle chatter, my mother came along with both my brother Argent and sister Elaine.


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯ve arrived,¡± Uncle said as he moved his sight.


    ¡°Hm?¡± I looked over to the direction his sight was focused.


    Over there was my little sister with brown hair, blue eyes.


    ¡°Ah! Elder Sister!¡± My sister exclaimed as she hurriedly walked towards me. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re back!¡±


    I stood to receive her. Then she gave me an embrace which I of course returned.


    ¡°You seem well,¡± I said as I gave enough space for us to talk decently. ¡°But where is your mother?¡±


    ¡°Mama says she can¡¯t join today.¡± She said with a frown.


    How to say this, my bright little sister is just like always. Innocent, cheerful and na?ve, but I get the feeling that breaking her innocence would be inexcusable.


    ¡°Welcome home Amelia,¡± My mother said as she approached. ¡°I suppose your father notified you regarding that woman. No?¡±


    When Mother spoke, I released Elaine. Then Elaine went to my uncle


    ¡°I have returned Mother,¡± I said in reply. ¡°And yes, I am very grateful for the consideration,¡± I continued. ¡°In any case, Mother, the way you dress is as elegant as always,¡± I honestly said.


    ¡°Oh! Diane co-¡±


    ¡°Please refrain from speaking for a moment, dear,¡± She said as she raised her closed fan to interrupt Father.


    ¡°Amelia, try to not be like your Father as you grow,¡± She said as she pointed her fan towards Father¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯d be a shame as a Royal.¡±


    ¡°Please be relieved, Mother, Father showed me what not to become,¡± I replied with a smile.


    ¡°Very well said, well then I¡¯ll be giving your father a little advice. I¡¯ll give my greetings at the announced celebration. For now, enjoy the banquet,¡± She said as she dragged my sad figure of a father away. Mother is probably angry about the papers he dumped in Argent¡¯s room.


    You reap what you sow.I thought chuckling at Father¡¯s demise.


    While I wave my hand to my father goodbye, my brother approached and spoke to me.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re in good health dear Sister,¡± He said.


    ¡°And you t-¡± I stopped midway surprised by the look in his eyes and at his face masked by make-up.


    I raised my hand and placed it over my brother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Stay strong,¡± I said trying to motivate my brother.


    Sorry dear Brother, but you have to be a sacrifice for ourhopelessfather.


    ¡°What might you be referring to?¡±


    I increased my grasp on my brother¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Stay Stro-¡± I tried to repeat.


    ¡°Ahahaha, please refrain from the jokes.¡± [Amelia, you¡¯ve got to help me!]


    I was interrupted when a voice spoke inside my head. It is either telepathy or wind whisper, but judging from that pathetic cry for help, I bet its wind whisper.


    ¡°Sorry dear Brother, but that is not my intention.¡± [Didn¡¯t Mother left to do just that?]


    I activated the same magic to communicate.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, anyway, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve exhibited a sublime presence.¡± [You know Father, he¡¯d vanish the next day. If you¡¯d help me, I¡¯ll give you two of those weeds.]


    Please don¡¯t remind me of the event earlier! I thought embarrassed of the fact.


    ¡°Surely you jest. I only exhibited a presence befitting a royal.¡± [At least call them herbs you jerk! You say it like I¡¯m cattle in the fields!]


    ¡°As expected of my sister, you are indeed a good image of a royal.¡± [There¡¯s no helping it, they look like an ordinary weed without a mana shard.]


    Haah¡­ Nevermind¡­


    ¡°Dear Brother, why don¡¯t we take a seat?¡± [Half a day.] I said as I gestured to a nearby chair.


    ¡°No, I am fine.¡± [One day.]


    ¡°Then, dear Brother, have you eaten?¡± [Three for one day.]


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, please excuse me then.¡± [We have a deal.]


    ¡°Please enjoy your meal.¡± [I¡¯ll drop by two days from now]


    My Brother affirmed with a nod and took off to have his meal.


    Afterward, the banquet proceeded until it was time for me to receive the gifts from the guests. But since this is an unofficial celebration, the gifts were not presented to me. Even so, I was still required to greet everyone and receive their blessings and praises.


    Nevertheless, I was told by my uncle that the gifts were already stored inside the palace, and they would be moved to the manor starting tomorrow. Just hearing those made me feel excited. There might be some unexpected stuff mixed in among the gifts.


    Soon after, the banquet had officially ended. The guests left, parked carriages moved, minstrels kept their instruments, and servants started cleaning. The same was true for Argent and Elaine, but I promised that I would play with Elaine some other day, so she was delighted when she left.


    When I scanned through the area, I found Erina waiting nearby the garden entrance. It seems like she already prepared the carriage.


    When I started walking towards the direction of the carriage, my uncle called out to me.


    ¡°Amelia, wait, there¡¯s still a gift you haven¡¯t received.¡± I was puzzled by what my uncle had said. ¡°Please bring it.¡±


    As Uncle commanded, a Knight brought a rod-like object covered in white cloth.


    ¡°This is the last gift; the guest is unable to join the banquet, so I was asked to do a favor and pass it to you.¡±


    A favor from whom?


    Asking a duke to pass over a gift, is there even anyone capable of that other than my father?


    While I was guessing, another Knight approached and unrolled the cloth. After that, the knight presented it with both hands kneeled before me presenting the unraveled object.


    It was a rapier. In a single glance I was enthralled by its presence.


    ¡°Surprising, right?¡± my uncle said. ¡°Even I will have troubles acquiring such a sword.¡±


    I reached for the rapier while Uncle speaks. I then unsheathed a portion to take a peek at its blade. While I was appraising the sword, the Knights left quietly.


    Bluish silver.That¡¯s the only words that came to mind.


    ¡°Fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± He asked.


    I nodded in reply.


    ¡°This one was made by combining both mithril and silver which created a quicksilver alloy.¡± He said with a light smile.


    My eyes widened at his words, surprised by quality of the metals used to create such a sword.


    ¡°Who would give such sword?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°It was forged by the dwarfs of Alabaster.¡± He answered.


    ¡°That¡­¡± Astonished by his answer, my hands started to quiver.


    The Alabaster dwarfs, they are dwarfs that have a favorable relationship with the mountain elves at the foot of the Alabaster mountain range south of Aves.


    Both races live by supplementing each other flaws and live as a single tribe. The mountain elves hunt for food with their agile bodies and trusty short bows. On the other hand, the Alabaster dwarfs mine for minerals inside to produce weapons and armor for the elves.


    In the year I was born, my grandfather 6th King of Laurel persistently entered the forest at the foot of Alabaster to meet with the Tribe. He believed that if we are able to build a relationship with them, Laurel will further prosper. Despite that, only a few shared his belief due to the influence of the human supremacist church.


    Grandfather brings me frequently when visiting the forest at the age of five. At the age of seven, the Tribe finally recognized him. A year after, Laurel¡¯s development had increased, and the effects of trading with the Tribe became visible. During that time, Laurel''s development has been affected by the techniques used by the Tribe and has given a lot of benefits.


    Another year after that, Grandfather started promoting the benefits of peace and trade with the races as he traveled across kingdoms. But during the travel, he died. The cause of his death was known be caused by an unexpected monster attack while on the road to the kingdom of Libet.


    But that was a lie. It was made to look like a monster attack took place. The reason I know this was because I was there.


    It was the day I woke up from my dream. And even after I woke up, Reality was not so kind to give me a reprieve. It slapped mud over my face over and over again till I lost my sanity.


    Leaving behind my past, the day the Tribe heard the news of my grandfather¡¯s death, they stopped all their trades with Aves but still kept the peace agreement. The only reason they gave is that there is no longer someone from their Tribe that they could trust within Laurel.


    In any case, I continued what my grandfather started. I visited the forest like what Grandfather did, but to no avail, I was refused.


    After that, I went to study in the neighboring kingdom academia, the kingdom of Scholars. I¡¯ve dabbled in a lot of fields scraping up anything that I thought that might convince the Tribe to re-establish trade. I took in reports every day regarding the Tribe while I was studying. I kept on drafting propositions, suggestions, and advice that I think would be helpful for the Tribe and sent it back to the capital to realize those drafts.


    I continued doing that repeatedly for five years and now¡­


    ¡°Yes, your efforts have finally been recognized by the Tribe.¡± He said smiling.


    ¡°A-ah¡­I¡±


    My mouth kept on quivering, my hands, my fingers, and my legs trembled. As I stood, my knees weakened, then soon, my trembling bent, and I fell on the ground. As I sat there on the ground, I again looked onto the rapier, the proof of my recognition.


    ¡°I-i¡­¡± Unable to find the words to utter I continued to stutter.


    ¡°Amelia you¡¯ve worked hard enough, you deserve a rest.¡±


    I felt a hand over my head after my uncle uttered those words.


    Finally¡­ My sight immediately blurred as I thought of that word.


    ¡°Amelia its fine, you¡¯ve been holding it in for five years. Father would surely be proud.¡±


    I felt as if something warm was rushing out from out of my chest. Something deep inside that I have long forgotten.


    I tightly grasped the rapier in my hand and brought it over to my chest as if I was a child refusing to hand over her precious toy. Afterward, tears started to trace over my cheeks. The tears gatheredundermy chin and fall to the ground drop after drop. Then slowly, as if a faucet has broken down, tears gushed out from my closed eyes.


    Finally¡­ Grandfather¡­ You can finally rest peacefully¡­

 Chapter 3: Taking a Stroll

    Hmm¡­I tilted my head wearing a puzzled expression as I stood.


    In front of me is a barrel with several heads sticking out.


    This is surreal¡­I thought as I examined the features of the heads.


    The heads have several defining features. It has fur, ears on top rather than the side, and whiskers. In a simpler way, it¡¯sa headof a cat, but three times larger.


    But to think that the barrel house would turn out to look like this,I thought.It¡¯s far from what I have expected.


    The barrel, called abarrel house, is a design proposal I made in order to house these cats.


    When I was still staying at Academia, I received a report that a new race started appearing at Aves. Since I was continuing Grandfather¡¯s ambition, I frequently receive reports regarding the Races.


    In one of those reports, it was stated that they were very peaceful and simple-minded. But the citizens are troubled that they often obstruct pathways and a few important places. In order to resolve theissue, I sent a suggestion to observe their behavior rather than forcefully remove them from Aves.


    From the result of the investigation, they are a race called Lynx.


    According to the reports, they followed the river until they reached Aves attracted by the smell of the fish from the harbor.


    Because of their desire for the fish, they forcefully entered the harbor from Formos and caused an uproar. Luckily, the uproar was short lived and was settled by making them work in exchange for fish.


    From that time on, they worked with the citizens of Aves for food, but mostly for fish. But the problem started after they increased in numbers.


    Based on the observations, the Lynx race usually sleeps near the barrels, where there is a lingering smell of food.


    And because of that information, I came up with the idea of using barrels as their houses. My suggestion was to divide the barrel into three layers andbore holeson it, or just leave openings so that they could enter. In the end, this was the result.


    ¡°It¡¯s far from what I imagined though,¡± I muttered unsure of how to take it.


    ¡°Newroundhere little Missy?¡± Said the nearby stall owner.


    I denied by shaking my head sideways.


    ¡°Hey Mister, why is abarrel househere?¡± I asked pointing at the barrel. ¡°I heard they were supposed to be near the harbor.¡±


    ¡°Guess you¡¯ve just returned huh,¡± He answered. ¡°We put these things here ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I replied. ¡°Hey mister, how much for one Chub?¡± I said as I pointed to the fish displayed in his stall.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s 4 coppers each,¡° He answered.


    I reached for a large copper coin from my pocket and handed it to the stall owner.


    ¡°Give me two, you can have the spare,¡± I said smiling.


    ¡°Ahahaha, little Missy knows her way round huh,¡± He said with a wide grin. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give little Missy the good ones.¡±


    I waited for the stall owner to return as he fetched the chubs.


    ¡°Here,¡± He handed.


    I reached for the bag of two chubs. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Now for this barrel, it¡¯s better to show little Missy instead,¡± He said as he approached the barrel house. As he reached the barrel house he started knocking on it several times.


    ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s time to work! Wake up! No work, no fish!¡± He commanded.


    ¡°Mrooow!¡± [Work!]


    ¡°Nyaa!¡± [Fish!]


    ¡°Purrr¡­¡±[Yawn¡­]


    ¡°Meooow!¡± [It¡¯s time for fish!]


    One by one, the Lynxes popped out of the barrel until twelve of them were standing.


    How did all of them fit in that?!I thought surprised of their numbers and their ability to fit in such a tight space.


    This is definitely mysterious. At most, I thought, nine would fit for eachbarrel house,I pondered as the Lynxes stood with their two legs.


    ¡°Oh, a recruit eh?¡± The stall owner said.


    ¡°Nyaa!nyaanyaa!¡± [I cameforfish! Please let me work for fish!]


    The new Lynx said as it gave a salute.


    Again, this is somewhat surreal. Knowing what they are speaking off, but hearing it differently feels kind of awkward. I¡¯ll get used to it soon, I guess¡­


    ¡°Very well then! Now, onwards! Carry the barrels!¡± The owner shouted.


    ¡°¡°nyaa!¡±¡± ¡°¡°meow!¡±¡±


    Then they all ran to the carriage and unloaded the cargo from a nearby carriage and brought them to the stall.


    ¡°That good enough for little Missy?¡± He smirked.


    ¡°How much do you pay them?¡± I asked.


    ¡°One chub each per day.¡± He answered.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too low?¡± I asked concerned.


    Even serfs back then had a better wage than this¡­


    ¡°Ya¡¯see little Missy, they¡¯re the ones who proposed one work, one fish,¡± The Owner said as he scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯ll be trouble if I add more, Lynxes would comerunninhere.¡±


    Hmm, so the Lynxes are equivalent to cheap labor,As a comparison, I thought.This would be a problem; the kids might have no job to work on if this continues.


    ¡°I get it now,thanksMister,¡± I said as I waved goodbye.


    ¡°Come again, little Missy!¡± He returned a wave.


    Each race can understand each other despite the difference in the language being spoken. It¡¯s a natural occurrence when conversing with another race or an intelligent beast. From what we understood, it is an automatically triggered telepathy that functions like a voice in order to deliver the thoughts of the speaker. Unfortunately, No one knows the truth regarding its existence, but it was accepted as a natural gift.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Hmm¡­ Maybe I should look for a Lynx later and bribe it with chubs to do work for me. It might be able to think of what to do with them if I try experimenting.I wondered as I walked down the streets of Aves.


    Early this morning, I took a ride with the carriage for food materials heading towards the market. After the carriage stopped, I walked towards the harbor. That is till I saw the barrel house from a nearby stall.


    Regarding my appearance, I used a hairpin that turns the color of my hair and eyes to brown. It¡¯s an illusion type magic tool I made during my stay in Academia, with Its effect lasting for about six hours.


    Regarding security, it¡¯s pretty much safe. I mean, my father frequently strolls around Aves while he leaves his work to Argent. Because of that, the royal guards are already experts in these types of cases. They¡¯re probably patrolling around here somewhere like ordinary Knights. But just in case, I brought my old sword.


    If you are thinking of the phrase ¡®like father, like daughter¡¯ please stop. Unlike my father, I¡¯m not taking a stroll to play around. Well, a part of it is to play, but it¡¯s definitely different from my father. No, it¡¯s definitely different; my stroll would definitely have results.


    <hr>


    I walked around the city and visited places that I used to know. Some placeswerethe same, but some places changed. New houses were built, new shops, stalls and a lot more. I also visited the park and watched the children play.


    After I had an early lunch at a random shop I found, I went straight to the guild. It¡¯s the best time to visit to avoid unnecessary encounters with adventurers.


    The guild here is two stories tall. The first floor is for the reception and the second is for special purposes, such as meetings.


    The place is deserted as I entered. I didn¡¯t spend any time dallying and quickly checked the board for requests.


    Just as I thought¡­


    Currently, most requests are hunting for horn rabbits, goblins, wolves, and boars. There¡¯s a wyvern subjugation request, but it would take time to tread the forest so it¡¯s not that popular. The escort requests are mostly towards the northeast end of Laurel. That portion hasn¡¯t been well-developed yet, but merchants wouldn¡¯t let this chance pass. For gathering, it¡¯s mostly herbs and mushrooms of different varieties.


    Ah, there¡¯s also a request for Formosa skins by tailors.


    The dress I wore yesterday is made with Formosa skin. They are creatures living in a small lake northwest of Aves. These creatures are like soft translucent bowls with numerous strings attached. These creatures sometimes overflow from the lake during high tide and end up being washed up into the sea. This happens regularly and is actually the reason the sea was called Formos.


    When out of the water, they lose their translucent skin. Aside from that, they can regain their translucent nature when mana is poured into them. Because of that, it¡¯s usually made into negligees.


    Just remembering that I was forced to wear such clothing send shivers down my spine. I really thought my body would be an offering to some sort of evil god yesterday.I recalled. Just think about it. That magic tool is large enough to make the whole dress translucent, even as a joke it¡¯s bad for my heart. Really, it¡¯s bad for my maidenly heart. Sigh¡­


    Again I wandered around randomly while thinking where else I could go.


    Hmm¡­ What should I do? The meeting and immersion with the Tribe will be held next week. I still have a day before Argent¡¯s request, and two days before the official ceremony. The work I gave Ark to look for a mentor in using a rapier is in progress.I recounted as I recheck my schedule from my memory.


    While thinking of various things that I could do, I saw a Lynx holding an object while moping. The Lynx bore a white fur with brown patches here and there.


    ¡°Sniff. Sniff. Mrow¡­¡± [My fish¡­] He cried.


    I approached the Lynx out of boredom.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted from behind.


    The Lynx jumped as I spoke.


    ¡°Mrow!?¡± [What!?] He screamed.


    He turned around hastily and confirmed the surroundings.


    ¡°Mrow¡­ Mrow?¡± [That scared me¡­ Who you?]


    ¡°My name¡¯s Mia, anyway what are you doing here?¡± I answered.


    ¡°Mrowww. Mrow!¡± [Is that so? Name¡¯s Marco!] He continued. ¡°Mrowmrowmroww.¡± [Person gave work, but no fish.]


    ¡°What work?¡±


    ¡°Mrowmrowmrow.¡± [Get this from little person.]


    Marco showed the toy he was holding.


    Ah, so someone used Marco to steal a toy. This is not good; I didn¡¯t think the Lynxes can be used like this.


    ¡°Marco, can you find the owner of that toy?¡± I asked rather than reprimanding him.


    ¡°Mrow! Mrowmrowmrow!¡± [Yes! Little person¡¯s smell!] He replied energetically.


    So Lynxes have good noses¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s return the toy and then I¡¯ll give you one of these afterward,¡± I said as I showed Marco one of the chubs I bought earlier.


    ¡°Mrow?! Mrow!¡± [Really?! Let¡¯s go!] In pure excitement, he jumped on the nearby barrels and crates and went up the roof.


    ¡°Wait! Let¡¯s take the streets instead!¡± I called.


    ¡°Mrow!¡± [Okay!]


    Then I walked along with Marco while he sniffed around to locate the kid. While I was following Marco, I asked him this ¡°why not just catch fish from the river.¡± And he answered like this.


    [Sea fish better! But can¡¯t catch sea fish so Marco work!]


    And the same reason seems to apply to all the other Lynxes in Aves.


    Really, they¡¯re too simple-minded.


    ¡°Mrow!¡± [There!] He pointed.


    There were two children at the park Marco pointed at. Currently, the girl is being comforted by the boy. From the looks of it, the toy came from the girl.


    As we approached the features of the boy and girl became more distinguished. The boy had a spiky silver colored hair while the girl has brown hair tied into a side tail.


    That¡¯s rare.I thought.Very few have silver hair among Humans.


    In Laurel, it is usually thought that bearers of silver colored hair are Royalty. The silver color is tied to Laurel¡¯s Royalty since out of seven Kings; six of them sported silver hair.


    Soon, Marco and I reached the children.


    ¡°Hello, we came to return this toy here,¡± I greeted as I presented the toy.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The Girl exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s my toy!¡± Then she grabbed the toy from my hand, then immediately brought it to her chest. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± The Girl muttered in relief.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The Boy asked while glaring at me.


    Aren¡¯t you a little late asking that?


    ¡°My name¡¯s Mia, I came here to return that toy,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Really?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I returned it just now?¡± I added.


    What? Is he a muscle head?


    While conversing with the boy, I felt someone tugging at my clothes. It was none other than Marco.


    ¡°Mrow?¡± [Fish?]


    ¡°Oh yeah, here,¡± I handed over one chub as promised.


    ¡°Mreow!¡± [Fish!] Marco said as he hoisted up the fish with both arms.


    ¡°Anyway, are you both siblings?¡± I asked the two children as Marco started prancing around as if performing some sort of victory dance.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The Boy asked.


    ¡°Un. We¡¯re twins.¡± The Girl answered.


    ¡°Mrow!¡± [It¡¯s fish!]


    I think Marco and this boy would make a good pair. And twins eh? They don¡¯t look the part.


    ¡°Then could I ask your name?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Sorry!¡± The Girl said. ¡°My name is Fae, and this is my brother Rick.¡±


    ¡°My name is Rick.¡±


    ¡°Mrow!¡± [Marco!]


    ¡°Got it,¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Miasis! Thank you for returning it! It was my only toy given to me by mama so it¡¯s special to me,¡± Fae said as she grasps the toy in her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do without it...¡±


    ¡°Thank you, big sis,¡± Rick said followed by a bow.


    It seems that Fae didn¡¯t notice that Marco stole her toy.


    ¡°You should keep it somewhere safe next time.¡± I smiled at Fae and gave her a pat on the head.


    I think I¡¯ll get along with Fae pretty well.


    ¡°Hmm, want to gopla-¡±


    I stopped midway as I sighted a familiar figure.


    Isn¡¯t that father?


    ¡°Mia sis?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry I have to go. Marco, here¡¯s another chub, look for me tomorrow and I¡¯ll give you another fish.¡±


    ¡°M-Mrowww?!¡± [A-are you a Goddess?!] Marco said with sparkling eyes with pure admiration.


    I left hurriedly and started chanting in a whisper while moving.


    O¡¯ ruler of light and darkness I beseech you,


    I followed closely to what I believe to be my father, making sure not to be noticed.


    Let dark overshadow light, in the shadows I hide,


    Let light triumph over dark, Deceived their eyes become,


    Manifest, cloak of concealment.


    As I finished my chanting, my figure vanished and moved closer to a distance three meters away from him. Now that I got close, his features are exactly the same. The only difference is that he had a different colored hair and eyes.


    He¡¯s probably using the illusion magic tool I sent back.I thought as we turned into a corner, Father meeting with a woman.


    Is she another one of his woman?I questioned with a disgusted expression. Every now and then, Father plays around despite having two consorts and one mistress.


    Contrary to my belief, all that Father did was to greet the woman and ask questions regarding her household and health.


    But after a while, Father¡¯s eyes caught a glimpse of something when he looked over from behind the woman. After that, he gave a farewell and left promptly before two more people arrived.


    The people who arrived were children, children that I am familiar with. It¡¯s none other than Fae and Rick.


    What?I followed Father outside the alley and compared both Rick and Father as I look at them repeatedly.


    It¡¯s not, right? It¡¯s possible, but is it?I tried to deny the possibility.


    My jaws started to clench. My heart started to race. Then a boiling feeling gradually built itself within my chest. Followed by numerous thoughts that clouded my mind and overshadowed my sights.


    Father, what is this? Seriously, what is this? I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t get it. When? Why? Why are they here? Does anyone else know? What is the reason? How long were you hiding this? Are there more? Does Mother know this? Aren¡¯t they your responsibility? Weren¡¯t you that doting father?


    Before I realized, I have unconsciously canceled cloak of concealment.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mia sis!¡± Fae called.


    I clenched my fists, trying to hold my anger.


    Amelia, calm down. Slowly, breathe in, then out¡­


    I suppressed my boiling emotions.


    ¡°Miasis, is there a problem?¡± Fae asked concerned.


    ¡°Ah, sorry Fae, I was just thinking of something,¡± I said. ¡°Anyway, can you introduce me to your mother?¡±


    ¡°Un! Sure!¡± Fae nodded.


    I need to have a private talk with Father and a really long one at that¡­

 Chapter 4: Father and Daughter 1

    With more than half an hour before dawn, the sky is dark and the road silent. Only the light from lamps and sleeping birds serves as our audience.


    ¡°Father, we need to talk,¡± I said as I obstructed my father from passing through the wall towards Aves.


    ¡°Ahahaha, you found me before I reached the city,¡± He chuckled. ¡°How did you know that I¡¯d pass through here this time?¡±


    ¡°Instinct,¡± Indifferently I replied.


    He scanned the surroundings briefly and spoke.


    ¡°Not here, the citizens might be disturbed.¡± He said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I had those horses prepared,¡± I said pointing to a stable near the wall.


    ¡°You¡¯ve come prepared huh, you''d grown.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°¡­¡± But I said nothing in return.


    Father and I then rode our horses and exit Aves over the stone bridge to the east. We traveled further east for several minutes until we arrived at an open plain. We went down our horses and tied them to a nearby tree, then walked towards the edge of the scattered and protruding rocks, large enough to become tables.


    ¡°Father, why did you choose Mother?¡± I started as I skip over from one rock to another.


    ¡°That¡¯s a difficult question,¡± He said as he scratched his chin. ¡°Your mother was unique I guess?¡±


    ¡°Unique in what way?¡±


    ¡°You could say that as a prince, noblewomen would fawn over me, hell it was lots of fun,¡± He looked over the horizon with a wide grin. ¡°But Diane was different, she would always snicker at me and diss me even though I was a prince.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I kept quiet.


    So Father is a masochist?


    ¡°That¡¯s when I thought that I¡¯d make her fawn over me like the other women. But I sure was wrong!¡±


    Then he began laughing loudly.


    ¡°Even your uncle, who was crown prince, was smitten by Diane. But when we noticed that we were both aiming for her we fought duels after duels just to get the other to back off.¡±


    Then I suppose you¡¯re both masochists? I tried to make a joke to myself to control my emotions.


    ¡°But then we decided that the one Diane falls for will be the heir to the throne. Luckily Father didn¡¯t care and just gave his consent.¡± He narrated. ¡°Long story short, I won over Diane and received the throne.¡±


    Yes, I remember that ridiculous story about the fight for the throne.


    ¡°Father, you didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± I said as I took a seat on the rocks.


    After that, black dots started appearing from the horizon.


    The guards are already here, huh, I surmised. Well, they won¡¯t be disturbing us, so it¡¯s fine.


    ¡°Amelia, that¡¯s the only answer I can give. Even I don¡¯t know why I have fallen for her. If you¡¯d ask me what features I like about her, I might say that everything is perfect. I might even spend a whole day describing every detail about her.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you take in more women?¡± I asked glaring at his direction.


    Unexpectedly, he quickly responded.


    ¡°Amelia, did you know that your mother can no longer give birth?¡±


    Of course, the cause of it was my birth.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an excuse? An heir was already born before that.¡±


    ¡°Guess can¡¯t refute that. Haaah¡­¡± He continued. ¡°I took in Liz as the 2nd consort to establish a connection with the merchants in Laurel, and Mark was the result.¡±


    I again stood and skipped over the rocks again to ease myself.


    Well, it¡¯s true that we needed a connection with the merchants to have a more stable rule¡­


    ¡°As for Lara, it was an accident that she got pregnant so I felt responsible and took her in as a mistress.¡±


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    She wouldn¡¯t have been pregnant if you didn¡¯t play around too much¡­


    Even though, he is a King and having multiple women at his side is but a common event, a part of me still can¡¯t accept it. In any case, I¡¯m not entirely against it either. It¡¯s just my own selfish ideal. I thought as I suppressed my emotions.


    ¡°What about Camille?¡± I asked, clenching my fist.


    Camille is the mother of Rick and Fae. After he left, I approached her and asked a few questions.


    ¡°Haha. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d find out so soon.¡±


    ¡°I happened to pass by.¡± I answered passively


    ¡°Haah¡­ Actually, I didn¡¯t know Camille got pregnant. I met her six years ago when I visited the Kingdom of Brent for one month. She used to work as a priestess of that church. Only two years ago that she transferred here from Brent along with Rick and Fae.¡±


    ¡°Father, you do know that she¡¯s no longer a priestess of that church. And didn¡¯t you introduce yourself as a Knight of Grandfather¡¯s guards?¡±


    I said as I stood atop a rock, gazing at him. ¡°To her, you are dead.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did tell her that.¡± He admitted.


    So she wasn¡¯t lying. Everything she said is in line what Father has said at the least.


    ¡°She loved you, Father, that¡¯s what I heard from her. She took her own independent investigation regarding your death. She found that the church was involved hand for that event. She then relinquished her priesthood after gathering enough money. She then traveled with Rick and Fae afterward.¡±


    It was easy to ask this from Camille. She teared up when I asked about Rick and Fae¡¯s father. She then told her story as if she was involved in the death of her would to be husband.


    I really don¡¯t understand what¡¯s so good about my father that women keep falling for him.


    ¡°How can you say that she¡¯s not lying?¡± He asked with a glare.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return that question, how can you not believe she¡¯s not lying? Haven¡¯t you observed her for these past two years?¡± I said as I returned his glare.


    ¡°Still, you can¡¯t rule her out as a spy from that church.¡±


    I jumped down and approached him.


    ¡°Then how about this. Let¡¯s say she¡¯s a spy, but what of it? Haven¡¯t you been working to slowly eliminate the church¡¯s influence in Laurel? Even the church¡¯s existence in Aves is almost non-existent. If she was a spy she¡¯d practically have no support and become a sitting duck in Aves.¡±


    To begin with, the church had not taken a deep root in Laurel back then.


    ¡°She might have connections with the Nobles.¡± He answered with a snort.


    Dumbfounded by his answer I replied in a shout. ¡°Why are you being so unreasonable?!¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re too careless Amelia!¡± Father shouted in return.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you just being overprotective?! I¡¯m no longer a child!¡± I returned.


    ¡°Overprotective?! I¡¯m not! I just don¡¯t want any of those filthy bastards lay a hand on you!¡± He refuted.


    ¡°Why just me?! Can¡¯t you do the same for Rick and Fae just the same? They¡¯re both innocent!¡±


    ¡°What if they¡¯re being used?! And can you blame me?! You have been so fragile that had difficulty from being born! When you were, three you almost fell from the stairs! I can even cite more!¡± He continued. ¡°But even more than those, I hated it when you returned like you were a battered slave with not even a shred of light in the eyes... Calling you a talking corpse wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched¡­¡±


    He narrated with a frown. ¡°Our daughter returning like that, do you even know how Diane and I felt? We can¡¯t even grieve Father¡¯s death out of your concern.¡±


    Steadily, I looked at father without batting an eye.


    ¡°Every single day we visited your room, only to hear that you wanted to die, and asking us to end it for you. Hell knows what might have happened if we didn¡¯t let anyone look after you for every minute of the day.¡± He looks straight into my eyes as he speaks.


    ¡°Those three days, I cannot forget how you looked¡­ You didn¡¯t even want to eat. If we didn¡¯t have the magicians use recovery magic to prolong your life, you¡¯d be dead. But even more than that, Amelia, aren¡¯t you mad? How can you just let it go as if it¡¯s nothing?¡±


    ¡°Father, even though you¡¯re hopeless, I still admire you.¡± Immediately I responded.


    ¡°What?¡± He was puzzled from my inconsistent answer.


    I closed my eyes for a brief moment then moved my sight towards the break of dawn.


    ¡°You leave your work to Argent so he can get used to handling work as the next king. For mark, even though he¡¯s the worst possible person I know to be alive, you haven¡¯t abandoned him. In Elaine¡¯s case, you shelter and dote on her too much that she¡¯d become a typical innocent princess.¡±


    I breathe in as I paused, then continued.


    ¡°As King, you frequently visit the towns and just play around. But at the same time, you¡¯re checking the actual situation and try to get the sentiments of the citizens. Also, as King, you showed your fervor to the knights and soldiers and led them to subjugate numerous wyverns that ran amok northeast of Aves. I even heard that you were on the front lines.¡±


    Without pause, I continued. ¡°But because of those qualities of yours, you keep on recognizing me as nothing but a fragile child. A child, no, a daughter you must protect. But Father, I too grow, I too mature. I¡¯ll never be a child forever, but I will always be your daughter,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Regarding the church, of course, I¡¯m mad.¡±


    Then I moved my sights towards his direction.


    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Surprised by the look in my eye he cried.


    ¡°Father, do you see? Can you tell? There is no day in my life where I¡¯d forgotten. But Father, let me ask you. What would I accomplish if I exact my revenge? Would the kingdoms go to war with Laurel? Would they recognize the races as nothing but hostile? Would the races take the chance to invade?¡±


    ¡°In addition, what could a princess who just woke up from her dream do against the church? Kill them? Burn them? Cut their heads off? Put them on a stake? And after that, what? Spread chaos and let the races invade further southeast to endanger our own lands?¡±


    ¡°Father, I don¡¯t have to do anything. The races bordering humanity further northwest could do it for me. They can all die and burn to the ground for all I care. And while they keep their beliefs that there¡¯s no possibility of a dialogue, I will prove it with my own hands starting with Laurel.¡±


    Currently, there are but a few kingdoms bordering the southeast region of Randia. Of those kingdoms, one is Libet, the headquarters of the church. These kingdoms serve as our walls against the races. Beyond them are the territories of the other races.


    ¡°Lastly, we don¡¯t even know what¡¯s neither inside Alabaster nor beyond it. We can¡¯t be too selfish and endanger our citizens. But who knows what I might do if I went to Libet. I might not be able to control myself and throw my life away¡­¡± I said while I gripped the scabbard of my sword.


    ¡°And now Father, one of my goals is for you to recognize me. Not as a child, but as your daughter.¡±


    I drew my sword from its scabbard and pointed it over to my Father.


    ¡°Father, I¡¯ll prove it to you that I can now handle my own.¡±


    ¡°A duel huh.¡± He responded.


    I nodded in response. ¡°If I win, please consider taking in Camille along with Rick and Fae.¡±


    ¡°And if I win?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep quiet and do anything you wish,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He agreed. ¡°Guards! My sword!¡± Followed by theshout, the royal guards came and brought his sword.


    Father drew his broadsword and pointed its edge towards me. ¡°Amelia, I¡¯ll show you that you still have a lot to learn.¡±


    The wind blew over the plains and lifted my hair into the air.


    This will be the first step.

 Chapter 5: Father and Daughter 2

    The grass on the plains swayed as the wind blew, singing in a whistling tune. To the east, the sun rises staining the clouds amber, like candy coated in honey.


    At the center, was me, holding a sword in a middle, with feet apart, knees bent, and hair fluttering.


    At the front was my Father, sword in hand, its edge directed at me.


    ¡°Why not strike first Amelia?¡± He said.


    ¡°Father, I am no fool,¡± I reply without moving my gaze.


    In a duel, the first to strike has the highest likability to deliver a successful hit. But that¡¯s if and only if your speed far surpasses that of your opponent. In the likelihood of failure, dodging or guarding would be necessary. If all else fails, the result is death.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve got the basics down.¡±


    ¡°I did not spend five years only reading books,¡± I replied.


    A brief moment passed between us probing each other to strike first.


    ¡°Father, why don¡¯t you take the first?¡± I spoke.


    ¡°Hahaha! Amelia, are you sure about that? This may end in the first strike.¡±


    ¡°Please stop mocking me.¡±


    ¡°Then fi-¡± Before he finished, he took a step forward and swung his sword diagonally from the left.


    Fast.


    Calmly, I took a step back to widen the gap and proceeded to redirect the blade with a hanging right. Afterwards, the sound of metal against metal resounded.


    And heavy.


    Before the blade of his sword reached my hand, I pulled my left and flicked his sword upward; for an extra push, I brought myself forward. When the blades separated, I turned my hands to slash at his right.


    He retracted his sword and defended with a hanging left. Then again, the blades met each other. After the clash, both Father and I moved a step back and returned to a middle guard.


    ¡°Not bad, Amelia.¡± He chuckled with a grin.


    ¡°Then Father, why not resign the match.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Hahaha! What are you talking about? Shouldn¡¯t you be the one resigning?¡± He answered.


    The first clash between us was to gauge both speed and strength. In the battlefield, this would almost always be skipped and immediately begin clashing. In case of speed, we¡¯re somehow similar. In terms of strength, a gulf between us is easily noticeable. Well, considering that I¡¯m just a 14-year-old princess, this much is expected.


    In this case, it¡¯s fine to solely rely on speed as long as a prolonged clash is avoided. In case it is prolonged, my hands would get numb and would result in my immediate loss. In addition, my stamina wouldn¡¯t be up to par for a prolonged battle.


    ¡°Father, this is not a duel solely on swordsmanship.¡±


    Yes, duels aren¡¯t just based on swordsmanship, but based on the abilities of the competitors. In my case, I can compensate with magic. But of course, mana, like stamina, can also be depleted.


    ¡°Then show me!¡± He shouted as he lunged forward.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask!¡± I replied as I intercepted his downward strike with another hanging to parry the blow.


    After I parried, I delivered a diagonal slash from the top, but he twisted his body along with a side step to avoid. After missing, a sword came from below.


    Tsk.


    I poured mana into the shard at the handle of my sword to activate the magic embedded in the hilt. It¡¯s Body Reinforcement magic that I activated for a slight moment to increase my speed. Then, I twisted my body to the right to avoid the incoming sword.


    As I twisted my body, I removed my left hand and re-activated the magic and slashed upwards with my right. He jumped back before the sword reached his body to avoid the blade.


    ¡°That was dangerous.¡± He said as he fixed his stance.


    ¡°And you were able to avoid it.¡± I replied while I fixed my grip.


    Usually, Body Reinforcement magic is used to increase both strength and the speed of the caster. The problem is that if it is prolonged, mana would quickly drain. In addition to that, since you¡¯re increasing both strength and speed of the body beyond its original constraint, a penalty would apply. That penalty is a strain on the body parts that moved during Body Reinforcement.


    Because of that, I only activate it for a moment and cancel immediately to conserve mana. But there is a problem with this approach. The problem is that during the process, the additional strength is lost. But the gained speed is still maintained. On the bright side, the strain on the body wouldn¡¯t be as significant as the prolonged.


    On the other hand, you can conserve the strength of the reinforcement if you activate it before the actual impact, but in this case, the speed would be invalid. Aside from that, activating it before the moment of the impact is extremely difficult, and I don''t have the skills yet to handle such delicate technique.


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    ¡°Let¡¯s begin the final bout.¡± He said smiling from ear to ear.


    I nodded in response.


    This time I used the magic to get a head start. I dashed, lowered my body and delivered a slash on his legs. He responded by blocking it with an upward swing. A loud clang resounded after the blades met.


    After the hit, I continued to swing it upward. Father stepped back and pulled the sword to defend. After my failure, he delivered a counter swing.


    I dodged by bending backward, using my height to my advantage. I then released my left and shot another right. He blocked the swing with the flat and slid his sword towards my hand. I adjusted by pushing my hands forward assisted by magic. The result is a momentary sword lock.


    O¡¯ ruler light and darkness I beseech you,


    I started chanting by mumbling with my lips.


    Father noticed this after the lock was released. And so he swung from his left.


    At this moment, a feeling of unease is starting to build within me.


    Again, I defended, but this time, Father was delivering slashes from left and right alternately to try to disrupt my chanting. Because of this I was immediately put on guard and was forced to defend.


    Light scatter and reform thy shape


    After successfully guarding thrice, he stepped forward and thrust his sword. I redirected the blade while side stepping, but father immediately retracted his sword to the left and shifted it into a slash. I bend my knees in response.


    As I kept chanting while guarding and dodging, my heartbeat starts to rise.


    As darkness creeps, the shadows form


    As the sword passed over my head, I jumped back to create distance. He did not miss this chance and delivered an upward slash followed by a downward. I stepped aside and dodged the first then parried the second by hanging.


    By will, thy shape shall form


    I dashed forward after parrying and closed my sword to the left. Then I threw a thrust, but it failed to hit as he twisted his body. Before I retracted, I poured mana on the handle and activated the second magic circled embedded on the Shard.


    After that, a flash of light materialized. It is a magic intended for momentary blindness, but this was enough.


    Manifest, Illusion!


    And so I was able to finish chanting.


    ¡°!¡± Father exclaimed.


    I then worked my way around his back and closed the sword on his neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ my win.¡± I said while gasping for breath.


    He then looked at the blade at his neck.


    ¡°I lost, huh.¡± He replied with a wry smile. ¡°You did a good job in not mixing the real one with those illusions.¡±


    Yes, he is right. I formed three illusions of a sword thrust, but I didn¡¯t mix in a real sword thrust. Because if I did, there would be a chance that he might locate the real one by instinct or experience. And because of that, all three illusions would feel as if they are all real due to similarities.


    ¡°¡­¡± I smiled quietly in response.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you continue the last one?¡±


    ¡°Breaking the crystal would be a waste.¡±


    Both Father and I wear what we call a Sacrificial Crystal. It is a necklace with a crystal hanging at the end. This necklace provides a small barrier against a direct hit to the body once. It shatters itself after activation.


    This crystal is a form of magic tool, but the complexity of creating one is at the advanced level. Even I who mainly study magic tools in Academia am still in the middle stages of intermediate magic.


    ¡°Father, let¡¯s return. About the terms, let¡¯s talk about it later.¡±


    He nodded in response.


    Ugh¡­ I feel light-headed.


    Since the last magic used a large amount of mana and adding up the magic I¡¯ve been using throughout the fight, my reserve is running low. This condition is called mana exhaustion. Unlike stamina that is related to the body, mana is co-related to the mind.


    Pretty soon, the backlash from body reinforcement would reveal a sharp pang here and there. In addition to that, my hand hurts; he did not even hold back the strength in his strikes.


    ¡°Guards! Prepare the horses, we¡¯re returning!¡± He shouted.


    Following his call, the guards came and prepared the horses for us.


    We got up our horses and started traveling back to Aves.


    I won¡­ but I don¡¯t feel like I did¡­ -I thought as I rode the horse


    I won the match but knowing that he only relied on the sword makes it difficult to accept. He did not use any magic, nor did he use his hands and legs to attack.


    He¡¯s still going easy on me despite using that much strength in his swings¡­ But at the least, I get to see that I am at least capable of protecting myself.


    Later that day, Father and I were sitting in front of Mother with our heads lowered.


    When we returned to Aves, Mother was waiting at the east gate along with Marco. When Marco spotted us, he immediately reported. And because of that, we were found. The result is that we¡¯re up for an ¡®advice¡¯ by Mother.


    Now that I thought of it, I did say tell Marco to look for me. Maybe that was how Mother found out we exited from the east?


    ¡°Amelia.¡± Mother called my name firmly.


    ¡°Mother there is a re-¡±


    ¡°Amelia, I know the truth. You need not explain.¡± Mother said. ¡°Now Auguste, what is this?¡±


    ¡°I-i¡¯m sorry Diane¡­ I did not intend to hide it.¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­ Goodness, if you had informed me, then it would¡¯ve been a lot easier for both you and Amelia.¡±


    Mother said as she tapped her closed fan on her forehead.


    ¡°¡±Eh?¡±¡± Both Father and I responded.


    Shouldn¡¯t she be mad about Camille?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, both reasons are justified, and I do believe you¡¯ve planned for an excuse.¡±


    Both Father and I looked at each other looking for answers, but what we found were just puzzled expressions.


    ¡°In any case, Amelia, I believe you have an excuse for taking them in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have, Mother,¡± I answered.


    Originally, it would be Father who would¡¯ve taken them in, but that would be too dubious. So I decided to take them in with an excusable reason.


    ¡°Then get dressed, I¡¯ve had them prepared a meeting for you. But your advice would be given later after your rest¡±


    I guess I¡¯m not safe either¡­I stood from my seat and gave a curtsy.Ugh, the pain¡­


    ¡°You have my heartfelt gratitude Mother,¡± I said as I left the chamber.


    Since Father was left, she probably has an ¡®advice¡¯ in store for him.


    ¡°Your highness, this way please,¡± Said the maidservant standing beside the door.


    As we passed through the hallway, a painting of Grandmother caught my sight.


    Grandmother huh. I thought. I never met her, but Grandfather used to tell me that she¡¯s traveling the world with the butterflies. Anyway...


    Led to a chamber with a wardrobe, I was assisted in changing my clothes. After that, I was led to a small guest-chamber. After changing, I was led to a small chamber within the palace. The maidservant knocked before opening the door.


    When I entered, ¡°Your Highness,¡± Camille curtsied.


    Both Rick and Fae at her side followed suit.


    ¡°How was the travel here?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We have been escorted properly, your Highness.¡± She said. ¡°But your Highness if I may?¡±


    ¡°You may proceed.¡± I answered.


    Hmm¡­ so Rick and Fae were asked not to talk.


    ¡°We wish to know the occasion regarding the call.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Of course, but before that let me confirm one thing.¡± I said. ¡°I heard that these two is the child of a Knight from Grandfather¡¯s guards. Was it true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡± She answered.


    ¡°Then Camille along with Rick and Fae, would you please work with me?¡±


    ¡°Pardon your Highness?¡± Camille was astonished by my remark.


    ¡°Your would be husband, he stayed loyal to his oath until death in order to shield me from harm. I wish to take responsibility for the duty he left behind.¡± I claimed. ¡°I would provide the necessities needed, as well as education. So would you please work with me?¡±


    ¡°B-but your highness, we did not come to Laurel for such reason.¡±


    ¡°Please consider this as my atonement as a survivor of that event.¡± I bowed my head slightly.


    ¡°I-if your Highness wishes so, then we hope that we could be of help.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I answered smiling.


    Afterward, I asked a maidservant to lead them to the manor. I also left a message to Erina regarding the details and the existence of these three. I¡¯ll have Camille trained as another maidservant at the manor. This is to monitor her and to further satisfy Father¡¯s anxiety due to her original identity.


    For Rick and Fae, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to announce them as a prince and princess. Since it would only invite doubt from both the nobility and the citizens. The same is true with Camille¡¯s identity as Father¡¯s mistress.


    After the meeting, I asked the servant to guide me to the nearest bed-chamber that I could use in the palace.


    Ugh¡­ it hurts¡­

 Chapter 6: Days before the Tribe 1

    [There!] Marco shouted.


    Then, He ran through the bushes. Closely behind, I followed him as we traversed the forest. When Marco stopped we arrived before a small plant bearing fruit.


    ¡°This one is edible?¡± I asked.


    [Yes!] Then Marco picked one and offered it to me. [Here! Try!]


    Hesitantly, I grabbed the small red and round fruit at the size of a marble and brought it into my mouth and ate it.


    It¡¯s sweet.


    ¡°Un, it¡¯sgood.¡± I answered. ¡°Is there anything else you could find in the forest?¡±


    [Yes!] Marco answered energetically.


    At that time, I was conducting a test with Marco. It¡¯s more of a confirmation rather than a test. In any case, this is all due to the previous event where Marco was accompanying Mother after the duel from three days ago.


    Before the duel, it seemed that Marco stuck with the work I gave him, which was to look for me. Marco, without knowing the situation beforehand, arrived at the Manor looking for me. Since it was my residence, he was seized by the guards and was interrogated.


    His interrogation yielded the information that he receivedworkfrom a person named Mia, which the guards know as my fake name.


    I feel sorry for letting Marco go through an interrogation. I forgot about him after I thought of how to approach Father...


    The guards at that time sent a message to both Mother and Argent working in the palace. Then Mother responded and had Marco brought to the palace. She then used Marco to look for Father¡¯s whereabouts by letting him trace the smell of his clothes. In the end, they ended up at the east gate and was about to exit when we came back.


    The reason why I was conducting a test with Marco is to confirm the Lynxes ability. A keen nose used for locating smell or scent which is several levels better than humans. Marco arriving at my mansion without the necessary instructions is clear evidence. Another one is using Father''s clothes to look for his whereabouts.


    The idea struck me when I remembered that the Lynxes used to live in the forest before arriving at Aves. So I thought that maybe they used their noses to locate edible food. And the conclusion, I was right.


    [Over here!] He called.


    ¡°Coming.¡± I answered.


    When I arrived, he was pointing at a horned rabbit behind a thicket.


    ¡°So you could locate beasts too?¡± I asked as I unsheathed my rapier.


    [Yes!]


    At that time, the long sword that I use is under repairs due to the chips it sustained during the duel. So here I am stuck with the rapier.


    It''s not that I didn¡¯t want it; it''s just that I was unfamiliar with it. If you include magic, therapierdidn''t have the magic I embedded from the previous sword. Besides the fact that it had a magic circle embedded in the handle, but the problem is, I couldn¡¯t read it. Technically I could read the formula, but not the language used.


    In fact, a high purity mana crystal is contained in the handle. It could even handle up to three advanced magic circle. My previous sword, on the other hand, could only handle one intermediate and one basic spell. And it only made use of a high purity mana shard instead.


    There was one advanced magic circle embedded in the rapier. Well, I at least thought it''s at the advanced level due to its complexity. But I couldn¡¯t carelessly use it. I had a trauma from exploding magic tools I made back in Academia. Usually, I use a mana conductor to test shards from afar, but during that time, I left my tools in Academia in order hasten the travel. In addition, the complicated the magic circle is, the larger its explosion becomes.


    I could die if I carelessly activate it. And I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fitting death for me.


    ¡°Marco, try to provoke it then lure ithere.¡± I ordered.


    [Okay!]


    Well, even if it is a bomb it¡¯s still a sword with an undeniable quality.


    Two days ago, I received the report from Ark regarding the search for a mentor. Unfortunately, that person received a request from Libet concerning the races on the border. Nevertheless, he sent a few instructions instead on how to use the rapier. The problem with the instructions is that they are too vague.


    The instructions were.


    <ul>


    <li>Use it like a one-handed long sword.</li>


    <li>Work on your footwork.</li>


    <li>Practice thrusting.</li>


    <li>Use a dagger or knife for a secondary weapon.</li>


    <li>Practice flicking.</li>


    </ul>


    That¡¯s the entire message. I would have been glad if he sent a book detailing it, but Iguessthat¡¯s asking for too much.


    ¡°Mroww!¡±


    After Marco cried, he started running towards my direction. I prepared the rapier with one hand as instructed. When Marco passed beside me, the horned rabbit jumped from the bushes. Before it noticed me, I quickly took a step forward, twisted my body then swung the rapier upwards from my hip severing its head. After that, its body fell to the ground, with its severed head rolling nearby.


    [Amazing!]


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s too sharp I guess,¡± I said astonished.


    It¡¯s a clean cut. I didn¡¯t even feel a slight resistance from cutting it.


    Afterward, I hunted more beasts within the vicinity of the forest entrance. I also had Marco try to locate mana herbs, but sadly, it was a failure. In any case, I had the guards who are always nearby to carry the bodies of the beasts that I hunted and sold them at the guild.


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    Later that day, I returned to the palace and requested a meeting with Mother and Argent regarding the Lynx race. I had already sent a request in advance so that Mother could prepare a time for us to meet.


    In Laurel, the King declares the law, and the Nobles serve as judges within their fief. Other than that, there are the chancellors who had always been of help to both Argent and Mother when dealing with administrative work. Mother, the Primary Queen, is considered the viceroy of the country. Basically, most of the power in Laurel is held by the royal family.


    Even I could issue a royal decree as the first princess, but I haven¡¯t used it even once. But that level of authority is only possible for the first two royalties born of the Primary Queen.


    Other than that, there are the ministers. The ministers in Laurel are a little different. They are not part of the church and are usually under the command of the viceroy.


    Looking at the citizens, they¡¯re not too against Laurel¡¯s system. It¡¯s probably because of the good image of Laurel¡¯s royalty. Aside from that, Laurel was also known to be the first kingdom to abolish serfdom back in the days.


    Anyway, Father gave both Argent and Mother the right to alter the law, but they still needed his approval and the minister¡¯s review, but mostly, just Father¡¯s approval. So I¡¯d need to approachMother to get things done.


    ¡°Your Highness, her Majesty wishes to meet you in her chamber.¡± The maidservant said as I waited.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Then, I was escorted to Mother¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°Her Majesty, her Highness has arrived.¡± The maidservant Announced.


    ¡°Please enter.¡± Another maidservant said as she opened the door.


    As soon as I entered, Mother spoke. ¡°Please leave us for a moment.¡±


    Then the servants left the room one by one. After the servants left, Mother approached the table at the side.


    ¡°Take a seat, Amelia.¡± She said as she gestured to the chair as she took her own.


    ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Then I sat down facing her direction.


    ¡°Howgoesyour test?¡± She started.


    ¡°It has beenwell.¡± I answered in a formal tone.


    ¡°I see, and then?¡±


    ¡°I have decided to suggest a restriction regarding the Lynxes.¡±


    ¡°Proceed.¡±


    ¡°I wish to impose a limit on the number of Lynxes that each citizen could hire. If possible, restrictions like age limit or a family limit would do.¡± I continued. ¡°I also wish for a standard for the Lynxes wages. If possible, I want them to be similar to that of a child could earn.¡±


    ¡°Do you wish to say more?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°The next one is more of a suggestion.¡± Then I continued. ¡°I suggest that we implement a system that which would make use of the Lynxes as Trackers.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by this system?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Just like how Mother used Marco, we could use the Lynxes to track a person or edible food in the field.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a benefit for the Knights, Soldiers, and Adventurers once they are on the field. It might help us in reducing the resources consumed when mobilizing armies. For the Adventurers, they could consider bringing less baggage when venturing away from the cities or towns. It would also help in searching for missing people.¡±


    ¡°Is there more?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mother, but this is all I could imagine at the moment. Regarding the use of Lynxes for crimes, I still don¡¯t have a concrete solution or suggestion.¡±


    Yes, using Lynxes for crimes is quite complicated. The Lynxes are simple-minded and easy to use.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, after all, you are still growing.¡± She said. ¡°Regarding crimes, it is indeed complicated. A lot of possible scenarios could happen. You could leave those things to me and Argent.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Slightly dejected, I answered.


    ¡°The Tracker suggestion is indeed good, but we would require the cooperation of the Guild Masters¡¯ when adventurers are concerned.¡± She said. ¡°Aside from that, the Lynxes need to be contained inAves for the meantime.¡±


    ¡°huh? Why?¡± I asked puzzled.


    They would be a big help for the pioneering at the northeast.


    ¡°Amelia, just as you said, a definite standard wage for Lynxes is needed. We also have to address the restriction given to merchants depending on establishment size and business type.¡±


    "Regarding limitations, it¡¯d be best to let a royal purveyor offer the Lynxes as a service. This way, we could limit who could afford them. Also, a slave collar on the Lynxes would serve as a legitimate identification. Lastly, the citizens need not mind the taxes imposed for hiring a Lynx; the purveyor would include them in the offered price.¡±


    Ah, so a plan to use slave collars in order to track them¡­


    ¡°But Mother, wouldn¡¯t that create a monopoly?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Yes, it would, but this is needed until we could create a law detailing the punishments that concern the Lynxes.¡±


    ¡°Then the containment would be lifted soon enough?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. In any case, is there anything you need to ask?¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the matter aside from informing you of my leave.¡±


    There¡¯s only a day left before the messenger from the Tribe arrives to fetch me.


    After I said that, she stood from her seat and approached me then she offered her hand.


    ¡°Come here, Amelia.¡± She spoke in a casual voice.


    Mother speaking casually. That¡¯s rare, could I also drop the formal tone now?


    I reached for her hand as I stood, and then I was led to the balcony.


    ¡°Amelia, listen.¡± She said. ¡°Listen to the sound you hear. Smell the air and remember its scent. Look at the view and burn them into your eyes. Lastly, remember the people and keep them inside you.¡±


    She then looked directly and placed her hands on the side of my shoulders.


    ¡°Amelia, remember all of this. The place of your birth, your hometown, and a place you must return to.¡±


    I nodded quietly in response. Then mother embraced me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Camille, Rick, and Fae. I¡¯ll make sure your Father recognizes them as innocent. But regarding Camille as a mistress, it would be too much to expose to the Nobility so we could only give them treatment as servants under your name.¡±


    Yes, it¡¯s fine, as long as they live a better life.


    Regarding Father, he¡¯s still half-hearted regarding their treatment. So he placed guards within the premises of the manor to satiate his anxiety.


    ¡°But, Amelia, promise me you will return alive.¡± She said as she tightened her embrace.


    I embraced her and buried myself in her warmth.


    ¡°Yes, I will return no matter how long it takes mama.¡±


    The day after, I was training with my rapier on the manor¡¯s yard. Along with me swinging at the yard was Rick. And of course, unlike last time, I didn¡¯t wear the illusion magic tool.


    ¡°Ha!¡± Rick shouted as he swung his weapon.


    Rick was swinging a long wooden rod instead of a sword. To be exact, a training spear entirely made of wood. This spear is considered short for its length, but it looked ordinary when Rick held it. From the looks of it, Rick seemed to have the knack to handle it despite his age.


    I think he¡¯s an intuitive type.I thought as I watched him.


    At that time, both Rick and Fae are at the age of ten. It has been the third day of their stay in the manor and what we found was that Rick was bad at learning academics but good in physical labor. On the other hand, Fae was the complete opposite.


    Because of that, Rick has begun training as a soldier or as a guard for thismanor.


    Currently, he¡¯s training with basic thrusts. Honestly, I thought that he should start at improving his stamina, but unfortunately, he immediately joins my training whenever he sees me in the yard.


    While we were training, several people approached us. It was Erina with Fae in tow.


    ¡°Your Highness, the promised herb has arrived. Would you like it prepared after the noon meal?¡± Erina asked while Fae curtsied.


    I sheathed the rapier as Erina spoke.


    ¡°Yes, pleasedo.¡± I answered after turning towards Erina¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Your Highness, can I speak?¡± Fae asked.


    ¡°Yes, ofcourse.¡± I answered smiling.


    ¡°Does her Highness know Mia sis?¡±


    My smile stiffened for a moment before I could reply. ¡°Why you asked?¡±


    ¡°Because her Highness¡¯s face looks similar to Mia sis. Your voice too is also similar sometimes?¡± Fae answered with a confused expression.


    Ah, she noticed the slight change in my tone when I speak casually and formally. It wouldn¡¯t be that bad to reveal it, but father won¡¯t keep quiet if he hears this. He might think some baseless accusations again because of his anxiety.


    I looked to Erina for an answer. After our eyes met, she immediately nodded.


    ¡°Fae, I¡¯m sorry, but it seems that Erina still has a few things to teach you. Could you follow her instructions for me?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Un. Ok.¡± She nodded.


    Then she was led by Erina back into the manor. After that, I followed suit.


    Regarding Fae, Erina and I decided to dodge it and make her busy by letting her read books in the Manor¡¯s Library. That would serve as a good distraction for her in the meantime.


    Argent¡¯s request was just boring paperwork regarding the balances regarding the pioneering in the northeast.


    For the ceremony, it was similar to last time. But of course, nothing embarrassing like last time happened. That¡¯s because I made sure that time. In any case, the only difference is the presence of the Second Queen Consort and her son Mark, the Second Prince.

 Chapter 7: Days before the Tribe 2

    While Rick was mindlessly practicing in the yard alone, I was on the floor on fours panting.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡± I breathed.


    Before me was the floor splattered with my fluids.


    ¡°You¡¯re unlucky this time,¡± Erina said while stroking my back.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t.. you.. going to ask.. if I¡¯m okay?¡± I said in between breaths.


    ¡°Do you want me to ask? You¡¯ll obviously say ¡®Of course I¡¯m not¡¯ anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.. Urgh..¡±


    Then a sudden urge to hurl started to swell from my stomach again. Currently, I¡¯m alone with Erina inside the bathroom. I¡¯ve made the other servants leave since there¡¯s a possibility this might occur. Of course, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m pregnant or something. Just to make sure, I haven¡¯t done it, I¡¯m innocent and pure, a maiden.


    Anyway, the cause of this unsightly event is the mana herb. Yes, the mana herb. The mana herb is also known as a weed because of its usual appearance. It¡¯s a plant that automatically camouflages itself based on the nearby plants. Due to this, it usually copies the weeds surrounding it, hence being called a weed. Because of its capabilities, it¡¯s quite hard to find, but not necessarily rare.


    Its weed form is its base appearance. It changes once it consumes a mana shard or anything that contains mana. But since it consumes mana continuously, mana shards are usually used to feed it. Once fully grown, it can be easily distinguished from other plants. It usually has a translucent appearance with a fluid like substance continuously flowing all throughout the plant.


    ¡°Erina.. I think I¡¯m okay now..¡± I said weakly.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get you washed.¡±


    After being washed clean, I was supported by Erina and was laid on the bed.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ The side effect really sucks.¡± I muttered while my wrist covers my eyes.


    Right, consuming mana herbs has a side effect. The side effect upsets the consumer¡¯s mana flow in the body, creating an experience similar to a high fever that usually lasts for one to two hours.


    The side effect does not include the upset stomach in the list. That one is due to the taste of the herb itself. Usually, the taste of the mana herb is random. No one knows why its taste is random. Some scholars from Academia thought that the type of mana it consumes dictated the taste, but that idea was proved partly wrong. The reason was a test that incorporated that idea, but the result was still random, but with a slightly higher probability that the taste would be of the same type.


    In any case, the taste of the mana herb is random but ranges from mild to the extremes. Usually, it would only incorporate one of the types of taste, but there are cases where it exhibits more than one taste at the same time.


    To cut to the chase, I was unlucky the taste was on the level of extremes and contained multiple types of taste. It''s horrible to be exact.


    In history, it was even used to prove innocence, if the person hurls, he is considered guilty, else innocent.


    So why would I consume such a horrible thing? It¡¯s because it raises the mana capacity of the consumer.


    ¡°Erina, please turn away anything that is not urgent like usual,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Understood, your Highness.¡±


    Afterward, footsteps and the sound of the door opening then closing could be heard.


    Well, let¡¯s continue. First, let¡¯s start with mana capacity. It is the amount a person could use to drive magic to manifest. In that regard, humans are considered to have low mana capacity. To make a scale, I guess we can use fireballs as a measure.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    In average, humans can manifest 20 fireballs before fainting, in my case, it''s 22. To increase that, humans either needs to keep on draining his/her mana to the point of fainting or consume a mana herb. To be straight, draining mana is inefficient and dangerous, hence the use of mana herbs.


    It was found that mana herbs increase the consumer¡¯s mana capacity by around two percent of the consumer¡¯s current capacity. But that is if you are able to consume it immediately without hurling. If you failed, the effect would be less, and the side effects would still persist. In addition, the larger the mana capacity becomes, the longer the side effect persists.


    Ugh¡­ If only there¡¯s some sort of medicine for this.


    To be honest, I didn¡¯t want to consume the herb after the meal. The reason is that the effect of increasing mana capacity is at its best after a meal according to the books I read so far. I want to prove it wrong, but I don¡¯t have enough resources to test it out, and it¡¯d be a huge waste in case I''m wrong.


    In any case, there is a reason for increasing mana capacity.


    One is to extend a person¡¯s capability to manifest magic multiple times or manifest a magic of a higher grade. Currently, there are three basic grades, which are basic, intermediate, and advanced. There are still other levels besides this three, but that''s for another time.


    The second is to unlock a person¡¯s magic affinity. Humans at least, start with a neutral affinity. Being neutral lets the person manifest any element he wishes from the six basic elements without additional effects. Accordingly, the six basic elements are Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and lastly, Dark.


    In reality, the first affinity is decided by attitude or emotion, or sometimes by a turning point in a person¡¯s life. To make an example, my first affinity was dark. This was caused by the despair from that event.


    For the second, it is decided by both mana capacity and the previous condition. The mana capacity needed is about one and a half to twice your original capacity. To make an example, my second affinity is light which is probably caused by my determination to continue Grandfather¡¯s wish. In addition, I have consumed about 41 mana herbs during my 5 years which is about 220 percent or less from my original.


    For the third onwards, there are currently not enough tests to point out the conditions. Neither have I reached this point, but some True Scholars from Academia did, but the conditions were completely different from each other.


    But there is a problem with the condition that concerns emotion. It would be better to give examples rather than explaining.


    Consider a boy. This boy is extremely loyal and has a burning sense of passion. Well, anyway, because of his attitude, his possible affinity is either Fire or Light. This is because emotion leans from one side to another and is impossible to measure.


    Another example is a girl. This girl works on an orphanage and takes care of the children. She is known to be gentle with handling children. Her affinity this time would either be Water, Wind or Light. The same reason applies to the first. Do you get it now?


    Well, let¡¯s have another one. Now let¡¯s have a slave. This slave is filled with hatred from being sold by her parents as payment and was treated as a toy. Her affinity would probably be Dark, but it there¡¯s a possibility that it would be Fire.


    Basically, emotions overlap with each other if based on the six elements.


    Other than the six basic elements, there¡¯s a second stage or compound elements. An example would be my affinity of Light and Dark which results to me specializing in illusion magic. But this topic would be on another level so I guess we could leave it for now.


    Anyway, that¡¯s enough explaining. I¡¯ll go sleep for now.


    ¡­


    Several hours later, I could hear a voice speaking.


    ¡°..ness.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­ ighness.¡±


    Uhh¡­ What is it¡­ I still want to sleep¡­


    ¡°Your Highness, please wake up, you have a visitor.¡±


    Yawn¡­


    ¡°Who.. is it?¡± I asked while rubbing my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s her Highness Elaine, your Highness,¡± Erina answered.


    ¡°Ah, let her in.¡± Erina nodded from my order.


    When the door opened, my sister Elaine entered.


    ¡°Elder Sister, I came to play, but¡­¡± Elaine spoke then wore an incredulous expression.


    ¡°Hm?¡± I tilted my head.


    ¡°Why are you wearing that elder Sister?¡± Elaine pointed.


    I looked at the clothes I was wearing.


    ¡°Ah, s-sorry Elaine, can you leave for a minute? I¡¯ll just c-change my clothes. Haha..¡± I smiled wryly.


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    Then Elaine left the room.


    Erinaaaaa!


    <hr>


    In the early morning of the next day, we were all lined up in front of the palace. By we, I mean, Mother, Father, Duke Tervin, Argent, Elaine, Erina, the servants, and lastly the guards. Oh, Marco is also included since he has been working for Mother specializing in tracking Father¡¯s whereabouts. Rick, Fae, and Camille are not included because of Father¡¯s presence.


    In any case, we are gathered here because this is the day I will be traveling into Alabaster to meet the Tribe. I don¡¯t really know how long it would take for me to stay there and convince them to re-establish the trade with Aves. This is also the first time I will be traveling without my servants and guards, so I¡¯m feeling quite uneasy.


    I embraced both Mother and Father first and asked them to ¡°Wait for my return.¡±


    I did the same with Duke Tervin, Elaine, and Argent. It might take some time so it¡¯s a bit emotional.


    Marco is fine without a hug because I gave him a chub.


    Lastly, it was Erina. Erina, as a servant handed me a bag containing things I might need for the travel.


    I immediately checked the bag, brought out a clothe then returned it over to Erina.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be needing this, Erina,¡± I said with a bright smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± Erina answered.


    Who would even bring a nightwear in the mountains?! And haven¡¯t you had your fun yesterday when I was sleeping?!


    Then Erina brought out a pouch, reached for my hand, placed it on my palm and closed it.


    ¡°Please take care, your Highness.¡± Erina then spoke with a serious tone, unlike her usual playful and teasing attitude.


    ¡°Yes. I will.¡± I returned then embraced Erina as deep as I embraced Mother. ¡°Please continue in believing in me Erina. You can shame me whenever you want if I fail to do so.¡±


    Erina returned my embrace quietly.


    After that, the messenger arrived, and then we set out towards Alabaster.

 Chapter 8: Baggage 1

    ¡°Umm¡­ can I ask your name?¡± I started.


    [What? Ah, my name is Mon.]


    ¡°Mon?¡±


    [Yes.]


    ¡°Then my name is Amelia.¡±


    Mon nodded.


    After leaving the Aves, We were escorted by the guards until the forest entrance at the south. The guards could not escort me towards the Tribe since they are not recognized. Although Laurel has a peace treaty with the Tribe, it is entirely an agreement of non-aggression and nothing else. It would be different if I was already part of the Tribe like when Grandfather brought me before.


    Currently, I¡¯m traversing the forest with Mon, a mountain elf. He has a slim build, light-brown skin, reddish-brown hair, and has long pointed ears. He¡¯s wearing loose leather armor on top, and leather pants and boots.


    I¡¯m also wearing a set of leather armor. This leather armor was made from the skin of a wyvern. Father, who¡¯s always worried, had this made just for this day. On top of it is a robe.


    ¡°Do most mountain elves look like you?¡± I asked.


    [No.] He denied without even looking at my direction.


    He¡¯s not that outspoken, is he?


    ¡°Do you know Grandfather?¡±


    [Who?]


    ¡°Randolf Laurel, my Grandfather.¡±


    [Ah. Yes. Randolf.]


    ¡­


    I waited for him to continue, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°You don¡¯t speak that much, do you?¡±


    [I guess?]


    Why did they send a messenger who does not speak so much? This is unnerving¡­


    After a few hours of walking inside the forest, he stopped.


    [We need to hunt, and then rest.] He said as he prepared his short bow.


    I prepared my rapier on my side and observed the surroundings.


    While I was observing, he climbed a nearby tree with nimble movements and kneeled on a thick branch. He pulled an arrow from the quiver on his back and knocked the arrow.


    [I¡¯ll disable it, you kill it.] He said.


    After that, a silent whistling sound flew in between the trees then disappeared in the bushes.


    After a loud cry echoed, I started moving towards the source. When I arrived, a wild boar with a large tusk was kneeling on the ground with an arrow stuck on its shoulder. It was trying to run away while limping.


    Without hesitation, I pulled back my rapier and delivered a thrust beside the arrow. After convulsing for a few seconds, the boar finally died.


    Did he purposely miss the heart just below the shoulder to disable it?


    [Good.] He said as he approached from the back.


    I grabbed a cloth from the bag and wiped the blade clean before I returned it to its scabbard.


    Afterward, he butchered the boar with a knife after removing its organs and skinning it.


    [Look and remember.] He said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, he packed the shoulders, the fillet, and the loin into a large cloth bag. Then he packed it inside another cloth bag.


    ¡°Why are you leaving the others?¡± I asked.


    [It¡¯s too heavy to carry everything. They can also be used as a lure. Come, we leave before the beasts arrive.]


    So he can talk, but only things regarding hunting. And isn¡¯t what you¡¯re carrying heavy too?I thought.


    Then I followed suit. After that, we arrived at the extension of Twins River. he started cleansing the blood from the meat beside the river while I gathered tree barks, twigs, and thin branches as he ordered.


    After gathering the materials for the fire, he spoke.


    [Do you know how to build a fire?]


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded.


    I started balling up the bark, covered it with the twigs and piled the branches on top of it. Then, I started chanting.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    O¡¯ Fire I call


    Light up and Burn


    Kindle


    Then the fire lit up starting from the bark and made its way up to the twigs and branches.


    [Good, but this won¡¯t last. I¡¯ll teach you another one later.]


    I nodded in response.


    Afterward, we ate half the shoulder of the boar. Most of it was eaten by him.


    After resting, we started our walk deeper into the forest alongside the river until we arrived at a wall made of plants, vines, and trees. The wall extends from east to west.


    ¡°Is this what they call the Forest Barrier?¡± I asked.


    [Yes, we will follow this to the west till we arrive at the foot of Alabaster.]


    This barrier is called the Forest Barrier. Its existence or purpose is unknown; neither do we know what''s on the other side. Aside from that, Laurel cannot send scouts to investigate. The reason is that the treaty dictates that the other side is under the jurisdiction of the Tribe. So any form of activity unpermitted by the Tribe would be deemed as actions of hostility.


    ¡°Huh? Why don¡¯t we just head straight to the foot or cross this barrier using the river?¡± I said as I pointed at the small opening at the barrier where the river flows.


    Plus we could''ve just moved diagonally towards the foot, right? It would save us more time.


    As I spoke, a slight headache attacked me accompanied by a flash of an image. The image seems like it''s a water surface of some sort.


    ¡°Ugh..¡± I muttered as I brought my hand to my forehead.


    [You okay?]


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. About my question earlier, please continue.¡±


    [Okay.] He said. [Crossing the river is dangerous. The barrier keeps the dangerous beasts inside. Cross the river and you¡¯ll die.]


    Another feature of the barrier is that it does not block the river completely, there are vines covering it, but there¡¯s enough space to crouch through.


    ¡°Then why did we follow the river up here? And who made this barrier?¡± I asked confused.


    [It would be useful for you later.] He said. [And neither do we know why this barrier exists.]


    So even the Tribe doesn¡¯t know?


    ¡°Later? Why? Do I still have to do something when I arrive at the Tribe?¡±


    [Yes. The proving, we are not allowed to say anything about it, but I¡¯ll teach you a few things you might need.]


    Huh? Then why is he telling me this?


    ¡°But why teach me? Isn¡¯t that against your rules?¡±


    [Just think of it as a gift from me.]


    ¡°Huh? A gift?¡± I was confused.


    [Enough. Let¡¯s go.] He said as he started walking alongside the barrier.


    I followed after him with a bit of hesitation. We also discarded the other parts of the meat near the river and brought enough for later.


    When we arrived at the foot in the afternoon, he suggested that we camp for the night.


    ¡°I can still continue, and we still have a few hours before the night falls.¡±


    [You don¡¯t understand. It¡¯d be best if you take your time and learn. When we arrive, you¡¯d only be given a day to prepare for the proving. You should use that full day to rest. Besides, the more you rush, the more likely you would end up dead.]


    ¡°¡­¡± I stayed silent without giving any form of response.


    I guess it wouldn¡¯t hurt¡­ And besides, I never knew that there¡¯s still a proving. Maybe that was why Grandfather didn¡¯t return for several weeks back then? But he never told me anything about it. Neither did he include it in the stories he told me.


    Afterward, he showed me how to build a stealth fire. He dug a hole and dug another hole beside it with a third of the width of the first, then dug a tunnel in between. Then he gathered branches, twigs, and barks.


    [This will be a little different from the fire this noon.] He said.


    He laid a raised wooden platform using the branches to keep it from touching the ground and added several more layers of branches. He then placed the twigs on top followed by the bark.


    ¡°So it¡¯s the other way around for this one?¡± I asked.


    [Yes. This would reduce the smoke as it starts burning from the top to the bottom.]


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t be a smoke-filled fire more beneficial? And I think I¡¯ve read something about animals being afraid of fire.¡±


    The fire may attract insects but the smoke will drive them away.


    [If you only consider animals, then yes. There are other beasts in Alabaster that are attracted to heat. One example is the large viper. On the other side of the barrier, the beasts are curious to fire since it¡¯s a rare occurrence in Alabaster.]


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take note of that.¡±


    Since we still have time till nightfall, he tried teaching me how to handle the bow.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried using the bow once,¡± I said unconfidently as I held his bow.


    Then he taught me the basics on how to handle the bow. First is to not to use the tip of the arrow as my aim. Second, pull the string towards my mouth. Third, use only three fingers to pull. Fourth, don¡¯t aim too long. Lastly, leave a gap in-between the fingers.


    ¡°Should I really learn the bow?¡± I said after several tries.


    [You¡¯ll never know when it¡¯ll be useful.]


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After night fell, we ate our meal and was about to sleep.


    [Have you tried watching at night?]


    I denied by moving head sideways.


    ¡°This is my first time. The guards would never let me do something like this, and even if I did, they already got the surroundings covered so there¡¯s nothing left for me to do other than sleep.¡±


    [Then I¡¯ll take watch.]


    ¡°I want to try.¡±


    [Why is it?]


    ¡°Because¡­ It feels wrong. Well, even when I told the guards about it, they still refusedahaha.¡± I laughed while staring at the fire.


    It still doesn¡¯t sit well with me till now. Sleeping comfortably¡­


    I then grabbed my bag and brought out a spare robe, then reached it out.


    ¡°Here, take it.¡±


    [No, I¡¯m fine.]


    ¡°Please take it. I know it¡¯s just me being stubborn, but please take it.¡±


    [Fine.] Then he grabbed the robe and covered himself.


    [You can sleep now. I¡¯ll wake you up before dawn.]


    ¡°No. like I said, I¡¯ll try to stay awake. You said it yourself, I need to learn before the proving, so I need to at least get used to staying up for a watch.¡±


    [Suit yourself.]


    And besides two people watching is better than one.


    I huddled on my knees as I strained my ears and stared at the fire burning from the pit. The wood cracked as the embers burned. The wood charredblack,glowed red, then burned down to white ashes.


    As I stared at the burning fire, a rustle resounded nearby. I looked for the source and focused my senses.


    Then another rustling sound echoed from another direction. I quickly moved my sights and caught a glance of a moving shadow. Slowly, the tension rose as my beating heart started to race.


    Wait, where¡¯sMon?¨C I thought.


    I searched the surroundings, but not even a shadow Mon was found. Only trees, bushes, dark clouds, and the moon and its light decorated my surroundings.


    Then a wolf howled from the distance followed by the howls of its fellow wolves. Then the feeling of unease started to hound me.


    Where is he?!


    Again, I moved my head left and right looking for clues regarding Mon¡¯s whereabouts. As I was busy looking for clues, the bushes rustled again. From the left, then the right, then from the back. Continuously, the bushes moved from different directions. Sometimes a shadow passed, sometimes none.


    While my sight is darting around, a clash of blades and whistling of arrows resounded.


    ¡°Die bastards!¡± A human voice shouted.


    As I heard the voice, I tried to draw my rapier that I was grasping on my hip, but therapierdid not reveal its blade.


    What?!


    I moved my sight towards my hip where the rapier should¡¯ve been.


    Where is it?! Did I unconsciously remove it?!


    Then Panic struck me as I repeatedly searched for the rapier. I repeatedly felt my hip where the rapier should be. I looked towards the ground in search. I felt my clothes even though I knew deep inside that it¡¯s impossible for it to be there.


    Where?! Where?! Where is it!


    Then an Idea struck me that made me pause for a brief moment.


    Magic! I could at least use magic to light up the surroundings!


    Then I started to chant, but nothing came out.


    What?! I havechantedit properly!


    I tried to move my lips again and then I found the problem. Not a single sound was coming out from my mouth no matter how much I moved my lips or my tongue.


    Why?! What¡¯s happening?!


    ¡°Run!¡± Then a voice echoed from behind, then soon my arm was caught and I was dragged towards the woman running in front of me.


    W-wait¡­ Isn¡¯t this¡­ Erina?!

 Chapter 9: Baggage 2

    ¡°For Laurel! For her Highness!¡±


    ¡°Oooh!¡±


    Men from the distance shouted.


    The sound of armor clanking reverberated from the surroundings, blades glinting from the shadows, and shadows running through the woods. The moon, the stars which lit up the night vanished, hidden by the dark clouds that loomed over the forest. Everything -- was dark. Or so I felt. Everything was turning darker and darker.


    Why¡­


    I was running, running through the woods dragged by Erina.


    Why does Erina look so tall? Why is she here?


    My thoughts kept on looking for a conclusion to this ridiculous situation.


    Slowly, my body started to wear. It started screaming that it can no longer keep up any better than this. My breathing got ragged and finally, a sound came out from my mouth.


    ¡°E-erina I can¡¯t.. Keep up..¡± A childish voice said. ¡°It¡¯d be better.. To leave me here..¡±


    ¡°Please endure, your Highness.¡± She said. ¡°You must live.¡±


    This.. It can¡¯t be, right? It¡¯s impossible. How?


    It felt like I''m a spectator of my own body.


    Soon enough the clouds looming above started to drop tears from the sky. Then gradually the tears multiplied and became a drizzle, then the drizzle turned to a downpour.


    It did not take too much time before the firm ground turned to mud.


    As we were running, the splattering mud tainted my dress. The rain soaked my body and turned my dress into unnecessary weight. The surroundings, my body, they started to feel cold. The air that I breathe turned hazy. Then finally, my footing gave out and slipped on the mud. I fell face first on the mud-filled ground.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Erina shouted as she picked me up. ¡°Please endure, your Highness. We would be able to reach the city soon. So please, just a little more.¡±


    This words¡­


    As Erina tried to motivate me, I heard the sound of mud splashing from the back. When it got close it supported my body and turned my face towards the other direction.


    ¡°Your Highness, please continue running.¡± She said with a gentle smile as she wiped the mud covering my face with her bare hands repeatedly. ¡°And never forget to keep that bright smile of yours.¡±


    It was a soft and gentle touch that it easily overshadowed the cold and dark surroundings. After looking at her directly in the eyes, I stood there with my quivering legs and gave a nod.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll try.¡± I said.


    This.. Isn¡¯t this Ria?


    But afterward, blood started to drip from her sweet and gentle lips.


    ¡°Please run, your Highness.¡± She said before her body fell on the muddy ground with a dagger stuck at her back, blood spreading throughout her clothes. I could never forget it, Ria¡¯s last smile.


    ¡°R-ria? You¡¯re okay, right?¡± I spoke as I tried to prop up her body back up with trembling hands.


    No. No. Not this again.. Please.. Stop..


    My body tried shaking her repeatedly hoping that she would wake up. I wiped her face as she wiped mine.


    ¡°Ria.. Ria! Please.. wake up.. Ria..¡± Then my sights blurred with tears. ¡°Y-you promised, right? You said you¡¯d eat sweets with me when we get back.. So plea-¡±


    Before I get to finish, Erina grabbed my arm and pulled me. She started to run and dragged me again.


    ¡°E-erina! Please wait! Ria.. Ria is still alive! P-please, let¡¯s carry her back at least!¡± I pleaded bursting with tears as the raindrops struck my face. ¡°Please! Erina! At least Ria!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your Highness,¡± Erina said in sorrow. ¡°Please respect Ria¡¯s wishes and live.¡±


    ¡°Why?! Why¡­¡± I said. ¡°W-what did I do wrong.. First, It was Grandpa. Then it was Mira.. And now it¡¯s Ria.. Why? What did I do wrong? H-have I been a bad girl? Did I hurt someone?¡±


    Slowly, my thoughts darkened and not a single thought other than pleading for it to stop wrapped my mind.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°No. Your Highness is innocent. You have wronged no one.¡±


    ¡°Then why? What did I do to deserve this.. It should¡¯ve been me.. I¡¯m useless.. I¡¯m just a weight! A baggage!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness has never wronged anyone. Please believe me and please don¡¯t speak those words.¡± Erina said strictly. ¡°You would¡¯ve been thrown long ago if you were just a weight to everyone. Please, your Highness, never forget your smile just as Ria said.¡±


    ¡°But.. I can¡¯t.. I don¡¯t think I deserve to be happy..¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, there will come a time that you will realize that that smile of yo- agh..¡±


    Before Erina finished, an arrow struck her right shoulder. She then unintentionally let go of my arm and fell on her knees while her left-hand holds shoulder.


    ¡°No! Erina! Please! Don¡¯t leave me too! I¡¯ll do anything! Please! Please stay!¡± I said as it tried to hold down Erina from the back.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m fine.¡± She said as she stood with her right arm limp. ¡°Come, we need to go.¡±


    Then she grabbed my arms again with her left and restarted running.


    As we were running, a continuous rustling sound followed from behind. I turned around to look out of fear.


    Then there is saw an arrow struck the man in a black garment, but it was too late. A dagger was already thrown inching towards me before the arrow struck.


    Then slowly as if time slowed down, everything became visible. The leaves falling from the trees, the mud dancing in the air, the raindrops falling from the sky, the dagger slicing through the air, everything. Everything halted.


    At that moment, my thoughts resurfaced.


    What? What¡¯s.. happening?


    While I was pondering, a voice, a melodious voice echoed through my head.


    [How is it O¡¯ pitiful child?] It said.


    I looked for the source of the voice and found a shadow from the distance lit up by the moonlight peeking through the clouds. But before I could make up the shadow, time moved again and the dagger closed in on my face, then my body unconsciously closed its eyes.


    Followed by the dagger was a sound similar to that of shattering glass.


    ¡­


    [Melia..]


    [Amelia. Wake up.]


    I lifted my face as I heard Mon¡¯s voice. When I looked at him, he wore a worried expression.


    [Are you ok?] He said as he pointed at his cheeks.


    ¡°Huh?¡± When I touched my own, I felt traces of tears over my cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.. Please give me a few minutes.¡± I said as I huddled again and let my tears flow.


    While I cried myself, I grasped the pouch Erina left with me.


    It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s still here.


    After a few minutes, I stood and wiped my tears away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Let¡¯s go.¡± I said as I walked in front.


    [Are you sure? We can still rest for a while longer.]


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Crying in a corner would not do me any good, nor does it to anyone.¡± I said as I gave a somewhat lonely smile.


    I gripped the pouch again as if squeezing it for courage.


    [You¡¯re too hard on yourself.]


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I think I deserve it,¡± I said as I walked further. ¡°Mon, please lead.¡±


    [Suit yourself.] He said as he started to move ahead of me.


    Yes, I deserve this. If only I had not been a dead weight, more of them would¡¯ve survived. Grandfather, Mira, Ria, the Knights, and soldiers, every single one of them... I need to work on their behalf.


    I used to have three personal maidservants, Mira, Ria, and Erina. During that time, Mira and Ria died leaving only Erina¡­


    <hr>


    Afterward, Mon and I hiked from the foot of Alabaster. We frequently take a few minutes of rest as we get higher and higher. He said that it was bad to hike up the mountain too quickly. If not, a curse may fall upon me that would make it hard for me to breathe.


    ¡°Does it happen when going down?¡±


    [No, it only happens when going up. The Alabaster wishes to keep intruders away.]


    Along the way, we spotted several beasts from afar. The noteworthy ones which I should strictly avoid are the Catoblepas, Cerastes, and especially a rare sighting of a golden goat called Amalthea.


    The Catoblepas resembled a buffalo, but with a very thick fur, large hooves, and a head pointed downwards most of the time. Mon said that its gaze could naturally turn anything into stone and it has a toxic breath as opposed to its buffalo-like body.


    The Cerastes is known to be one of the great predators of Alabaster. Only a very few of them are seen around Alabaster. They are huge serpents with light-brown scales and spikes covering the top of its scales. It has unique thick horns above its head which were said to be used as a channel to cast magic.


    On the other hand, Amalthea is considered as the divine goat of Alabaster. It is the symbol of prosperity due to its golden fleece. It also said that it has a control over lightning type magic which is a compound of the second level of the fire affinity. It is also known to be docile and would not attack unless provoked.


    There¡¯s another divine beast considered by the Tribe, but Mon said that I would be meeting it at the proving so it¡¯s best to let me see it personally. It was not considered as the divine beast of Alabaster since it is only present during the duration of the proving. The Tribe had several debates whether to consider it as the beast guide of the proving, but some said that it only watched over most of the time.


    There are also several others which we passed through like the Fang Wolves, the Orthruses, and Spiked Hyraxes.


    Mon also taught me how to avoid most of them and how to stay hidden.


    ¡°Can you show me a beast so I could try using dark magic to hide my presence?¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯d be better if it¡¯s docile. I¡¯ll just check if it could detect me only using dark magic.¡±


    [Dark magic?]


    ¡°Yes. Well, I guess it¡¯s pretty rare for the Tribe? Dark magic is usually used to hide presence, but not completely as compared to the light and dark compound.¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯d be good if I can save up mana using only dark magic to sneak through.¡±


    Then he led me near a nest of Spiked Hyrax. The Hyraxes are small, but twice the size of a horned rabbit, they also have sharp spikes on their backs.


    I approached from a nearby bush and chanted the magic for Hide. Mon then tried to pique the interest of the Hyrax by throwing a piece of fruit nearby. The hyrax pass through the bush I was hiding, but it stopped midway and tried to sniff the air. After looking at the surroundings for a few seconds, the Hyrax continued towards the fruit.


    It¡¯s a success, but my smell¡­


    From the result, it seemed that it wouldn¡¯t work against beasts with an acute sense of smell.


    As the day passed, we again made a camp for the night and slept like usual as he filled me in with information that I could use during the proving. It felt like I was cheating, but it¡¯d be better if I return alive like I promised.


    At night, I still fell asleep in the middle of the night watch, but I no longer dreamt of my past like the previous day. I was really curious regarding that voice. If I remembered my past correctly, I never heard a voice like that before. I tried to think of several candidates, but it was impossible to think of something I never even know if I had encountered or not so I gave up and put it on hold.


    On the next day, I was again fed information by Mon. He also continued to let me borrow his bow so that I could continuously practice. He also told me how to differentiate edible from non-edible plants. He also showed me how to skin a few animals and told me how to process them for temporary use. This continued until the afternoon where we reached the crest of one of the mountains.


    From the crest, the view of the Tribe¡¯s residence became visible, as well as the greenery that surrounded the mountains. Clouds resting lowly were scattered here and there, and the majestic sun showered over the rows of cloud above the peaks.


    The cold wind blew strong as it passed through my robe producing a rustling sound.

 Chapter 10: Proving Ritual

    When Mon and I went down to approach the Tribe¡¯s residence, several dome-shaped structures greeted my line of sight. They were like miniature hills that sprouted but failed to become full-fledged hills. Apparently, these hill-like structures were the homes of the Tribe.


    ¡°Are the homes of the Tribe usually made to look like these?¡± I asked.


    [Mostly for us elves, yes, for the dwarfs, they build their own based on how they like it.]


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be inconsistent?¡±


    [In the Tribe we respect the decisions of each other. Other than that, we elves like it simple enough that we could live inside.] He said. [Aside from that, the dwarfs need more space compared to us elves. They need to build a forge and enough space to work on their craft.]


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    [Do have any other questions before we continue?]


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said as I showed him the rapier hanging from my hip. ¡°Do you perhaps know who made this sword? I have a few questions to ask regarding it.¡±


    Now that I¡¯m here I need to confirm the magic circle in the crystal.


    [That rapier huh. You can go look for Garfin.]


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Afterward, we approached the Tribe¡¯s gates. The gate serves as one of the two entrances to the Tribe¡¯s residence. Several elves were guarding the gate atop the wall beside it.


    When we approached, the guards did not inquire anything and opened the gates for us to enter.


    When we entered, mountain elves and dwarfs littered the area. A lot of them were casting curious glances. They seemed to be interested because I¡¯m a human. A very rare sight for the Tribe.


    The dwarfs were stumpy and bore long beards. Most of them have red, orange or brown colored hair.


    The elves possessed slim bodies and skin similar to light-brown skin similar to Mon. Aside from that, their hair color is varied, they have green, blonde, and reddish-brown. They also had their long pointed ears.


    There''s still another race. This race is something that I have never seen or heard before. With heights similar to dwarfs and bodies similar to elves, they are but a peculiar race. At first, I thought they were elven children, but they do not possess the elves long pointed ears. Instead, they possessed slightly pointed but short ears.


    ¡°Mon, are they a different race from the dwarfs and the elves?¡± I said as we were walking.


    [I guess you could say yes?]


    ¡°Why?¡± I said bothered.


    [They¡¯re a mix between an elf and a dwarf. We still don¡¯t know how to classify them since they are still a few of them, but we call them as Elven Dwarfs or Enarfs]


    ¡°An elf and a dwarf?¡± I muttered as I tried thinking and elf and a dwarf together.


    Wait¡­ Is that even possible? It feels... Weird? Maybe awkward? I don¡¯t think I can imagine a dwarf and an elf ¨C wait, I have to stop this. Let¡¯s just accept it. Yes. It¡¯d be better to just accept it and not think too deeply about it.


    While my thoughts were processing the possibility of an elf and a dwarf becoming one, Mon spoke.


    [Here we are.]


    We arrived in front of a large dome-shaped structure with trees surrounding it. It also had steps surrounding the building made out of stone. At the front, there¡¯s a large double door made of wood. It was the Tribe¡¯s council.


    Mon took the lead and approached the two guards beside the door. Both of the guards were elves.


    After he explained the situation to the guards, he called me to follow after him.


    We were greeted by a curved hallway as we entered. At the ends, doors were plastered. At the sides of it were wooden stairs leading to the second floor. At the front is another large double door. Below, the floor was covered in marble.


    ¡°Is the main room at the center?¡±


    [Yes.]


    ¡°Then what about the sides?¡±


    [They''re waiting rooms for the chiefs of the dwarfs and elves. They stay in those rooms before the meeting.] He said. [The left is for the dwarfs, while the right is for the elves.]


    ¡°How many Chiefs are there?¡±


    [Three for each.]


    ¡°Then, how many am I supposed to meet today?¡±


    [Only two, one from the dwarfs and one from the elves. Garfin would probably be the one to meet you on the dwarf¡¯s side.]


    Then that would save me time looking for him.


    ¡°Then shall we?¡± I said.


    He nodded then we entered the main room. After entering, Mon spoke before the two people inside.


    [I, Mon, this time¡¯s messenger, have properly escorted the human, Amelia, as recognized by the Tribe.] He said as brought his fist to his chest.


    ¡°I, Amelia Laurel, a human, heed the call of the Tribe,¡± I said as I gave a curtsy.


    [Very good, you may now leave Mon.] The elven chief said.


    [Yes.] Then he left.


    [Now then.] The elven chief smiled. [It has been a long time hasn¡¯t it Garfin?]


    [Hmph.] Garfin said with his arms crossed.


    [Sorry Amelia, but it¡¯s fine, you can be casual this time. We¡¯re meeting after a long time after all.] The elf said. [But Garfin here is still a little stubborn like always ahahaha.]


    For a chief isn¡¯t he too casual? And for Garfin, he doesn¡¯t seem to like me?


    ¡°Then please excuse me,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can no longer remember much of my childhood.¡±


    [Oh, such pity. You hear that Garfin? She said she doesn¡¯t remember that much so it¡¯s fine.]


    [Hrrm¡­] Garfin muttered as he tried to examine me.


    ¡°Umm. Could I ask the subject of what you are talking about? And also if possible could I ask for your name?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    [Ah, yes. Yes. My name¡¯s ¨C Ah before that, let me tell you something. You see, Garfin used to treat you as his own gran-]


    [Sylvarrrr!] Garfin burst and tried to grab Sylvar.


    [And there you ¨C Woah! That was close.]


    [Come here! I¡¯ll rip out that mouth of yours!]


    I did not expect that they were this close¡­


    After some time had passed, the three of us were seated at the roundtable discussing the details of the proving.


    What was required of me before the proving is the ritual. The ritual is also known as The Cleansing. The ritual required me to change into a ceremonial garb. During the process, I am to enter a spring called the Spring of Guidance while holding a wooden plaque with an empty jar on top.


    Once at the center, I am to let the wooden plaque stay afloat.Once afloat, the elves would assist me in removing the garb. After the removal, the elves would sing a hymn to call upon the spirit of the water.


    Afterward, another elf would pour the spring''s water on me using the jar called Spirit''s Pitcher for me to receive the blessing of the water spirit. Then to close the cleansing, a different garb would be wrapped around me before I leave the spring.


    On the next step, I would need to enter a closed palanquin as the River¡¯s Child. Once inside, the dwarves would carry the palanquin for the task called the March. The march is intended to deliver the Child to its Mother which is the river, the final site of the ritual where the Sending would commence.


    [Do you have any other question regarding the proving?] Sylvar asked.


    I waved my head in denial.


    I¡¯m a little reluctant to undress during the ritual though, but there¡¯s no other choice, I¡¯ll need to suppress my embarrassment for this one. But I guess having female elves undress me is fine. It¡¯d be another case if it were my servants.


    [Then, are there any questions unconcerned of the proving?]


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°I would like to speak with Garfin.¡±


    Mon already told me that, honorifics are unneeded in the Tribe. So it is best to call them by their names.


    [What is it?] Garfin asked with one eye closed with crossed arms.


    Hmm¡­ Maybe I should try that?


    I removed the rapier from the belt, held with two hands and brought it close to my chest.


    ¡°This rapier.¡±


    [What? not good enough?]


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head in denial. ¡°Garfin, No, Grandpa Garfin, Thank you so much for this gift.¡±


    I said as I tightly embraced the rapier and leaned my cheeks on its guard to show my affection.


    [G-grandpa?!] The surprised Garfin said.


    ¡°Although I think I¡¯m not worthy enough, I will cherish this sword for the rest of my life,¡± I said as I directed a gentle smile with half-closed moist eyes towards Garfin.


    Mother always told me that I could use my charm to my advantage, but most of the people I¡¯ve met were Nobles who might get the wrong idea if I gave this kind of reaction so I rarely tried it.


    [W-well you better be. I made it special. If you want it fixed just look for me anytime, after all, you¡¯re my ¨C cough cough ¨C Randolf¡¯s granddaughter.] He said in a hurry.


    It worked! Now if it only works on Father too it would be better¡­


    Sylvar, on the other hand, was holding his laughter at the side.


    ¡°Grandpa Fin, is it okay if call you Grandpa Fin instead?¡± In a slightly childish tone, I said.


    [Of course!] He enthusiastically yelled.


    Too easy.


    ¡°Then Grandpa Fin, Can you teach me more about this sword?¡±


    [What about it? Ask away!]


    ¡°There¡¯s a magic circle embedded in the crystal, but I can¡¯t read it.¡±


    [Oh, so you haven¡¯t tried it?]


    ¡°Yes¡­ I was traumatized by exploding shards so I was hesitant in using it¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I said with a frown.


    [Don¡¯t worry I made that for specifically for your use! It would never explode! I even wrapped crystal threads on the handle and lined the handle guard with more! It¡¯s my best piece!]


    What?! So they really are crystal threads?!


    Crystal Threads are threads made from mana crystals. One of the differences between a shard and a crystal is its capacity. Another difference is that a mana crystal can be used as mana storage if processed into threads, but they lose their ability to contain any form of magic circle.


    Currently, the creation process is highly confidential and only produced by Academia. Due to this, Academia took this chance to monopolize its production, forcing the other kingdoms to import them at an extravagant price.


    ¡°Wow! I never knew! I¡¯ve only heard them from Academia!¡± I enthusiastically said.


    [Hahahaha! Wait, Academia? That kingdom you were studying at?] Garfin suddenly changed in mood.


    ¡°Yes, Academia, the place I¡¯ve been studying at for the past five years. Is there anything wrong?¡± I asked as I tilted my head.


    [Hrmm¡­ I never knew humans could process crystal threads.]


    ¡°Eh? Why?¡±


    [It¡¯s one of us dwarf¡¯s specialties, even the elves can¡¯t make them so easily. For humans to make it, guess there are skilled ones out there.]


    Eh? Dwarf¡¯s specialty? Wait could it be that Academia has ties with dwarfs? But no news or even rumors were spreading regarding that.


    ¡°Grandpa Fin, are there other dwarfs other than the ones here in Alabaster?¡±


    [Of course. We dwarfs don¡¯t stay in one place, so many of us are scattered around the continent. Although not entirely the same, these elves here are different from the other elves from the forest they call Avalon.]


    [Yes. It is true. Now that Garfin said it, Amelia, please avoid treating the Tribe¡¯s elves as the same elves of Avalon.] Sylvar said in a serious tone.


    ¡°Is it okay for me to know why?¡±


    [It¡¯s a long story. You should hear about it after the proving instead.] Then he went back to his usual smile.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Then why did the Tribe decided to stay here rather than the base?¡±


    [For us dwarfs, Alabaster is teeming with different ores and mana crystals. Basically, it¡¯s a paradise for us dwarfs.]


    Mana shards and crystals are mineral resources mined like any other ores.


    [It¡¯s another long story. In any case, you will be briefed on the Tribe¡¯s history after the proving, that is, if you are able to return.]


    [Oi, Sylvar. That¡¯s Randolf¡¯s and my Granddaughter you¡¯re talking about!]


    So I am now officially his granddaughter.


    [Yes, of course, I have high hopes for her.] Sylvar said. [And besides, she still needs to hear Randolf''s wishes.]


    ¡°Huh? Wait, what about Grandfather?¡±


    [Now, now, just like I said, that¡¯s another thing after the proving.] Sylvar replied. [Well I guess that¡¯s everything for now.]


    When Sylvar stood.


    [Oh, yes, there''s another one. Prepare for an official council after the proving for the instatement, Chief Amelia.] He said as he waved goodbye exiting the room.


    [Well, I¡¯ll be going too. Come visit me anytime. For now, you should rest up for the proving. I¡¯ll be waiting for your return!] Then Garfin followed.


    Ah, I forgot, they did tell me that the magic circle works, but they didn¡¯t tell what it does!


    I followed after them after they left. When I exited, Mon was waiting at the side. Then, he escorted me to the prepared lodging. The interior of the lodge is unique and relaxing despite being shaped like a dome. The lodge had two floors. The first floor contained the dining table, the restroom, a hearth, and storage room. The second floor was for the bedrooms.


    Since it was already late in the afternoon, it didn¡¯t take time for me to reach one of the bedrooms for me to take a rest after a meal.


    <hr>


    Parading through the tunnel in a sandal weaved with vines, lit with luminescent plants glowing in a gentle shade of blue, was me clothed in a leaf-green open-shoulder gown made of silk, hair hanging loose, and surrounded by female elves wrapped in long leaf-green silk cloth along their chest and waist.


    At the end of the tunnel was the spring of guidance; above was a cavity where light from the outside shone through. Despite being underground, the lights from the luminescent plants contrasted with the green leafy plants under the cavity.


    Led to one end of the spring, I dipped my feet into the spring; it was neither warm nor cold. Before I proceed, another elf passed me the wooden plaque with the pitcher on top.


    Steadily, I glided through the center of the spring till I reached the center where the light from the cavity shone. There, were elves in wait. Gently, they assisted me in removing the garb starting with the string once the wooden plaque was in place. Once removed, with closed eyes, I listened to the gentle hymn.


    It was a hymn, a hymn to call upon the spirit of water to give birth to another child. A child blessed to be born in this world who longed for its mother¡¯s embrace.


    During the hymn, dust of light emerged from the surface of the water. They irregularly hovered in the air, sometimes colliding with each other. It was truly an enchanting sight.


    Afterward, warm and tranquil water poured over me from the pitcher.


    After the cleansing, I was lead to the small and closed palanquin. While inside, I changed my clothing back into my leather armor and wore the necessary equipment that I brought including a short bow prepared yesterday.


    A few hours later, the sound of flowing water resounded nearby. The sound got louder and louder. Soon, the palanquin tipped to the front and sounds of footsteps entering the water was heard. Then the palanquin was placed on top of some sort of unstable platform. Then the frame of the palanquin was pulled from two sides sliding at each other leaving only the base I sat on.


    What greeted my sight was a wider platform below the one I sat on, a river, the dwarfs and the elves holding the ends of the platform, and a horizon of clouds to my left.


    Eh?


    [This will deliver you the proving grounds, and here, this bracelet would serve as your identification as you return to the Tribe.] An elf said as she attached a wooden bracelet on my hand.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    I know that Mon told me that it is dangerous, but what is this?


    [Your task is to be able to return to the residence of the Tribe by yourself. Through this task, you¡¯d be able to prove yourself as one of us hunters of the Tribe. In the forest below, you will learn to hunt and fend for yourself]


    Forest below?


    Again I looked to my left and saw the clouds not too high from where I stand.


    ¡°Wait. Do you mean that this platform would deliver me there? D-does it float or something?¡±


    I started to get flustered.


    [No, the platform is the vessel, the river itself and the waterfall would.]


    ¡°W-waterfall?¡± I started to sweat.


    [Yes, over there.] She pointed to my left. [Anyway, good luck and good hunt.]


    Then the elves and the dwarfs let go of the platform, then it started to drift on top of the river.


    ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± I shouted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I die if I fall from this height?!¡±


    As if they didn¡¯t hear me, they started to leave the river.


    ¡°No! Wait!¡± I shouted again in an attempt to get their attention, but it was futile.


    Are they trying to kill me?!


    ¡°Ah, I need to get out of here,¡± I said as I tried to stand. ¡°W-what?!¡±


    My legs were stiff, stiff due to the small space the palanquin provided.


    I-I can¡¯t stand! Was this really planned?!


    Soon the edge of the river became visible. My sweat went cold, and my blood drained.


    Oh heavens¡­


    Then for the first time in my life, I let out a deafening scream.

 Chapter 11: Proving 1 - A Certain Meeting

    I let out a deafening scream, but after a while, I realized I didn¡¯t experience any falling sensation, but instead, I felt the platform slightly vibrating. I slowly opened my eyes to see that I¡¯m slowly descending instead.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± I said amazed and bewildered at the same time.


    Three pillars, three pillars of raging water moving like snakes were balancing the whole platform as it slowly descends. The raging pillars of water moved as if it had a life of its own. It whips, it bends, it collapses, and recollects.


    On the side of the cliff, winged beasts cling. They were small winged serpents with claws on their wings and were at the size of an adult snake. They were called Phipteres. These Phipteres were unfortunate enough to be within the vicinity of the pillars.


    Each time a pillar lashes in the air, a number of fleeing Phipteres are crushed. It was destructive. Even the cliff walls and the trees below are not safe.


    ¡°This much destructive power and the platform isn¡¯t even damaged. Is this because of the water spirit¡¯s blessing during the ritual?¡± I muttered as I watched the scene before me in awe.


    At six meters above the water surface, the platform started shaking, and the pillars became visibly thinner.


    ¡°W-whaa,¡± I said as I tried to balance myself on the platform.


    Then a sudden burst of water from one side of the platform destroyed the balance and threw the platform along with me to the side.


    Before I was able to let out another scream, I plunged deep into the water.


    <hr>


    ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± I coughed as I expelled water from my lungs on fours at the bank soaked.


    I lied down the river bank and waited until I recovered from the searing pain caused by the water entering my lungs.


    ¡°Cold¡­¡± I muttered.


    Every time a wind breeze passes by, I feel a chill surging throughout my body.


    ¡°To think that my only clothes would be this soaked¡­¡± I said in sorrow.


    After I have changed into the leather armor, I tucked the clothing I wore beforehand on my belt.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no hope complaining¡­¡± I said as I started walking towards the corpses of the Phipteres that littered the vicinity.


    I took out a knife and started removing the wing membranes of the Phipteres. Removing the membranes was an easy but tedious task. I repeated the process until I finished a total of two Phipteres amounting to four pairs of wing membranes.


    ¡°I guess this is enough.¡±


    I moved my sight to the surroundings to find trees with broken branches and rocks that fell from the cliff.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite peaceful despite the destruction, the animals and beasts were probably startled. I should take my leave before they start returning.¡±


    I faced the direction of the waterfall, looked up at the sky, and checked the shadow of the trees to check which direction was east.


    So I¡¯m currently facing south. Since I traveled south with Mon from Aves, then traveling towards north would be a safe bet. But looking for the forest barrier and the river would be better.


    Then I looked towards the cliff the waterfall resides.


    Those Phipteres is starting to return to the side of the cliff. It¡¯s probably a nest or something, so climbing back is not an option.


    I started moving north following the river while slowly checking the things I have with me.


    Ugh. I lost three shards from that fall¡­


    I¡¯ve brought ten unprocessed mana shards so I could embed basic magic circles depending on the situation. Usually, magic circles are embedded using mana stabilizers, a magic tool to aid mana control. In my case, who¡¯s talented in mana control, don''t need stabilizers when embedding magic circles on the basic level.


    Other than that, the rapier, dagger, bow, ten arrows, and the leather sack are in place. The leather sack contains a few things: a water container, the pouch, an extra cloth, a metal cup, the wing membranes, and a potion.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    <hr>


    I walked down south until I found a suitable boulder where I could start putting up a camp. It was large enough to reach three meters in height and 6 meters in length. There¡¯s a small arc on one side which I used as a shelter.


    Along the way, I collected resin from pine trees I¡¯ve passed by and placed them into the cup. Then boiled it down and added crushed charcoal to make a glue stick which I could use later.


    ¡°This will do,¡± I said as I look at the glue stick colored black. ¡°Now I¡¯ll need to hunt for food.¡±


    I looked around to check which direction I should start scouting.


    ¡°But then again, I still need to test the magic circle in the rapier. I could at least tell that it¡¯s on the fire element so I guess testing on the river would be a good choice.¡±


    I walked towards the rocky bank of the nearby river. I stood facing the water surface and stuck the rapier into the water cautiously.


    ¡°This is nerve-wracking,¡± I said anxiously. ¡°Well, here goes nothing.¡±


    Then I poured mana into the handle of the rapier. After mana filled in the magic circle, it activated. A spark of purple lightning covered the blade and transferred to the water.


    ¡°!¡± I unintentionally pulled the rapier from the water in surprise.


    On the river where I tested the rapier, were two unfortunate fish that floated after one swam nearby the rapier and another one who unfortunately surfaced, were shocked dead.


    I stared at the river for a few seconds before remembering that it was almost noon.


    ¡°Ah, wait! The fish!¡± I started scurrying towards the fish on the water in an attempt to secure it.


    ¡°Well, I guess I just invented another method on how to fish,¡± I said delightedly from my catch. ¡°In any case, I didn¡¯t know how deadly this rapier is.¡±


    Lightning magic is the second level of the fire affinity. The difference is that fire burns its opponent from the outside while lightning burns them from the inside.


    Afterward, I returned to the camp and started to cook the two fish.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m so lucky to get a fish this easy.¡± I grinned in delight. ¡°Really, strolling around in the harbor of Aves is helpful.¡±


    I grew up in Aves, a city in between the sea and the forest, where its main trading products were fishes and leather.


    ¡°But being alone¡­¡± I said frowning. ¡°Is not that good of a feeling.¡±


    Now that I think about it. I¡¯ll be alone for the rest of the period of the proving¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet and peaceful. No one would point out that I¡¯m unbefitting of royalty even if I casually do things in my own way. None would care if I speak informally. None would spread rumors. I am¡­ Free.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No. I am not free.¡± I took back. ¡°I still have my responsibilities.¡±


    Memories of my past resurfaced in my mind, but I immediately shook my head to halt it and looked up the sky.


    ¡°And besides¡­ I¡¯m not alone, Right? You¡¯re there, right? Please accompany this lonely child at least.¡± I smiled.


    Later that night¡­


    I was running through the woods fleeing from the pack of wolves chasing me down.


    I take it back! I¡¯m so unlucky!


    I held a shard on my left as I poured mana into it in every step I made. Inside the shard is basic body reinforcement magic.


    I took out another shard with fireball magic embedded and activated it, and then a ball of fire manifested itself diagonally to my right. In contrary, I made it sit at the location it manifested and immediately passed beside it as I flee. Then, a cry of a wolf was heard from the back.


    That¡¯s one.


    Next, I took an arrow from the quiver with a shard attached to its head, nocked it, and then aimed.


    Please break!


    When I was almost adjacent to a tree, I released the arrow below my feet.


    Then a rumbling sound was emitted from below. Earthen spikes sprouted from the ground and impaled a number of wolves.


    Breaking a shard would increase the effectiveness of the magic embedded, but the shard would be lost in the process, therefore, creating a larger effect after the shard breaks.


    I returned to the earthen spikes and waited for the wolves to pass, but nothing followed.


    Did I get them all?


    The three remaining wolves scurried ahead and ignored me.


    What? ¨C I thought confused.


    Then a thundering roar reverberated in the surroundings that broke the silence of the night and made birds nearby flee in desperation.


    Ugh! What is this?! ¨C I thought as I covered my ears with my palms.


    Then the earthen spears burst when a large jaw broke through and sent me flying followed by a sound of shattering glass. I rolled and bounced on the ground for a few meters before coming to a stop.


    ¡°Agh¡­¡± I moaned in pain as I lay on the ground, dirt covering my body.


    I managed to avoid death with the help of the sacrificial crystal I wore, but my body throbbed in pain, my mind faint, and my sight hazy.


    This¡­ is bad¡­


    Dread started creeping as my only insurance, the necklace, in avoiding immediate death is broken.


    I moved my head to the side to see a large four-legged beast with a height of two and a half meters: covered in scales, a large jaw, a body lowered to the ground, and a long thick tail. They were called Snapmaws. Snapmaws are species under the lesser earth drake category.


    What is that even doing here¡­ - I thought as I tried to move my limbs but failed.


    I started chanting as I lay on the ground hoping it won¡¯t notice me immediately while it ravaged its surroundings.


    O¡¯ ruler of light and darkness I beseech you,


    Let dark overshadow light, in the shadows I hide,


    Let light triumph over dark, Deceived their eyes become,


    Manifest, cloak of concealment.


    After finishing the chant, my body vanished from the surroundings.


    The Snapmaw trampled over trees and smashed everything the tails hits. It was mindlessly ravaging the area as it moves. Soon, the Snapmaw stopped and fell quietly on the ground.


    Huh? Is it¡­ dead? ¨C I thought ¨C Wait what¡¯s that?


    A long white object was sticking out on its side. After a few seconds, a large snake appeared from the background. It was a Cerastes, a Cerastes with one fang.


    The Cerastes unhesitantly opened its large mouth and started devouring the Snapmaw starting from its tail.


    With my mana running low, the concealment came undone, and my body reappeared. Luckily, the Cerastes was busy devouring the Snapmaw and could not spare me its attention. Forced to watch the scene with shallow breaths, hoping it¡¯d immediately end, I waited for it to devour the Snapmaw entirely.


    After devouring it whole, the Cerastes looked around and saw me. It started hissing as it tried to slowly back away.


    [Leave.] A voice commanded.


    This voice.


    But the cautious Cerastes sprung up its horns. Then it started to glow.


    [I gave you an option.] It spoke unperturbed.


    It happened in an instant. Countless black spears shot out from the shadows of the trees. In the next moment, the Cerastes fell to the ground lifelessly.


    I moved my head to the direction of the voice.


    What I saw was a deer, no, a doe, a pure white doe with antlers. Its antlers, imitating a tree branch, bore pink petals falling and sprouting continuously while the moon shone from its back. It was a mysterious yet majestic sight.


    [It has been a while O¡¯ child] It said sweetly.


    ¡°W-who¡­ are you?¡± I squeezed my voice.


    [Celes.]

 Chapter 12: Proving 2 – A Child and what used to be a Child

    [Celes]


    As soon she spoke her name, light gradually wrapped my body, it was warm, gentle, and comforting. Soon, the throbbing pain throughout eased, my wounds closed, the dirt vanished, and the blood cleaned. A healing magic, no, a compound magic of purify and high heal.


    ¡°Than-¡±


    Before I was able to finish, my body lifted from the ground and floated. I floated, then rotated until I faced the direction of Celes, then dropped on my two feet.


    ¡°T-thank you,¡± I said mystified by the events, but she did not reply and instead, stared at my being.


    I felt no sense of danger as she stared straight at me, in fact, I felt comfortable, I felt like I knew her somehow, or as if I¡¯m related to her in another way.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Where you the one who appeared in my dream?¡± I hesitantly asked.


    [That is not a dream.] She said as she took a step closer.


    ¡°Not a dream?¡± I said puzzled.


    [Yes.] She said unconcernedly as she started pacing around me. [Let me show you.]


    The surroundings suddenly blurred and immediately returned. Soon, I was standing on a water surface.


    ¡°I-is this real?¡± I said looking at my feet.


    Every step I took produced small ripples and yet, ¡°I¡¯m not sinking¡­¡±


    In my surroundings, a small portion of the water surface is visible; the rest was covered by mist.


    Where¡¯s Celes


    As soon as I thought, I sank deep into the water. Water rushed to my cheeks, my breath unintentionally released, and I opened my eyes ¨C it was dark, a deep abyss.


    I looked up to seek the light, but as soon as I saw, I was dragged deeper into the abyss. I tried to reach out my hands in an attempt to grab it, but it was futile, the light immediately disappeared, then my consciousness followed¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± I muttered.


    I opened my eyes to see my body leaning on a wooden wall on a street, the pavement riddled with water and mud, droplets of rain soaking my body.


    I opened my eyes to see my body leaning on a wall. The pavement riddled with water and the street lined with stalls sheltering people from the rain.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I looked around as I stood.


    Rattling carriages passed by scattering water and mud, the structures made by a mix of wood and cob, and the roofs thatched with sedges.


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    ¡°This place¡­ somehow feels familiar¡­¡± I muttered while walking down the streets unconcerned of the raindrops.


    I walked through the town with my destination as the walls surrounding it. Along the way, I found a church bearing the emblem of a familiar kingdom.


    ¡°That¡­ Isn¡¯t that the emblem of Brent?¡± I muttered astonished. ¡°But I was in Alabaster a few moments ago¡­ Could it be¡­ Transfer magic?¡±


    Transfer magic is possible but needs two magic circles in two different places with the exact same configuration. If not, the transfer would become random.


    As I contemplate about the reason why I am here, the rain became a downpour. This time, I ran to the nearest roofed structure to take shelter. By coincidence, I arrived at the town¡¯s Adventurer Guild.


    Contrary to my expectations, none seemed interested in me, who bore a silver hair. Not even a single glance or gaze was directed at me as if I was invisible.


    Huh? I haven¡¯t used any concealment magic. So why are they ignoring me? Although I couldn¡¯t care less but this feels different.


    I tried approaching a person and waved my hands in front of him, but to no avail did not he turn nor did he bother with his line of sight.


    ¡°Am I really invisible?¡± I asked the man, but no reply came.


    ¡°I guess they can¡¯t see or hear me, but I can touch them and feel that they are real,¡± I said as my sight wandered as I walk around the guild. ¡°Really, what is happening here?¡±


    As I exited the guild, I saw a girl running through the rain chasing a bunch of kids.


    ¡°W-wait! Please wait! Please return it!¡± The girl said. ¡°Please! Give it back!¡±


    Unfortunately, the girl fell down and the children got away.


    ¡°Uhuu¡­ Uhuu¡­¡± The girl sniffled.


    The girl wore what used to be a dress, it was tattered, covered in dirt, smeared with blood, bruises covered her short arms, her hair a mess and the color almost unrecognizable silver, and lastly a necklace, a sacrificial necklace, with two crystals shattered and with one remaining.


    My eyes opened wide upon realizing the girl before me, the girl that I used to be, the innocent and na?ve princess, none other than myself.


    ¡°Mama¡­ Papa¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± The girl continued crying.


    None of the passersby took notice of the girl.


    ¡°T-this can¡¯t be¡­¡± I muttered as I approached the crying girl with uneasy steps and trembling hands.


    I tried to prop the girl up, but for some reason, my hands passed through the girl and achieved nothing.


    I remember¡­ It was that time. That time that I sold my own necklace and wore Grandfathers'' instead. I sold the necklace in order to get funds to get the Lord of the town to treat Erina and the last knight that survived the journey back. Then, during the trip back to the Lord¡¯s mansion, I was robbed by the children of the gold I earned¡­


    ¡°Get out of the way, scum!¡± A fat-bellied man shouted as he kicked the girl in the stomach.


    ¡°Uuuu¡­¡± the girl whimpered as she balled herself trying to protect her stomach.


    ¡°!¡± I was surprised, surprised of what this man did to a princess of another kingdom.


    ¡°Hehe, die, you pitiful scum who disobeys the law of God!¡± He said as he approached the girl and raised his feet once more.


    Before he was able, to kick the girl again, I unconsciously drew the rapier and stabbed him in the chest.


    ¡°W-what.¡± The man grunted in surprise.


    Then blood started dripping from his mouth as he fell to the ground.


    ¡°¡±!¡±¡± The nearby citizens were surprised.


    ¡°The cleric!¡± a woman cried. ¡°Is he alive?!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s impossible! He¡¯s dead!¡± Another woman answered.


    ¡°T-that girl is cursed!¡± A man said as he pointed at the girl. ¡°Run!¡±


    As he fled, screams from the surrounding followed, then one by one, the citizens left.


    After a few minutes, the girl tried to stand by crawling on the ground.


    I¡­ I can¡¯t even help myself¡­


    As I watch myself crawling on the wet ground, my emotions started to turn colder and colder.


    ¡°Erina¡­ Gust¡­ Please wait for me¡­¡± The girl muttered as she slowly crawled with one arm and bleeding fingers.


    ¡°Aha, Ahaha, Ahahahaha¡± I laughed weakly. ¡°What is this, really, what is this¡­¡±


    Why do I have to go through this again¡­ Why¡­


    I thought as I gripped the rapier in my hand.


    Soon, a man covered in black garments approached the girl and drew his sword, but before he was able to finish drawing his sword, his head flew into the air. Then I kicked his body away and smashed the head with the guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so kind to let you get close you bastards¡± I muttered as I looked down on the body of the church¡¯s assassin.

 Chapter 13: Proving 3 - Amelias Horn

    Splash.


    Mud scattered in every step I took.


    ¡°Haaah¡­¡± I breathe out as I stood in the cold evening while the downpour incessantly continues.


    Before I was the girl who I used to be, on the ground begging, similar to an abandoned orphan dying on the streets, dirty, tattered, and weak.


    ¡°Please¡­ Help me¡­¡± The girl cried to every person that passed by stretching her small arms hoping for someone to reach out. ¡°I-I¡¯ll give you anything¡­ Everything I have¡­ So please¡­¡±


    Her tears long dried, masked by the raindrops, bearing the eyes of a person who lost hope in the world. Unfortunately, none approached to lend a helping hand.


    ¡°Ahaha¡­ I defended myself, but I ended up forsaking the help of others. Ahahaha.¡± I muttered in a low tone.


    Rumors quickly spread through the surroundings, as the mysterious event was witnessed by the nearby audience.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that different from what I used to be, do I?¡± I said as I approached another cleric of the church, spreading hate of the so-called child of the demons while I held the rapier drenched in water and blood.


    ¡°Demon huh¡­ I guess I¡¯m not that far off,¡± I muttered as I approached with neither hesitation nor haste. ¡±I¡¯ll play the part for you.¡±


    There was no need for me to use any magic, nor do I need to execute stances. I simply stab in the chest, slit their neck, or cut their heads off completely. It was anticlimactic, but every single time I swung the rapier another body falls to the ground. Surprised faces, blood spilling and mixing with rain, citizens screaming and fleeing, and abandoned stalls painted the surroundings. Nothing remained other than the droplets pouring from the sky.


    Soon a thin woman, bandaged on her right shoulder, sweating profusely, and with bags under her eyes, approached limping. She clasped the girl¡¯s outstretched hand and spoke.


    ¡°Your Highness, It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m still here.¡± She spoke softly and gently as if a mother found her missing child.


    A glint of hope returned to the girl¡¯s eyes as she saw the woman.


    ¡°Erina,¡± The girl returned a smile. ¡°Erina, you¡¯re okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. So please stand, your Highness. You need to take shelter.¡± She said as she used her left arm to try and prop the girl up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I-I can¡¯t, I¡¯m too weak...¡± The girl said after falling down on her knees, caught by Erina¡¯s bosom. ¡°They took everything... The money and food are gone. I¡­ Only have my body left¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, speak not those words. You¡¯re a princess, a child; you¡¯d bring shame to the kingdom.¡± She said in a stern manner. ¡°Worse, you¡¯ll become a slave with your status as a trophy. Your mother and father-¡±


    ¡°But what could I give? I have nothing left¡­¡± She cried. ¡°My title is nothing but a fancy name. I¡¯m just a worthless trophy¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Erina frowned as she embraced the girl with her left hand.


    ¡°Erina, I don¡¯t want to return¡­¡± She said as she buried her face deep into Erina¡¯s chest. ¡°I want to go back to the forest. I¡¯ll do anything, anything, Even if I have to offer my body, as long as I could bury and honor them. It doesn¡¯t matter if their bodies are rotting or if there are only ashes left. They can take my life, my body, but in exchange, I want to see them one last time...¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahaha¡­ Erina, weren¡¯t I na?ve? I¡¯m pathetic. I could have prevented this¡­¡± The girl spoke loathing. ¡°If only I have practiced the sword, studied magic, helped Mother and Father, and learned to doubt, but instead, I ate sweets, drank tea, played around, and achieved nothing. I¡¯m useless. I¡¯m unworthy of being called a princess.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you made people smile with your bright attitude.¡± She said as she strokes the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Everyone hoped that¡¯d you¡¯d continue being yourself and become a mother envied by everyone someday.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s useless¡­ I¡¯ve probably lost it.¡± The girl said sniffling. ¡°And who¡¯d want a useless princess? A Noble who wants my blood? A man who¡¯d use my authority? Someone who¡¯d lust over a child? A pervert who¡¯d make me a prostitute? Someone who¡¯d treat me as a slave? Erina¡­ I¡¯ve had enough. I¡­ Can no longer dream. I need to face reality¡­ I need to stop being na?ve¡­ I need to throw away who I was, but it¡¯s too late¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Erina listened silently.


    ¡°Aha, ahahaha, ahah¡­ Uhu¡­ Uhuhuu¡­¡± Then she cried continuously with a muffled voice. ¡°Erina! Erina. Erina¡­¡±


    I stood there silently, blankly watching the whole scene from a different view.


    How long has it been, since I¡¯ve lost it¡­


    <hr>


    After traversing the unusually quiet town, they reached the Lord''s mansion. The mansion''s gates were open, at the side of the walkway were bodies littered left and right.


    As soon as Erina saw this, she took the girl¡¯s hands and turned around to flee, but to her despair, thirteen black figures appeared one by one. From the roof, beside the trees, and from the corners.


    ¡°Erina¡­¡± The girl looked up to Erina and squeezed her hand tightly.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ll protect you even at the cost of my life,¡± Erina answered as she firmly grasped her hand.


    ¡°No, this should be my job.¡± A man from behind spoke. ¡°Erina, please lead her Highness into the mansion. The residents may be dead, but it¡¯s safer inside.¡±


    The man sporting red hair and brown eyes stood with one arm exposed, armor chipped, blood dripping from the head, bruises and cuts, and a sword in one hand.


    Erina nodded and rushed inside dragging the girl.


    ¡°Gust! P-please return!¡± The girl shouted before she disappeared into the mansion.


    Gust, the last Knight of Grandfather¡¯s guards returned a smile.


    ¡°I wish I could, your Highness.¡± Then he stood ready with his sword. ¡°I really hope that I could see our child being born, but I¡¯ll leave our child to your care, Erina. I hope she grows like her Highness.¡±


    He showed a lonely smile that made my thoughts resurface.


    This¡­ I never knew¡­ But Erina never told me that she was pregnant¡­ And she¡­ Never gave birth to a child¡­


    I thought astonished of the fact.


    Did her child die during her pregnancy? Then, in that case, it was during this time?! Then the reason why Erina wanted me to have a child so that she could take care of it is due to her longing for her lost child?! That¡­ I always thought that she was just teasing me¡­ I¡­ Was insensitive all this time¡­ How would I face her when I return¡­


    Then I looked towards Gust, prepared to offer his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Gust. This is my fault¡­¡± I spoke as I gripped the handle of the rapier. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry your child ended up dying before it was born. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    No matter what I said and no matter how close I spoke, Gust never heard me, nor did he see me.


    I guess it¡¯s useless¡­


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Haah¡­ I¡¯ll be fighting alongside you, Gust. It¡¯d be a great honor for the child you saved.¡± I said as I pointed the rapier forward. ¡°I won¡¯t let the life you offered be wasted.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± He reacted as soon as I finished speaking. ¡°T-that hair. That face. Is that¡­ you, your Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡°!¡±¡±


    Both the Assassins and I were startled with the unexpected occurrence.


    ¡°Wait, you can see me?¡± I said wide-eyed.


    ¡°Y-yes, you suddenly appeared, but you¡­ Are you really? You look older than you are.¡± He replied with disbelief painted over his face. ¡°Is this real?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± I answered as I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why am I here, or how did I get here.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± He grunted.


    ¡°Gust, we don¡¯t have the time to talk about it, but I want you to know, I lived and I grew old enough to be called an adult and that is all thanks to everyone¡¯s efforts, so this time please let me fight by your side.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Knowing that her Highness lived, I can finally burn out this last light of mine with ease.¡± He said smiling. ¡°Although I¡¯m doubtful, I¡¯ll believe your words for now. Show me how much you¡¯ve grown, your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to, Gust,¡± I said as I finally showed a slight smile once more.


    But I¡¯m sorry that your child was lost.


    Both Gust and I prepared our own stances. The assassins were kind enough to wait for us, probably thinking that there¡¯s no escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret that you showed me kindness,¡± I muttered.


    As soon as I finished speaking four assassins started sprinting with their daggers held with a backhand. They¡¯ve split their formation into two and passed both Gust and me from the side.


    Gust ignored the two assassins that passed us and sprinted towards the one on the right.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your tricks.¡± He said as he brandished his sword.


    On the other hand, I sprinted forward.


    ¡°Illusion magic with only dark affinity, quite a poor choice,¡± I muttered as I drew the dagger with my left.


    ¡°This is how you create illusions!¡± I shouted as I poured mana on the dagger.


    I have the crystal threads for extra mana so I can go all out!


    My image blurred, divided into three, and each drew the rapier close and dagger at the side. The assassin before me was startled while another three moved to assist. As the three assassins approached, their number increased to nine.


    ¡°I already told you it¡¯s a poor choice,¡± I muttered as I threw the dagger towards the first assassin and drew a shard from my pocket and flung it to the ground.


    The sound of the dagger deflected echoed followed by a blinding flash of light emitted from the broken shard. During that time, I stepped aside and ducked to avoid the incoming slash. While rising, I thrust the rapier and quickly removed it after it pierced the assassin¡¯s chest.


    Immediately, the two images I made that circled around the first moved towards the three remaining assassins. I followed after I picked up the dagger. Each assassin moved to intercept after the light vanished while confirming their illusion was lost.


    I drew another shard after I threw the dagger a second time, but this time, the images followed. One assassin stopped in his tracks to dodge the incoming daggers. I poured mana into the shard and tossed it to the second assassin immediately, while I along with the images moved towards the third.


    The first assassin dodged the incoming daggers. The second, wary of the shard, dodged instead, but at that moment, the shard exploded. It was a shard embedded with an incomplete magic circle. In return, the second lie unconscious.


    While the events occurred, I glanced at Gust taking down one assassin and subsequently taking on five.


    That¡¯s an elite knight for you, but he wouldn¡¯t last, not without support. I need to hurry.


    I and the images traded positions as we approached the third. On the other hand, the third threw one of his daggers and unfortunately passed through one of the images.


    Tsk.


    Afterward, he drew another dagger and prepared to throw, but this time, I used body reinforcement to increase my speed. He immediately changed his grip and moved.


    As soon as I was in range, I made the images do a diagonal slash on each side, but unfortunately, the assassin took on the slash and brandished his dagger towards me and delivered a diagonal slash.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that na?ve anymore!¡± I shouted as I ducked and moved forward past him and activated the fireball shard on my left. A fireball appeared in front of the assassin that made him squint for a moment. I swept his legs with a roundhouse as I turned. Then I delivered a thrust from his back as he fell.


    As soon as I drew the rapier, daggers flew from the remaining three unengaged assassins.


    ¡°Agh!¡± Wretched by the dagger stuck beside my stomach, I cried. In addition, the images vanished along with the unfortunate hit. ¡°Haaah¡­ This is bad¡­¡±


    In contrast, I expressed a slight smile.


    ¡°Haah¡­ It¡¯s warm.¡± I muttered as I placed my left arm over my bleeding stomach after the dagger fell to the ground. ¡°But not yet. Not here.¡±


    It isn¡¯t too deep thanks to the Wyvern leather¡­


    After the three confirmed the hit, they proceeded to enter the mansion. On the other hand, Gust had already taken down two out of the five assassins on his side.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± He shouted as he saw the assassins enter the mansion¡¯s premises while fending off the other three.


    I won¡¯t let you!


    I, on the other hand, moved towards the mansion, but the first assassin, holding the dagger I threw, came running towards me. He poured mana into the dagger in order to activate the magic I recently used to create illusions. Immediately, his image blurred and divided into three.


    ¡°Fool.¡± I smiled at the action he took.


    I calmly walked towards him while holding my side. Soon, the assassin lost his balance, dropped the dagger, images vanished, and was forced to kneel while holding his head.


    ¡°Pouring in mana with dark affinity into a magic that requires light and dark, you never learn do you?¡± I spoke as I swung the rapier slitting his neck open.


    I picked up the fallen dagger, sheathed it, approached the unconscious assassin, and stabbed him in the chest.


    ¡°Gust! I¡¯ll be going inside!¡± I shouted as I ran through the gate.


    ¡°Leave this to me! Go and save her Highness!¡± He replied as he received another cut from another assassin while taking another one down.


    His skin¡­


    ¡°Cough!¡± I coughed blood while moving. ¡°Haha. Of course, poison, how could I forget? If only the potion didn¡¯t break recently¡­¡±


    The poison started to take effect. My heartbeat gradually slowed, my skin started to pale, my footsteps became heavy, and the feeling on my stomach numbed.


    This is nothing! Move!


    I forcefully used reinforcement magic to increase my pace.


    [That¡¯s it Amelia, more, do it more.] Blinded by anxiety, panic, and haste, I dismissed the message from Celes. During that time, I didn¡¯t notice it, the growth.


    Little by little, a light feeling emerged deep within my chest, it was warm and comfortable. Soon, my pace quickened despite the heavy weight burdening my body. My hair fluttered and displayed a subtle glow under the gentle moonlight.


    This feeling¡­ what is this?


    Having no time to contemplate, I dismissed the thought as I entered the main entrance of the mansion. What welcomed me were furniture littered on the ground and the dead bodies of servants.


    They are truly disgusting.


    Included among the bodies was the Lord¡¯s daughter who was about my age five years ago.


    Relying on my memory, I moved towards the stairs leading to the second floor, aiming for the library, but before I reached it, two assassins appeared, one on top of the stairs and the other at the opposite side of the hall. Both of them immediately engaged. The one on top threw a dagger and slid down the railings; while the other sprinted after he released his own.


    I sidestepped to dodge the first and swatted the second with the rapier, but still, a dagger bit on my left shoulder.


    I didn¡¯t expect him to throw his last.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± I breathed heavily as my left arm went limp. ¡°I still have life left in me!¡±


    I shouted as I stepped forward, lowered my body, and delivered a slash powered by reinforcement. The rapier overpowered and directed the dagger then bit into the assassin¡¯s shoulder and stuck itself just before the center of the chest. Followed by the successful slash was my body rolling on the floor after receiving a kick.


    ¡°Cough!¡± I coughed another fit of blood as my body hit the nearby table.


    The assassin approached after picking up a dagger, raised his hand, and delivered a stab on my stomach.


    A searing pain wretched my whole body, but I bit my lip till it bled to prevent myself from screaming while I drew the dagger from my side and stabbed the assassin by the neck. Then, the assassin¡¯s body fell on top of me and slightly pushed the dagger deeper.


    I gritted my teeth tightly and closed my eyes to endure the agonizing pain. After enduring, I pushed the dead body aside, reached for the table¡¯s leg, and propped myself against it.


    ¡°Haaahhh¡­ Haaahhh¡­¡± I breathe slowly and deeply.


    I held the dagger¡¯s hilt and prepared myself for another round of a never ending pain.


    It¡¯s miracle I¡¯m still alive despite all this¡­ Really¡­ what am I made of?


    I thought before I pulled the dagger out of my stomach, followed by a deep crimson blood.


    Ahh¡­ look at all this blood go.


    During this time, my sense of pain started to numb, my body felt colder and colder, and my eyelids started to get heavy.


    I can¡¯t¡­ There¡¯s one more¡­


    I forced my body to stand with the help of reinforcement then drew the dagger stuck on the assassin¡¯s neck, and retrieved the rapier. I slowly climbed the stairs while supporting my body with my right arm. Blood dripped in every step I took slowly chipping away what¡¯s left of me.


    At the hallway towards the library, I accidentally passed by a mirror and saw my image, an image I never imagined to be possible. It portrayed my image, drenched in blood, and a silver hair with a dim glow. But what made it look impossible was the horn, no, the antler, a single antler at the right side of my head. The antler was not ordinary; it looked similar to what Celes had, a tree branch without the pink petals continuously growing.


    I stared at my own image for a few seconds until I heard the sound of books dropping on the floor.


    Erina!


    I dismissed the thought and hastened my pace towards the library. When I arrived, the shelves leaned on each other while the books piled on the floor. On one end was Erina passing through the opening between the shelves while the assassin waited on top of the shelf.


    The assassin jumped down after she revealed herself from the opening.


    ¡°Above!¡± I shouted as I drew the rapier while moving.


    Erina, startled by my shout, looked to my direction instead.


    No! Not here!


    ¡°Y-your High-¡± Wide eyed, she ignored my advice, and in return, she was stabbed, stabbed on her stomach.


    No!


    I rushed ahead without a care for my well-being. Unusually, everything seemed slow while my movements stayed the same. Without minding the details I took each step as if they lasted more than a few seconds.


    Faster! Faster!


    As soon I entered within range, I thrust the rapier and slammed my body as it pierced the assassin¡¯s body. When everything returned to normal, Erina was looking at me with eyes of disbelief as she lay on the floor with a dagger stuck.


    ¡°Erina.¡± I reached out to her as I lay on top of the assassin. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Tears dropped from my eye as I continued repeating those words.


    When she reached out to my hand, I felt at ease.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening, but it¡¯s fine your Highness.¡±


    ¡°But, but¡­ Your baby¡­¡±


    ¡°Knowing that you are concerned is good enough for me, but from now on, please let me treat you as my daughter.¡± She smiled sincerely despite the sadness within her eyes.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. No matter what happens, you¡¯d always be my second mother.¡± I returned a genuine smile that I¡¯ve always kept within myself.


    Slowly, my eyelids closed, I tried to keep it open, but the cold and heavy feeling was too much for me.


    I¡¯m sorry¡­


    ¡°Your High-¡±


    ¡°You-¡±


    Erina¡¯s voice was drowned as I sank deep into the abyss.


    [You can rest now Amelia.] Celes¡¯s sweet voiced echoed as I entered my deep slumber.

 Chapter 14: Proving 4 - Deep Slumber

    Chirp! Chirp!


    A gentle morning breeze blew as the birds sang in a joyful chorus along the soft rustling leaves creating a peaceful harmony. The butterflies danced to the tune encircling a woman, gently and playfully swaying her arms as she took each step bare-footed, humming and dancing in a simple yet charming black one-piece dress.


    She gradually stopped, allowed the butterflies to take refuge in her outstretched hand, and gently brought it closer to admire its artistically stained wings as it rested.


    ¡°This one¡¯s new,¡± She assessed the pattern on the butterfly¡¯s wings with a light smile.


    That very woman, ¡°Amelia, here she goes,¡± was me.


    I lightly flicked my hand before turning around to release the butterfly. What I saw was small child slowly treading towards my direction. I lowered my body, kneeled, and opened my arms wide enough to welcome the child.


    ¡°You can do it, Lara, just a little more.¡± I expressed with a warm and gentle atmosphere as I welcome Lara, my first-born child. ¡°There we go.¡± I held her tiny arms as soon as she was within reach and brought her closer; I then placed my arms beneath her armpits and picked her up. ¡°My cute little Lara could finally walk steadily,¡± I said as I nuzzled my nose against hers. ¡°You like this don¡¯t you?¡± I asked while she replied with a giggle.


    ¡°My cute little Lara could finally walk steadily,¡± I said as I nuzzled my nose against hers. ¡°You like this don¡¯t you?¡± I asked while she replied with a giggle.


    ¡°Both of you sure like each other too well.¡± A tall man with wrinkles sporting silver hair spoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural?¡± I replied as I placed my forehead against Lara¡¯s. ¡°And Grandfather, you dote on Lara too much.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha. Why it¡¯s my great-granddaughter!¡± He chuckled heartily. ¡°And aren¡¯t you the same Amelia?¡±


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t compare me to either you or Father,¡± I replied facing his direction. ¡°I spend proper time with Lara, mindful of not overdoing it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He grunted in silence.


    ¡°Please forgive me, your Majesty.¡± A girl arrived with a child in tow and gave a proper curtsy.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, Erina. Let¡¯s be casual like we used to.¡± I replied as I brought Lara down back to the ground. ¡°Go on, Lara, you can play with Lily.¡± I urged my daughter to play with Erina¡¯s. ¡°Grandfather can yo-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll look after them.¡± He cut off with a grin.


    I nodded in response and waved my hand in their direction as they left. ¡°Take care.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the tea is ready,¡± Ria, my maidservant called.


    ¡°Thank you, Ria, we will shortly follow,¡± I replied. ¡°Erina, please join me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be my pleasure, your Majesty.¡±


    We walked down the pavement till we reached an open alcove. I took a seat from one of the available chairs and directed my hand towards the seat in front. ¡°Please take a seat,¡± Then Erina sat down.


    ¡°So how is Lily nowadays?¡± I started asking as Mira placed teacups on the table and poured the tea.


    ¡°She¡¯s currently taking lessons to become her Highness¡¯s maidservant,¡± She replied. ¡°Her progress has been well.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± I spoke as I raised the cup of tea and took a sip. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be expecting their relationship to become similar to ours.¡±


    ¡°I wish not, your Majesty.¡± She replied troubled while wearing a light smile. ¡°How about her Majesty? Have you any other concerns?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I thought for a bit. ¡°I guess there is one recent concern of mine.¡±


    ¡°What could it be?¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± I breathe out as I placed my fingers on my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m quite troubled with his Majesty lately,¡± I spoke with a hint of exhaustion. ¡°Lately, he¡¯s been trying to challenge me over and over again to one of his nonsense trials he imposed on himself.¡±


    ¡°Whatever do you mean your Majesty?¡± Erina asked in wonder.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± I spoke meekly. ¡°Intercourse.¡±


    ¡°!¡± Erina, who was drinking tea, almost spat in response. ¡°Cough! Cough! Cough!¡± She coughed loudly to the side.


    ¡°Y-your Majesty, is it fine to speak of such?¡± Confused, she asked after fixing herself. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his Majesty be upset once he learns that you spoke of it in the presence of your servants?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± I waved my hand to dismiss the thought. ¡°Even though he took it as a challenge, he never once achieved anything. Well, other than making me conceive for the second time, there is none,¡± I narrated. "Actually, it''s kind of frustrating. He starts out energetic at first, but he immediately passes out after a few rounds. Really, it''s a shame that the King loses out to his own Queen." I groaned slightly.


    ¡°T-then, your Majesty, how long has it been since your last?¡± She asked with her smile twitching slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost three months since the last,¡± I answered as I placed a hand over my stomach. ¡°Soon, Lara would become an elder sister.¡± I gently smiled.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Would you prefer it to be a male?¡±


    I shook my head in denial. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter to me at least. What matters is that the child is born safely. Besides, his Majesty still has a lot of life in him; it wouldn¡¯t be long before I give birth to an heir to the throne.¡±


    ¡°But haven¡¯t you and his Majesty started out a bit late?¡± She asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t he troubled?¡±


    ¡°Considering that I¡¯m twenty and it took us two years before we were able to work it out after the arranged marriage, I guess it¡¯s fine?¡± I said nonchalantly. ¡°In particular, we have yet to encounter any problem lately, other than the problem with some of the aristocrats who have yet to accept the previous King¡¯s abdication.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    ¡°In any case, how are you and Gust in Laurel?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There had been no problems,¡± She replied.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I said while I took another sip of the tea.


    [Isn¡¯t this what you wished for?] Suddenly a voice echoed within my head.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Erina asked surprised. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± She asked lending me a handkerchief.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I was confused by Erina¡¯s worried expression and sudden action, but I unconsciously reached for the handkerchief she lent me. As I reached for it, Erina continued. ¡°Your Majesty, your tears.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Tears?¡± I felt my cheeks and realized that I was unconsciously tearing up.


    [Are you fine with this Amelia?] The voice once again reverberated.


    Yes, I¡¯m fine with this. Yes, this is how it was meant to be, how I hoped it to be. There¡¯s nothing that I¡¯d hate, neither is there anything that I¡¯d regret. But¡­


    Increasingly worried, Ria and Mira who was nearby, approached.


    But it feels wrong. It doesn¡¯t feel right. What is it? What was it? What made it feel wrong?


    Crack! A sound of something breaking entered my ears, apparently, I was the only one who heard it.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Worried and hesitant they chose to keep quiet while they wait for me to speak. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered waving my hand lightly to appease them.


    No, it¡¯s not fine. Is this how it is? Did I forget something?


    Crack! Crack!


    ¡°Amelia¡­ Would you leave us?¡± Erina suddenly spoke differently. ¡°Would you leave Lara alone?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°I can never lea-¡± I stopped and wondered.


    Wait, Lara? Who¡¯s Lara? My¡­ Daughter? When did I¡­


    I faced Ria and Mira¡¯s direction wide-eyed while tears streamed down my cheeks.


    ¡°Ria¡­ and Mira¡­¡± I spoke with my quivering lips. ¡°You were¡­¡±


    Why are they here? Shouldn¡¯t they be¡­ dead?


    Crack! Ria and Mira¡¯s faces fractured as if they wore masks.


    ¡°¡­¡± They kept quiet as they waited.


    And so is Grandfather¡­ I thought. Queen? Huh? I¡¯m a Queen? Weren¡¯t I a princess? Wasn¡¯t my engagement canceled after-


    Pain ran through my head, forcing me clutch it with my hands, hoping that it¡¯d stop. After the pain subsided slightly, my thoughts continued to run wild.


    Yes, that day. When I came to the library after hiding, I found Erina lying on the floor drenched in blood, but her wounds were missing. I moved my sight towards Erina as I thought about it. Lily? Erina never had a child, no, she had it, but lost it. Gust? He died of poison after he miraculously fended off the assassins alone, that is, how I remembered it, but¡­


    [You were there yourself, Amelia.] The voice added.


    Yes, I was there. I¡­ Saved myself? Wait, was that possible?


    [Of course.]


    Before I realized, everything had stopped. The wind, the leaves, the butterflies, Erina, Ria, Mira, everything stopped. As time stood still, the number of cracks and fractures gradually increased, leaving fragments on the floor.


    And after that, the town was quiet, dead silent, a ghost town. The citizens¡­ were dead, massacred, left on the ground, rotting. I narrated as my memories flooded. The town that vanished, the unfortunate town ravaged by the demonic child. That, at least, is how the church portrayed it.


    I raised my head; sitting on the chair, and observed, observed how every single object within my sight crack, fracture, and then shatter into countless fragments before they fell to the ground like gravel and dust.


    While everything shattered into dust, a dark abyss dwelled beyond the cracks, an abyss that slowly crept from the cracks and slowly collected the fragments.


    Then two days passed, while Erina scavenged the mansion for edible food, they arrived. I recounted. The royalty of Brent, they arrived, shocked, confused, bewildered, and frustrated of what¡¯s left of the town. Nevertheless, they proceeded to take me in and asked for information. Then what was it? Ah, yes¡­ I begged them. Begged them to help me recover Grandfather¡¯s and everyone else¡¯s remains.


    Gradually, the creeping abyss produced black vine like objects and increased the pace of devouring the fragments.


    Then they accepted my request without any qualms. They were originally neutral regarding the races and did not always have a friendly relationship with the church. In addition, they needed to keep face, to me, to Laurel, as an apology for allowing such a horrendous event to happen within their land.


    I thought as I reminisce the past.


    But, it was useless, when we arrived, the forest was gone. What was left was blackened trees, everything else, was burned down to ashes. ¡¯Impossible¡¯ I repeatedly denied and cried out as I took it in. I tried to grab every single ash remaining from the ground, whether it was ash from the plants or trees it didn¡¯t matter. It was the last straw, I snapped, I went mad, scraped the dirt without care, my fingers bled, my pain, my emotions numbed, and my vision clouded. After that¡­


    I stopped while I waited, stared into the abyss and let the dark objects devour me.


    Slap! A loud and painful sound rang inside the chamber, and rather than be confused, I was thankful for it.


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting the lives offered to save you, Amelia.¡± Slap! Another slap was delivered to my face.


    It was Erina. She saved me. Rather than comfort me, sympathize with me, please me, or flatter me. She despised me. She even stopped calling me with respect.


    Slap! ¡°Does it hurt, Amelia?¡± She asked as she delivered another slap that threw me off. ¡°Do you wish to die?¡± Slap! ¡°Tell me, do you? This pain that you¡¯re feeling, it does not amount to the pain that everyone suffered for you, it¡¯s not even a fragment of it.¡± She declared looking at me with disgust.


    ¡°You were right, you¡¯re not a princess, you¡¯re even worse, an insect, no, a scum.¡± She kept talking as she mercilessly delivered slap after slap.


    ¡°I¡¯ve hoped that you¡¯d stand up and take responsibility on their behalf, or continue living like what they hoped to achieve by taking their lives to the grave,¡± She spoke looking down at me while my lips bled and my were cheeks swollen. ¡°But you disappointed me. I will never serve under a royal who can¡¯t keep her feet standing on her own.¡±


    Then the sound of footsteps approached followed by a sound. Slap!


    ¡°You!¡± It was Mother who happened to arrive at my chamber and witness the last portion of the scene. ¡°How dare you!¡± Enraged, Mother slapped Erina without any hint of caution. ¡°I¡¯ve entrusted my child to you and this is what I would witness?!¡± She shouted wearing an expression I had never seen even once in my life. ¡°Guards! Take her away!¡± She hollered as the guards entered and took Erina forcefully by the hand. ¡°You¡¯d be privately executed tonight under the sentence of high treason.¡± She declared.


    ¡°¡­¡± Erina, who was taken away, was completely silent.


    ¡°Servants! Call for the doctors! Post haste!¡± She bellowed as she approached then brought me closer for an embrace. ¡°Amelia, I¡¯m sorry, I had let my guard down, but don¡¯t worry, her actions would not be forgiven.¡±


    ¡°M-mo¡­ ther¡­¡± I moved my lips and forced myself to speak.


    ¡°!¡± Surprised that I finally spoke after two days of silence since I entered this chamber, Mother teared up. ¡°Amelia¡­ your voice, at last, I could hear it again¡­¡± She expressed a warm and gentle smile. ¡°Go on, you may ask me anything, everything, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Mo¡­ ther¡­¡± I repeated. ¡°Eri¡­ na¡­ Please¡­. For¡­ give¡­¡± I spoke in a slow and broken manner.


    ¡°What?¡± Mother returned a confused expression after hearing my wish. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ For¡­ give¡­ for¡­give¡­ Erina¡­¡° I repeated over and over, as tears built up, while a tiny shred of life returned to my deep and empty eyes.


    That day I was able to convince Mother to let Erina continue living as my maidservant. It was also a day that I started thinking about the efforts that everyone offered to me. The day, I took responsibility, the day that I could proudly say that I started becoming a true royal.


    Slowly I raised my heavy eyelids.

 Chapter 15: Proving 5 - Moon Child

    When I opened my eyes, I was met with a feeling of being afloat. What welcomed my sight was my own naked knees and thighs, and my body curled like an infant. As I raised my head I saw silver threads, scattered, and freely flowing in every direction, as if submerged underwater. Beyond the silver threads, was an uneven crystalline like semi-transparent mirrors. Beyond it, a gentle blue light glows dimly.


    Curious, I slowly stretched my body and let my toes feel the ground before carefully planting my feet. As I stood firmly, I started to approach the mirror. I reached out my right and gently pressed with my fingers.


    Gradually, my fingers went through the mirror and produced ripples on its surface. Feeling no sense of danger, I proceeded through the crystalline mirror.


    As I went through the crystalline mirror, a thin membrane emerged from its surface, weaved itself and started to cover parts of my body that passed through the mirror, forming a slightly transparent, simple yet beautiful, charming yet bold white dress.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± Celes spoke wearing a smile, clothed in a similar yet profound dress emitting a light glow that made it look mythical. ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for two weeks now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Rather than give a reply, I stared in silence dumbfounded by her appearance. It was different. It was not like how I first met her as a doe with branch-like antlers, but now, she looked not far from a human. If not for her two antlers above her head, I would¡¯ve thought that she was human. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm? Is there anything wrong?¡± She asked as she moved her head from one side to another. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re surprised by my appearance?¡± She asked playfully.


    I nodded in silence.


    Her appearance goes too well with her dress at a height of around 165 centimeters. She bore an ample chest, porcelain white skin, deep blue eyes, and a silver hair. It wouldn¡¯t be far off to say that she was a Goddess.


    I wish I had a chest like that... An out of place thought of mine.


    ¡°Ufufufufu.¡± She giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, yours still have a lot of time to grow, but if you¡¯d like I could at least teach you how to make them look big.¡±


    Did she just read my mind?!


    ¡°P-please?¡± I unconsciously answered. ¡°N-no, please forget I said that¡­¡±


    ¡°Ufufu. This is truly a refreshing feeling,¡± She said wearing a bright expression. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll let you ask questions,¡± She spoke while she lightly raised her hand as if calling something from the ground to rise, and that expectation was not betrayed. Large crystals sprouted from the ground creating a non-conventional yet luxurious seat. ¡°Go ahead,¡± She pointed at the empty seat that rose from behind me.


    ¡°What are you?¡± I asked as I took a seat. ¡°I first met you as a doe, but now you¡¯re in a human form, but you still have those antlers above your head.¡±


    ¡°Let me get this straight, I¡¯m neither part of a race nor am I an intelligent beast.¡± She spoke without her smile breaking even for a moment. ¡°At best a unique being would fit?¡±


    ¡°A unique being?¡± I questioned. ¡°Are you not a Goddess?¡±


    ¡°A Goddess huh,¡± She pondered. ¡°I¡¯ve never considered myself as one, nor have I thought about it. But if you¡¯d base it in terms of ability, I guess you can call me one. Wait, I guess that¡¯s wrong too. I guess a demi-god would be the best fit.¡±


    Why is she so carefree?


    Surprisingly, I was not too astonished of the fact. Maybe it was because I thought that she did things without even chanting, which I find outrageous. ¡°Then what is a demi-god doing here?¡± I followed.


    ¡°One reason is to weed out harmful and foreign elements in this world, and the other one is to meet you.¡± She said without a shred of malice. ¡°And oh, mind you, I¡¯m just too elated of the current events that I¡¯m feeling quite intoxicated.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Amelia, did you know? That this world was long abandoned by the Gods that created it?¡±


    My eyes went wide of the revelation that Celes nonchalantly spoke of despite ignoring my question.


    ¡°Well, there are countless reasons to justify their actions, but let¡¯s just say that this world is a failure. The first world, where the Gods pitched in on their own ideas creating a diversified world called Origin.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I silently listened.


    ¡°Specifically, the Gods abandoned it after they gave up on the issues that sprang up between the races.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t Gods all powerful?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Amelia, they may be Gods, powerful enough to create a world, but they are not omnipotent,¡± She answered. ¡°Even the Gods have a system that they have to work around with.¡±


    ¡°System?¡±


    ¡°Frankly, I have no idea, since, in the first place, I too was created by the Gods,¡± She said tilting her head. ¡°Just think of it like this. If the humans have what you call a human God, then Gods also have someone above them, which they themselves do not know who, although they have an idea, it never came to fruition.¡±


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°In any case, there are also limits placed on the Gods which limited their intervention to this world, which is why beings like me were created.¡± She continued. ¡°Those beings worked under the commands of their respective God, but due to the Gods¡¯ selfishness to save only the race they created, hate grew between them. In the end, they were in a deadlock, until a God proposed to abandon this world and respectively create their own without intervening with each other.¡±


    ¡°Then, the human God is gone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he went somewhere and probably created a world where only humans live.¡±


    ¡°Probably?¡± I repeated with an unsatisfied expression.


    ¡°Amelia, I may have lived for millions of years, but I¡¯ve never left this world,¡± She added. ¡°Nor did I hear anything from the Gods since then.¡±


    ¡°Then, for what purpose were you created?¡± I followed up the question.


    ¡°I serve as this world¡¯s moon, a guardian.¡± She said.


    ¡°The moon?¡± Not being able to process her ridiculous statement I wore a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Yes, the moon, but of course, this current body of mine is not entirely physical. This world would have long been destroyed if my physical vessel descended.¡± She giggled. ¡°For my purpose, it¡¯s basically weeding out the harmful foreign materials that enter this world.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Remember that I said that the Gods abandoned this world? Well, not entirely.¡± She said. ¡°There were Gods that thought that this world would serve as a reference, but some thought that it¡¯s a complete failure and thought of erasing it instead.¡±


    In that case¡­


    ¡°Yes, I was created to defend this world from those Gods who wished to eliminate it, but it does not include what the residents of this world do by itself. It does not matter to me if the races of this world went extinct due to their own actions. Well, giving every detail regarding my purpose in this world would take too long so let¡¯s proceed to your next question.¡±


    Even though I still have a lot of questions¡­


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to know everything immediately.¡± She smiled and leaned her face on the palm of her right hand.


    ¡°You, can you really read my mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and there goes your second question.¡± She said as she crossed her legs.


    Ah¡­ Well, she¡¯s right. There¡¯s no point of knowing everything immediately.


    ¡°Then for the last question,¡± I said as Celes waited excitedly. ¡°What am I?¡± As soon as I asked, Celes raised her slight smile to a wide one.


    That time, I had a horn, and I would¡¯ve surely died if I was an ordinary human.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked, Amelia, my child, my kin,¡± She said gazing at me warmly. ¡°For the first time, I finally had a child who I could live without qualms!" She continued. ¡°Aahh¡­ This is so exciting, so exhilarating!¡± She gleefully stated as she stood from her seat, lightly prancing. ¡°Finally, someone I could freely talk to throughout these millions of years!¡±


    I sat there silently, trying to think of how I became a daughter of a demi-god.


    ¡°Celes, I¡­ Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m like what you thought to be?¡± I disturbed.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She faced my direction with her unfaltering smile. ¡°Ah, yes, of course, you wouldn¡¯t know about it.¡± She nodded repeatedly. ¡°Amelia, you know that bearing a silver hair is quite rare right?¡±


    I nodded.


    If that is the case then the past royals of Laurel would have been counted as one, but from what she said, it was the first¡­


    ¡°Strictly speaking, you are the first to reach this stage,¡± She answered my thoughts. ¡°And yes, the royals of Laurel has my blood, but that¡¯s only limited to those with silver hair,¡± She continued. ¡°And even if they bore silver hair, it doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re my kin. There are conditions for the horn to grow, which you happen to achieve, well, with my help at least.¡±


    ¡°What are those conditions?¡± I immediately asked. ¡°And why am I the first to meet those? And why help only me?¡±


    ¡°Take it easy Amelia,¡± she said. ¡°The first is, of course, to bear the silver hair. The second is to attain a light and dark affinity, which you clearly achieved on your own.¡±


    ¡°But why light and dark? Doesn¡¯t light and dark specialize in illusions? What does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Amelia. Light and dark are not entirely for illusions, although I have already shown you the peak of illusions.¡±


    ¡°Peak of illusions?¡± I wondered.


    ¡°You saw it right? That fake reality I made while you slumbered. Didn¡¯t it feel real to you? It¡¯s amazing, right? It can even manipulate memories to a certain degree. An ability that enables you to create your own closed reality.¡± She said while smiling mischievously.


    That¡­ Could I have rema- I shook my head to dismiss the thought. It¡¯s okay, at least I get to see their smiling faces, and besides, they are waiting for me¡­


    ¡°Heeeeh¡­ Yep, that¡¯s good.¡± She said. ¡°Well, continuing on, the peak of light and dark is basically, life and death.¡± She nonchalantly said. ¡°But that¡¯s something you might never achieve anyway, so let¡¯s not discuss it any further.¡±


    Yes, I don¡¯t think pursuing magic that manipulates life and death would suit me.


    ¡°But why is it light and dark?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what the moon represent, light in the darkness, life, death, and rebirth.¡± She casually answered.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Is that all?


    ¡°Now for the third and last condition,¡± I listened silently. ¡°It¡¯s encountering death numerous times.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Death?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been living close to death all this time, so I guess you¡¯ve got a little used to it.¡± She said chuckling. ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed it? Ever since you were born you¡¯ve always had a near-death experience to the point that I¡¯d call it pitiful, hilarious even.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Remember what your father told you when you were young? How about those five years stay in Academia? The time I found you on the ground near a Snapmaw and a Cerastes? Lastly, the time that I sent you back in time so you could save yourself?¡± She recounted with a wide smile. ¡°All of those amounted to what you are now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. Was I really sent back in time?¡±


    ¡°What? It hasn¡¯t sunk into you yet?¡± She pondered. ¡°I guess that¡¯s something no human probably thought of trying to achieve, so I guess you really can¡¯t believe it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it happened, and I made it so you wouldn¡¯t be visible when near your past self.¡±


    So that¡¯s why¡­


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then, I am no longer a human?¡±


    ¡°You are and not at the same time.¡± She immediately replied. ¡°Currently, you¡¯re more human than a moon child. It depends on you whether you¡¯d let your horns grow and lose your identity as a human and become a moon child, or live as a slightly above average human.¡±


    ¡°What happens if I let it grow and lose my humanity?¡± I curiously asked.


    Although that¡¯s something I¡¯d rather avoid¡­


    ¡°To be honest, I want you to let your horns grow, lose your humanity, and reach the stage of immortality.¡± She said with a hint of sorrow in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a selfish wish of mine, to have my own family despite being immortal, and as a being who¡¯s originally not supposed to have a kin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to? Then how did y-¡±


    ¡°I committed taboo out of envy and curiosity.¡± She said as she stared at me without the trace of her previous attitude.


    ¡°I¡¯m so-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the time to hear it, but it¡¯s something that happened a long time ago.¡± She reminisced.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± She said after immediately switching back to her previous state. ¡°It¡¯d be best if you try it yourself, you¡¯d be surprised even if your horn¡¯s just recently sprouted.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± I answered unsure of how to respond.


    ¡°One more thing, there¡¯s a threshold for you to reach immortality, which is when the petals begin to fall from your horn.¡± Then she approached. ¡°To let it grow, just let it bask in the moonlight.¡±


    ¡°But how do I let it appear?¡± I said as I cupped the right side of my head and looked up to her. ¡°Did I somehow lose it?¡±


    ¡°Yours has yet to manifest physically, so you have to control it like this.¡± She said as she placed right hand on my head. I felt something rushing towards my head, filling a vessel of sorts.


    Is this, mana?


    ¡°Yes, just control your mana and let it fill the gap. Once it¡¯s filled, your horn would appear.¡±


    As the gap was filled with mana, I started to feel lighter, my senses sharper, and my sight clear even in the dark.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°But beware, Amelia, once you¡¯ve turned, you can no longer give birth.¡± She warned. ¡°Even the taboo I committed is impossible for you.¡±

 Chapter 16: Proving 6 - The not so Calm Days Before the Lightning Storm

    It has been five days, no, five days and nights since I woke up from my slumber.


    ¡°I told you, don¡¯t think! Don¡¯t use your common sense!¡± Celes shouted as she pointed her finger at me, standing above the lake¡¯s surface.


    Yes, it has been five days and nights. Twenty four hours straight of trai- no, torture, yes, torture.


    ¡°It¡¯s. Not. That. Easy!¡± I replied while I try to balance myself above water. ¡°At least let me rest! I may be fine physically thanks to the link, but I can¡¯t take everything mentally!¡± I cried. ¡°Please! Naps are not enough!¡±


    These past few days, I have been training under Celes continuously. Normally, it¡¯d be impossible to train without a proper rest, but a human¡¯s common sense doesn¡¯t work on a being on the level of a God.


    It¡¯s impossible. I already gave up¡­ I thought in despair. I feel like something is slowly dying inside me¡­


    ¡°No! You¡¯re not resting until you finish this course!¡± She replied.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± I breathe out. ¡°I can do it now you know¡­¡±


    ¡°You can do it, but that¡¯s just standing above water. You start sinking the longer you stay,¡± She pointed out. ¡°Use my mana unsparingly, that way, you can familiarize yourself with control.¡± She continued. ¡°I won¡¯t be lending my mana after the training. So grab this chance!¡±


    ¡°I am!¡± I said as I started sprinting while forcibly pouring mana under my feet. ¡°But isn¡¯t this absurd?!¡± I shouted while I erratically move my sight on the water¡¯s surface. ¡°It would have been easy if you¡¯re not attackiii-!¡± I was cut off by a large column water suddenly erupting at front.


    Concentrate! Pour! Mold! Then Compress!


    I slipped through pillar instead of dodging. Before I slipped inside, I formed a small layer of mana in front to act as a barrier.


    Heavy! I thought as I felt the torrent of water against the barrier, squinting my eyes. But not yet!


    After passing through the pillar, I concentrated mana on my feet and let it spread thinly to act as a foothold. After I landed, I formed another barrier around me.


    Immediately after the barrier formed, water on my left and right sides erupted. It erupted with a force enough to slowly crush me in between.


    Just keep on pouring! Then reform!


    I continuously repaired the mana wall.


    It would have been better if I could process this mana into actual magic barriers!


    ¡®Familiarize yourself with the flow, learn to mold it as if you¡¯re breathing, and learn to compress it to form an object.¡¯ Was what Celes suggested.


    Before I was crushed in between the torrent of water, I moved forward to let the crushing force propel me forward by using the barrier.


    Success! I thought as I started sprinting again after escaping.


    As I ran, thin pillars shot out of the water randomly. I twisted my body to the right, to avoid the pillar to my left. Quickened my pace to get ahead of another. Halted and changed direction to avoid the one in front.


    When the pillars died down, the water surface started trembling.


    Not this again!


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡± She responded.


    As soon as she finished, the water started gathering in three spots around me. As it sucks water in its surroundings violently, three towers slowly emerged.


    ¡°These giant tentacles again!¡± I protested as the towers gradually increased in height.


    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s because you love it soooooo much!¡± She said smiling brightly from a distance. ¡°It¡¯s a special service!¡±


    ¡°Who said I love it!?¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re the one who keeps on making it!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She mischievously smiled as she brought a finger to her charming lips. ¡°I¡¯m mistaken then. I thought you love it since you let it hit you every time.¡± She giggled.


    Ah¡­ There¡¯s no use arguing¡­ I¡¯m not even allowed to hide my horn these past few days¡­ I hopelessly thought.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    I approached the nearest pillar before it started moving.


    Haah¡­ I won¡¯t slash at it like a fool this time! I thought.


    I took out a shard from my pocket, as soon as I neared its base.


    ¡°If illusion doesn¡¯t fool you, then I¡¯ll try this!¡± I said as I overloaded the shard with mana to make it continuously manifest a ball of wind.


    As I continuously fired, drops of water continuously scattered to the surroundings.


    It¡¯s working!


    ¡°You finally found a way to chip it,¡± She smiled. ¡°Honestly, looking at you meaninglessly slicing the pillar with your rapier is cute. You should try it again sometime.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ Not happening again.¡± I meekly spoke as I recall that embarrassing moment.


    As I continued moving while overloading the shard, the water below darkened. It¡¯s the shadow of the pillar before me.


    Without waiting for the second beat, I immediately moved around it. But as soon as I reached the other side, a whip of water approached from my right.


    ¡°!¡± Surprised, I unconsciously bent backward and did a back handspring to dodge.


    Ah! My arms sank a little as it threw me off balance.


    As I adjusted myself, another pillar whipped downwards. As it falls, I started moving towards the left side of the pillar. Then, I formed a barrier above me slightly tilted to the right.


    Crash!


    As I defended, water rushed from the side forcing me to bend my knees to hold against it. Slowly, my feet sank up until my knees until it subsided.


    I barely got through¡­


    As I try to lift my feet onto the water surface, the water around me darkened. When I looked up, it was there. Two large pillars slowly falling to my direction, determined to crush anything at its wake.


    Ah, I lost the shard¡­ I realized.


    In despair, I ran towards my left and prepared a barrier above. I ran desperately, but before I reached the end of the shadow, the pillar came crashing. It was a direct hit.


    The force of the pillar crushed the barrier and whipped at the back.


    ¡°A-¡± Before I was able to scream in pain, I was already submerged. Nothing else came out of my mouth other than countless bubbles.


    Not¡­ Again¡­ I thought as I sank deep into the lake as I slowly lost my consciousness.


    <Celes¡¯s POV>


    How long has it been? I thought as I stroke Amelia¡¯s hair as it glowed faintly under the moonlight. Since the last time I was able to get this close to a child¡­


    I looked over the lake¡¯s surface and looked at my reflection. The moon¡¯s reflection.


    Elena¡­ Your descendants have grown well. I thought as I recalled my first born human child. I hope that you¡¯re happy somewhere out there. Like always, I¡¯ll properly look over your children throughout this world¡¯s life.


    I moved my sight towards the soundly sleeping Amelia, curled up like an infant, with her head on top of my thighs.


    ¡°You¡¯re so warm Amelia,¡± I muttered expressing a warm and gentle smile.


    I¡¯m sorry I have to force you this way. I thought as I placed my hand on her cheek and felt her smooth white skin. But this is necessary. You have to stay strong.


    ¡°Celestia, what are you planning.¡± A voice sounded from the back.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied without turning my face to the person.


    ¡°Nothing? Yet, you want me to test her?¡± The woman spoke passively.


    ¡°I just want her to learn how to think faster than how she currently is,¡± I replied. ¡°And for her to take a hint as to why am I giving her pointers regarding mana manipulation.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell her how to do it instead?¡± The woman asked.


    ¡°Thea, telling and teaching are two different things,¡± I answered. ¡°She¡¯s better off understanding the principles herself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Thea stood quietly.


    ¡°And besides, I have no plan of telling her everything.¡± I continued. ¡°Amelia learning to think beyond what she is capable of would be best.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too cruel? This child had grown with the thinking of a human.¡±


    ¡°True, she¡¯s still attached to what she had learned in Academia,¡± I answered. ¡°But that¡¯s fine. Knowing her, she¡¯ll definitely realize it soon.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°Normally, only a few would think of using shards in battle, but it¡¯s different in her case,¡± I answered. ¡°She¡¯s compensating her limited capabilities in the light and dark affinity by using shards,¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you teach her the secrets of light and dark?¡± she asked.


    ¡°afufufu,¡± I giggled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind you know? That is, giving birth to a monster that even you would fear.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± She responded quietly. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. But wouldn¡¯t that be what she would become in the future?¡±


    ¡°I guess? I guess not?¡± I tilted my head side to side in response.


    ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you see the future?¡± She asked confused.


    ¡°Thea, you¡¯re overestimating me,¡± I answered with giggling. ¡°Even I have some problems when I try to meddle with time. What I could do is try to predict the possible future by thinking of countless possibilities.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that pretty much the same?¡± She answered. ¡°Nevertheless, you¡¯re far too capable.¡±


    ¡°There are things that even I could not predict though? And what do you want me to do? I was made to be at least this capable. This world would have been long gone if I was not.¡±


    ¡°To think that they¡¯d call me the Absolute Shield despite paling in comparison to you is frustrating.¡± She stated in agony.


    ¡°Oh come on, you¡¯re still hung up with that?¡± I answered with disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job serving as the shield of Randia against that foolish snake.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who thinks of Gandr as a snake Celestia¡­¡± She answered exhausted.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a huge snake though? I¡¯d give more points to the Levias.¡± I said earnestly.


    ¡°I give up¡­¡± She said. ¡°Anyway, why are you staying here? Shouldn¡¯t you be out there cleaning?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too afraid to approach,¡± I said with a wide grin. ¡°They¡¯re gathering their forces, but that would take time,¡± I continued. ¡°And besides, I¡¯m here to look over Amelia, and to anticipate that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mea-¡± She stopped.


    Then I felt the ripples caused by droplets falling into the water.


    ¡°See?¡± I grinned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to do it now.¡± She said as she looked towards the north. ¡°Are they that desperate?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think they are,¡± I answered. ¡°In any case, they sure are lucky this time.¡±


    ¡°True, to be able to summon four this time,¡± She agreed. ¡±I guess that¡¯s more work for you.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to wait to check whether the seed sprouts.¡±


    ¡°Celestia, are you enjoying this?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I answered. ¡°Why would I enjoy eliminating those who were forcibly summoned in this world just to be used by those good for nothing Gods as vessels? And besides, it¡¯s not like it sprouts in every single human hero summoned.¡±


    ¡°You have a point¡­¡±


    ¡°Thea we are done here for now,¡± I said to end the conversation.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be waiting at the appointed place.¡± She said as she left quietly.


    A monster huh¡­ I thought as I took out the necklace within the pouch Amelia brought. To think that she¡¯d value your necklace this much¡­


    I held the sacrificial crystal in my hands and modified its structure.


    Really, Randolf, what were you thinking? Making your own Granddaughter go through all this¡­ I thought as I recalled the painful events Amelia was forced to go through. Are you trying to make Amelia an actual monster? What are you after? I can¡¯t understand you¡­


    I¡¯m sorry Randolf, I¡¯ll have to meddle with your plans. I thought as I continued to meddle with the crystal.


    You have already robbed Amelia of her childhood, so this much as compensation would suffice.

 Chapter 17: Proving 7 - Golden Goat

    Led by Celes, we traveled north after that gruesome training.


    ¡°Come,¡± She called. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going anyway?¡± I asked curious of where she would lead me. ¡°I hope it¡¯s anything but ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you think of me that way?¡± She asked. ¡°That¡¯s harsh,¡± She moped. ¡°Even though I was doing it for you¡­ahu hu hu¡­¡± She cried as she squatted, hiding her face with her fingers.


    ¡°Please stop the act¡­¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Oh, how did you know it¡¯s an act?¡± She said surprised as she peeked from her fingers. ¡°It seems like I can¡¯t hide anything from you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I responded with silence.


    How did the proving turn out like this¡­


    ¡°A fu fu fu.¡± She giggled as she stood up. ¡°I see. You¡¯re worried about something so trivial.¡±


    ¡°Trivial?¡± I asked puzzled.


    ¡°By far, the one you¡¯re experiencing is on a different level compared to those elves,¡± She said. ¡°You should be even proud of it.¡±


    ¡°How can I be proud if I didn¡¯t get to use most of what I learned for hunting?¡± I said in regret.


    It takes you literally no time at all to hunt. Adding the fact that you hunt while the training is in progress¡­ I thought as I recalled the previous events. Well, at least I get to skin them, but I never thought I¡¯d be skinning beasts rather than animals¡­


    ¡°Because hunting is easy,¡± She said nonchalantly as she restarted walking towards north. ¡°Especially for the current you. You can stack the horn¡¯s effects with body reinforcement, that¡¯ll make hunting way easier than you think. Besides, you don¡¯t have problems hunting rabbits and boars, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head in denial.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem at all.¡± She said.


    ¡°I guess¡­¡± I replied unsure whether to refute it or not.


    After that, a period of silence ensued for a short time as we continued our travel.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± She broke the silence.


    ¡°Hm?¡± I responded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be frank,¡± She spoke in a tone far different from what she always use when around me. ¡°The path that you chose would be nothing but harsh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not like you Celes,¡± I replied. ¡°But I know that, though I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m prepared enough. But I¡¯ll work it out once I get there. For now, I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


    Then she stopped and turned around to face me. What I saw was not her usual bright and playful expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean Amelia,¡± she said as she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you see it? You¡¯ve been led to do this.¡±


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± I asked confused, while unsure of how to approach her. ¡°Is there anything wrong with me? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± For the first time, she sighed. ¡°Then let me ask you.¡±


    Quietly, I nodded.


    ¡°Do you have your own dream?¡± She asked as she started to walk slowly towards my direction.


    ¡°!¡± My eyes widened from her question. ¡°I-I¡­¡±


    ¡°See? You do understand right?¡± She said. ¡°You have stopped dreaming Amelia. What you are currently following is the dream of Randolf, your Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I said nothing in return as I looked at the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m all-¡±


    ¡°You are allowed to, Amelia,¡± She spoke as she placed her hands on my cheeks and lifted them. ¡°You are allowed to dream. Currently, you¡¯re nothing but a doll following what your Grandfather has set for you.¡±


    There, in silence, I stood as I peered directly into her clear and beautiful eyes.


    ¡°But I¡­ Have responsibilities. As a princess, as a Royal, and as someone indebted,¡± I said blandly.


    ¡°Is that what you truly want?¡± She asked as she closed her forehead with mine.


    ¡°I¡­ Don¡¯t know¡­¡± I said with an empty mind, unable to think of what I truly want with my life.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s have a deal,¡± She said as she released my face. ¡°Right here, right now.¡±


    Without any warning, I felt my body temperature quickly dropping while my body broke down with sweat. I fell on the ground as I lost control of my feet, followed by a cold and sharp chill. I looked up to Celes with my eyes and body quivering in fear. Subsequently, the birds nearby scurried to flee into the sky.


    ¡°W-wh¡­¡± I tried to speak, but what came out were broken words.


    ¡°It¡¯s either you answer with a nod or with a shake of your head,¡± She said as she gradually lowered the pressure she¡¯s emitting.


    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± I nodded, breathing roughly.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± She said smiling as she reached a hand to me. ¡°This is just to show how serious I am.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s ok,¡± I said as I calm my wildly beating heart and reached out for her hand.


    After I stood, I dusted the dirt that stuck to my dress.


    ¡°Now then,¡± She said as a necklace fell onto the palm of her right hand.


    That! I thought as I recognized the necklace.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the necklace from your Grandfather,¡± She said nonchalantly.


    ¡°Why did you get that?¡± I asked with disbelief as I faced her. I then reached for it with my right but she stepped backward and brought it closer to her chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet,¡± She said with a frown. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll return it, but first, hear me out.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I silently nodded enduring the unease building up within me.


    ¡°First, I modified this necklace,¡± She declared.


    ¡°Yo-¡±


    ¡°It is because that you keep it as a memento rather than use it for its original purpose,¡± She cut off. ¡°Amelia, it¡¯s a sacrificial crystal meant to save your life, yet you chose not to use it even at the cost of your life.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I looked down unable to refute her accusation.


    ¡°I removed it, that is, its purpose as a sacrificial crystal,¡± She said smiling as she approached and slid her arms at the side of my neck and locked the necklace. ¡°There we go.¡± She continued as she slowly stepped backward. ¡°Looks perfect.¡±


    I reached for the crystal and held it with my fingers. I gazed at it warmly, accompanied by the feeling of delight.


    ¡°Celes, I¡¯m sorry I doubted you,¡± I said earnestly. ¡°And thank you for this gift,¡± I said with a bright smile.


    ¡°Not to worry,¡± She replied. ¡°But in return I want you to comply with the deal.¡±


    ¡°Then what deal is it?¡± I said confidently. ¡°I¡¯ll accept it if it¡¯s for this necklace.¡±


    I¡¯ve always wanted to wear it. And now. And now, I can, finally¡­ I thought as I grasped the crystal.


    ¡°First, I want you to pass the last part of the training, which you would be doing later,¡± She said as she returned to her previous bright and playful attitude. ¡°Lastly, I want you to speak to that necklace and call for my name at least once a week.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I can do that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She smiled mischievously. ¡°If you fail to deliver any of those conditions, I¡¯ll lift the barrier in Alabaster.¡±


    Barrier¡­ Barrier¡­ Is that the forest barrier?


    I lifted my head towards her after I pondered for a while.


    ¡°Yes, the forest barrier,¡± She said. ¡°I hope you know the consequences once the barrier vanishes. I wonder how long Aves would last?¡± She tilted her head from side to side as if unsure of the answer.


    On the other hand, various thoughts flooded my head.


    If the barrier was lifted, the beasts would spread and eventually reach Aves. The mines would be forced to shut down, forcing Laurel¡¯s main trade product to dwindle. The newly pioneered lands would be ravaged by beasts. The unprotected towns and villages would be forced to fend for themselves. Father might conscript the ordinary citizens and fight against the beasts. It''s nothing but disaster¡­


    ¡°It seems you understand,¡± She said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s easy anyway, as long as you don¡¯t forget.¡±


    I looked at her and thought of it.


    I think it¡¯s easy enough, but that heavy consequence is not making it any easier¡­


    ¡°When does the deal end?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Until I deem you capable.¡± She said. ¡°And oh, you need to bring out your horn to use it. And use it only when the moon is out.¡±


    I nodded in response.


    It¡¯s fine, I just have to make it a routine. I thought to calm myself.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go.¡± She said as she moved forward while I followed behind closely.


    ¡°Ah, another thing,¡± She said turning around suddenly and reached out for the necklace. ¡°It also works like this,¡± She continued as she fiddled with the necklace with mana. ¡°There.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± I tilted my head to the side and wondered what happened until I felt a cold chill throughout my body. I looked below and stared for a few seconds before figuring out what happened.


    ¡°W-wha¡­¡± I stuttered. ¡°What did you do?!¡± I shouted as I covered my chest and my bottom with my arms. ¡°Where did my clothes vanished to?!¡±


    ¡°A fu fu fu,¡± She giggled. ¡±Don¡¯t worry, no one¡¯s here to see other than me,¡± She continued. ¡°So you¡¯re free to show off.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case here!¡± I said as I squatted to further hide my body. ¡°And I¡¯m not into those kinds of things!¡±


    ¡°You have a nice figure you know? Why not be proud of it?¡± She said smiling brightly like the sun.


    This level of teasing¡­ is on a different level than Erina¡­


    ¡°This and that are different!¡± I responded. ¡°Please bring it back!¡±


    ¡°You are able to do that by yourself though?¡±


    ¡°Then please tell me that beforehand!¡± I immediately replied.


    ¡°Fine,¡± She said. ¡°Just bring out your horn.¡±


    Immediately I poured mana into my horns. Slowly, the dress I received after waking up revealed itself from the crystal and weaved its way, covering up my body.


    I stood and checked whether there is anything missing from the dress to the undergarments.


    That¡¯s convenient¡­ I thought amazed of the unbelievable event.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t advise manifesting that dress without your horns though,¡± She added. ¡°It might suddenly vanish. Although if you really wished to create a scene like that the-¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not into those kinds of things!¡± I cut off.


    ¡°A fu fu fu,¡± She laughed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re fine now.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, come on, we should go.¡±


    The travel continued until night. After I ate my meal, we continued for a little bit longer until we reached an opening, long enough to accommodate two-thirds of Tercel.


    ¡°And here we are,¡± She declared proudly. ¡°Since this is part of your training I¡¯ll let you use my mana like usual, but you¡¯re on your own for vitality and stamina.¡±


    ¡°What would be the training?¡± I asked with my horns out as preparation.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be the one conducting it this time,¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting on the other side in this case.¡±


    ¡°Then who?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see soon,¡± She said as she looked to the opening. ¡°But before I go, I have a simple hint for you.¡±


    ¡°Hint?¡±


    ¡°He who¡¯s unfortunate stood above the rest.¡± She said.


    I expressed a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll be going now. Good luck.¡±


    And then she vanished like a mist dispersing.


    What do I make of that¡­ I wondered.


    As I was pondering on what Celes meant by the hint, a blinding flash of light followed by a loud roar fell at the center of the open field. After the light vanished, a golden goat stood at the center of the field. Surrounding the goat were scattered dirt and burnt grass.


    C-could it be?! I thought as my heartbeat started to race.


    [It¡¯s nice to see you child,] The goat said. [It is I, Amalthea, divine beast of Alabaster.]


    Ah¡­ Is there still hope for me? I thought as I recalled Mon¡¯s warning. Mon said to avoid encountering Amalthea at all cost¡­


    [I will be conducting your trial as per Celes¡¯s request,] Amalthea said. [Please prepare yourself.]


    Celes, you just gave me more trouble¡­

 Chapter 18: Proving 8 - Trial by Lightning

    [Worry not, you will be given time to prepare,] Amalthea said as I asked for some time to think about how I will tackle the situation.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I responded quite thankful.


    Basically, the goal is to reach the other side.I thought as I moved my sight to the tree struck by her lightning strike a moment ago.And she wouldn¡¯t start moving unless I cross the line drawn a meter away from me.


    I brought my finger to my lips and pondered, gazing at the dark clouds slowly swirling above the forest.


    From what Mon informed me, Amalthea is a divine beast that commands lightning. But now that I¡¯m here, viewing this ever so majestic yet fearful scene, it seems that is not the only thing she can do.


    I placed the leather sack I was carrying on the ground and began inspecting its contents.


    Ugh¡­ There¡¯s nothing useful here¡­I thought as I brought out the membranes of the Piptheres that I failed to utilize.I should ask Celes about the leather armor¡­Along with it are a water container, an extra cloth, an empty pouch, and a metal cup.


    Wait!A sudden realization dawned on me as I placed back the contents.The metal cup. Lightning. What do I remember about it?


    Sitting on the ground, I tried to recall what I¡¯ve read about lightning from the 3<sup>rd</sup>area in Academia.


    Lightning¡­ Lightning¡­ Lightning is¡­I continuously thought until I recalled bits of information.Yes, lightning magic. It¡¯s the 2<sup>nd</sup>level of the fire affinity¡­ Other than that¡­


    In desperation, I started ruffling my hair hoping that I¡¯d remember any form of information I have read about lightning.


    Sigh¡­ This isn¡¯t working¡­After a desperate struggle with my memory, I let my hands fall on its own.Huh?I thought as my left hand hit the rapier hanging on my left.I can¡¯t believe you missed that Amelia!I reprimanded myself.


    Even though I have yet to use it properly other than fishing, this rapier has a lightning magic circle in its crystal that I still can¡¯t read.I thought as I remembered the rapiers function that I have yet to use properly.But when I pour mana into it¡­


    As I did, thin streaks of lightning manifested on its blade and continuously crackled.


    [A favorable sword indeed,] She complimented out of the blue.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded as I faced her direction in response and returned the rapier to its scabbard.


    That¡¯s it. Lightning needs a medium for it to be properly directed.I recalled one of the experiments, where a scholar showcased Lightning magic with a mana conductor to limit the Lightning¡¯s range.In that case¡­I thought as I reached for the shards in my pocket.


    Aaaaand there goes my luck¡­I despaired as I looked at the last two shards at the palm of my hand.One already has the Fireball magic in it. The other one is still empty, while the third, the one with Body Reinforcement, is attached to the bracelet.


    I picked up the empty shard with my fingers and returned the other one into my pocket.


    I guess I should be thankful that there¡¯s one left¡­I thought as I started embedding a magic circle within it.


    So this is the effect of the training¡­I was astonished by the fact that I finished embedding process in a few seconds.Should I try embedding an intermediate magic circle next time?


    I stood and left the sack on the ground thinking that it¡¯d be a burden.I guess this is enough,I thought as I grasped the shard on my left and unsheathed the dagger with my right.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I said as I walked towards the starting line as the cold wind rattled the trees.


    [Very well,] She responded as the dark clouds started to light up as lightning trailed accompanied by a rumbling sound. [I¡¯m sure Celes had given you a hint, but let me remind you that won¡¯t be enough to save you.]


    To hell with it,I thought.All I can think of it is that it points out that the solution is simple. But what can I do? I only have limited information. In the end, I¡¯ll have to do things on my own.


    Before I reached the line, I braced myself by breathing deeply.


    [Then let-]


    Before she finished, I immediately activated reinforcement and started sprinting.I¡¯m sorry, but I have to take every opportunity I have!


    [You seem eager to end this quickly,] she spoke as she started galloping. [You¡¯re mistaken if I would allow such an easy pass.]


    I never had it easy!I defiantly screamed inside my mind.


    In just a few seconds, a crackling sound was emitted from behind accompanied by thundering hooves. As it gets closer and closer,Now!


    I poured mana on the shard and created earth spikes to block her advance and subsequently created five illusions with the dagger.


    If fire, water, wind, light, and dark won¡¯t work as a medium, then I¡¯ll use earth as a replacement.


    After the illusions manifested, the earth spikes were mercilessly crushed.


    At least stall her a bit longer¡­


    As the rumbling sound from the clouds became more and more frequent, Amalthea began to cover her fur with numerous thin lightning discharges.


    [Petty tricks doesn¡¯t work on me,] She said as three spheres of lightning hovered in the air above her as she moved.


    In response, I jumped in mid-air and turned before landing along with two illusions. As I landed, the lightning spheres greeted my sight emitting blue sparks around it. Before the spheres got close enough, I produced earth spikes from the ground and pierced it.


    Good enough.I thought as the lightning spheres vanished along with the tip of the spike exploding after a direct hit.


    Following the spheres was Amalthea producing more around her as she readied her head to ram through the spikes. But instead of heading towards the three illusions heading for the goal, I and the remaining illusions stepped forward and used the earth spikes as platforms and jumped over her as she broke through.


    O¡¯ Ruler of the Earth I beseech you,


    Plow the earth and move thy dirt,


    Dig upon the shallow dirt,


    Mold thy form and clear thy dirt,


    Muttering a chant as she went between, I made the illusions face her direction and moved to surround her.


    [A good tactic,] She complimented as she stopped at the center producing more lightning spheres.


    Manifest, Pitfall!


    As the pitfall manifested beneath her, the lightning spheres shot towards the illusions. Overloading the shard with mana, I produced numerous spikes around the pitfall and let it act as shields. Immediately after setting up the shields, I formed numerous earth spikes from the side of the pitfall to seal her inside.


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    Without waiting for her to come out or respond, I and another illusion moved towards the forest on opposite sides while the rest kept moving towards the designated tree.


    The rules didn¡¯t say that I can¡¯t go beyond the open field.I thought as passed through a tree and started chanting a second time.


    O¡¯ ruler of light and darkness I beseech you,


    Let dark overshadow light, in the shadows I hide,


    Let light triumph over dark, deceived their eyes become,


    Manifest, Cloak of Concealment.


    I slowed down to a walk as the cloak manifested.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± I breathe out to regain my composure and made another illusion. Then I made it move the same way as the one on the other side of the forest.


    Controlling six at the same time is a burden¡­I thought as I concentrated on controlling the illusions.I have to hurry before that lightning storm becomes more violent, but I can¡¯t be careless.


    After a few seconds.


    [More, more, more!] A telepathic voice loudly echoed. [Judgement!]


    Followed by her command, a blinding light swallowed the surroundings as lightning struck the pitfall shattering everything that surrounded it. Immediately after the lightning struck the ground, a roaring thunderclap blasted the surroundings leaving root-like scorch marking from the nearby vicinity.


    [I¡¯ll admit, your tricks are admirable,] a voice rang from the depths of rubbles as smoke billowed above the scorched ground. [Let¡¯s play some more Amelia!] She laughed as she emerged from the smoke facing the direction of the four illusions, moving in twos, heading towards the goal.


    D-did I just¡­ touch something that I shouldn¡¯t have?I thought as I caught myself in apprehension.


    Cautiously, I walked as if I was sneaking, trying not enrage her any further as I observed the surroundings.


    Soon, the wind began to move wildly, the lightning traveling through the clouds started to shift towards the ground, and Amalthea¡¯s fur began to rise as more discharges occurred.


    She began shooting eight lightning spheres towards the illusions. Rather than hit the illusions directly, she let it pass through the sides. As it advanced ahead of the illusions, a lightning bolt struck from the clouds to the location of the lightning spheres.


    Four down immediately¡­I thought as I canceled the control over the four illusions that was struck by lightning and increased my pace as the burden lessened.


    [I see,] She spoke. [It¡¯s good that you thought beyond the set rules. If not, it wouldn¡¯t be this amusing, ahahahaha!] She laughed madly.


    [Let¡¯s see how you handle this!] She said as she stood with her hind legs and swung her head downwards.


    As soon as her forelegs reached the ground, mercilessly, lightning struck after lightning at the location where the two illusions were moving. As a result, trees were ruptured and fell apart, leaving an orange light to light up the vicinity.


    Is she¡­ Planning to burn the forest?I sweated at the thought of her burning down the forest to limit my range of activity.Is she really serious? I thought as I relinquished my control over the illusions and focused on maintaining the cloak.


    [Wouldn¡¯t you come out and play with me?] She asked as she surveyed the surroundings as the forest began razing on its own.


    At least I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want to play with you¡­


    [If that is so,] She began to stand with her hind legs once more and collected lightning through her horns.


    Realizing that her next move would be dangerous, I canceled the cloak and manifested several layers of earth spikes at the front and formed a thick mana barrier as a precaution.


    Just in time before she swung her head down, a wave of red lightning made its way outwards, her as the center, ravaging anything at its path, leaving nothing but scorched earth as a trail. Luckily, I withstood the attack. But an unimaginable aftermath is what greeted my sight. It was an unrecognizable formation of melted rocks.


    She¡¯s definitely serious¡­My heart raced at the thought of the result if I was not able to shift quickly to the defensive.What happened to the training¡­


    [There you are,] As she approached, my racing heart started beat wilder and wilder. Without a second thought, I sprinted towards the goal as I left a trail of earthen spikes while lightning strikes the ground randomly.


    [Where do you think you¡¯re going?] She spoke as lightning trailed from my side and moved to the front.


    That¡¯s cheating!Thought I, as her form appeared from the lightning trail and rushed to my direction. In response, I sidestepped and twisted my body to dodge.


    When I looked around, I found her turning around, forming numerous lightning spheres. In an attempt to reduce their numbers, I produced spikes in her direction then formed a barrier.


    As she broke through, the number of spheres was reduced to two, but she nevertheless shot them. In return, I formed earthen spikes in an attempt to intercept it. Unfortunately, it dodged to the sides.


    Ah¡­Realizing my mistake, I jumped back and strengthened the mana barrier. Instantly I was blinded by a bright flash of light and was immediately robbed of my hearing by the strike from both sides.


    Aaagh!A sharp pain pierced my head during and after the strike. As I opened my eyes, dizzy from the flash, I found myself unharmed. Immediately, I started moving away as I increased my pace with reinforcement.


    It did not take long before I noticed the change. The change from my surroundings, no, from myself. As I ran desperately, I felt a strange liquid blocking my ears. I used my fingers to check what the liquid was. As soon as I caught sight of its color, I thought.Blood¡­


    Then and there I found the abnormality, I lost my hearing, and my ears were broken. I felt my body panicking from the unfavorable result. Turning around to check, my sight was greeted by a lightning sphere close enough to hit me in a second. In a panic, I formed a thin barrier and was able to fend off with a light shock.


    I¡¯m practically blind unless I face her direction¡­I thought as I lost the only way for me to estimate if the lightning spheres were close enough or if her hooves were coming closer.


    [Is that everything you got?] Despite being deaf, I could still hear here telepathic voice.


    Just a little more!I thought as I repeatedly produced earthen spikes from the surroundings and began weaving through it as if it was a maze. As I hid and appeared between the spikes, I started to produce two illusions to serve as a distraction and switched places with it frequently.


    Despite my efforts, she continuously rammed through the spikes and trampling over its remains.


    [Enough with this!] She shouted.


    With a premonition, I remade the same barrier as before, but added a three more layers from before and further increased the thickness of the mana barrier. Subsequently, another wave of red lightning formed, but this time it was directed and larger.


    Anxious of the result, I waited. As the wave reached the barrier, I felt my body tortured by a paralyzing shock. I gritted my teeth and endured the pain ringing throughout my body as smoke billowed from my surroundings.


    [Judgement!] Without rest, she commanded for the second time.


    I closed my eyes and balled myself up hoping that I¡¯ll withstand the incoming strike. Patiently, I waited for the strike to fall, but the longer I wait, the more I realized that something was amiss. I raised my head and found Celes speaking to Amalthea.


    Did Celes save me?I thought as her lips moved while facing Amalthea.What are they talking about? I can¡¯t hear a thing¡­


    Gradually, Amalthea¡¯s discharge started to die down along with the lightning storm. Then, she approached me.


    [I deeply apologize,] She said as she bowed her head. [I got too ahead of myself on the offensive,] She continued. [It¡¯s been quite a time since I found someone I could freely attack, so I lost my self in ecstasy, so please forgive me.] She continued bowing.


    Then Celes approached and spoke to me, but I didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. In response, I shook my head and pointed at my ears.


    Realizing the situation, she nodded and began healing my injuries.


    A few moments later after resolving the misunderstanding.


    [Again, I apologize,] Amalthea repeated.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s fine,¡± I responded with a wry smile.


    I almost died back there¡­ Don¡¯t I get something from surviving that?I honestly thought as I recalled the reason for her to divert from what should¡¯ve been a light training but ended up in a large scale destruction of the forest.It¡¯s not my fault this time, so can I?


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve overcame that alive, I¡¯ll consider it as pass,¡± Celes said. ¡°Thea, you should¡¯ve told me if you were frustrated from defending all this time, I could¡¯ve taken up your offer up being your test dummy if you wanted to.¡±


    [Will you?] Thea asked.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve probably built it all up through these millennia of defending Alabaster from Gandr.¡± She added. ¡°But of course, I¡¯ll agree for a price.¡±


    [¡­]


    Defending Alabaster from Gandr?I pondered on their remarks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, Amelia,¡± She answered. ¡°You''ve no chance against him as you are now,¡± She continued. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no need to face him, at least for now. So don¡¯t dwell on it too deeply."


    [Before I leave, I¡¯ll give this to you,] Thea suddenly spoke as she approached me sitting on a log. She brought her head down and produced a few horn flakes by shedding a part of her horn. [Take it.]


    A material from a divine beast¡­I tried suppressing my smile, as expectation bubbled deep inside me.What wonders could I do with this!


    ¡°T-thanks,¡± I said with my expression slowly crumbling from excitement.


    [Celes, I will take my leave,] She said. [Amelia, whenever there is a chance, feel free to approach me.]


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded.As long as you don¡¯t attack me like before¡­


    [Well, then,] She said as she disappeared into the forest.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice of her to leave us alone,¡± Celes said. ¡°Now that you have a relic I guess it¡¯s normal for you to be this excited.¡±


    Of course, I am!I thought as I grasped the flakes smiling like a child who found a toy.I don¡¯t care if these are just flakes! I can¡¯t wait to get my tools back!


    ¡°Now, now,¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I moved my sight to her direction.


    ¡°Amelia, I will be taking my leave here too,¡± She said smiling.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Surprised, I muttered. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to at least accompany me to the forest barrier?¡±


    ¡°Amelia, I¡¯m happy that you¡¯ve grown a bit attached to me, but remember that this is your proving.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Silently I looked down.


    ¡°Amelia, you can always try to speak with me through the necklace,¡± She said with a warm smile. ¡°At times I won¡¯t be able to respond, but I will listen. I¡¯ll listen to anything you have to say.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Before I go, I¡¯ll leave you with some things you can work on,¡± She said. ¡°Think of it as part of your training.¡±


    I looked up to her and answered earnestly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What does lie at the ends of Alabaster and,¡± She continued. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between chant magic and magic produced by magic circles?¡±


    I nodded as I took both into heart.


    ¡°Although this is an abrupt separation, this is needed,¡± She added as she approached. ¡°But at least a warm embrace,¡± She continued as she brought me into her arms embrace.


    ¡°¡­¡± There I silently stood and returned her embrace. ¡°I will miss you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me,¡± She replied.


    <Celes¡¯s POV>


    [Is it fine for you to leave like that?] Thea asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I replied. ¡°But I have things that I need to do, and besides, she won¡¯t grow properly if she kept relying on me.¡±


    [Is it the heroes?] She asked.


    ¡°Thea, you should return to your humanoid form,¡± I said in reply. ¡°And yes, the heroes are one reason. I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on them before they start to go their separate ways.¡±


    [Can¡¯t you just use something or someone else to observe them and stayed with Amelia?] She suggested.


    ¡°People come and go,¡± I answered. ¡°She has to learn that,¡± I added. ¡°Aside from that, why were you using a formal tone in front of Amelia? Are you trying to impress?¡±


    [¡­]


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°That¡¯s the problem with you. You kept approaching people with that kind of attitude that they end up revering you instead.¡±


    [¡­]


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have to leave now, I¡¯ll come visit some other time.¡±


    [Fine.]

 Chapter 19: Proving 9 - Return

    It has been half a day since I¡¯ve separated with Celes.


    Snap!


    Currently, I¡¯ve changed into the leather armor that I¡¯ve started with. Apparently, Celes kept it and mended the damaged parts after the fight with the assassins.


    It¡¯s great that it¡¯s as good as it is when I started the proving, I thought thankful. Father would probably give me a scolding if ever I returned with it badly damaged¡­


    Moving towards the north, I continued my travel through the forest, keeping a fair distance from the river connected to the unnamed lake.


    Now that I think of it, it¡¯s been three weeks since I started. Worried that Mother and everyone else are feeling the unease of my long absence, I increased my pace.


    And the bow¡­ How should I make it up to him? Recalling that the bow broke when I received a direct attack from the Snapmaw during the first night of the proving.


    The further I travel north, the more frequent I encounter beasts, more so the variety.


    Cautiously, I hid behind the trees and bushes trying to avoid any unnecessary encounter.


    Making a large commotion in this area would only lead to an unnecessary death, I thought as I went deeper and deeper into their habitat.


    Along the way, I found a large fruit-bearing tree. Its fruit was aromatic, tempting and looked more than just ordinary. It was yellow, and had figure similar to that of a jar.


    Holding my senses, I thought. I think this is one of those, as I skirted around from a distance wary of the large tree.


    Dubious of the said tree, I looked for nearby beasts from the surroundings and eventually found seven goblins, covered in various types of raw leather, wandering around with sharpened stone weapons in hand.


    They will do, I thought as I scouted from atop a tree branch.


    As I hid my presence with Hide magic, I waited for them to approach after dropping a rock to attract their attention. Fortunately, one was curious enough to approach. Then as soon as he came close enough, I jumped and planted my feet onto the goblin¡¯s head, then jabbed my dagger to its chest.


    ¡°¡°Guwa! Guwa!¡±¡± The goblins cried as one of their own was slain.


    ¡°Guwa! Guwa! Gruoah!¡± [One! Return! Quick!] Another one cried.


    That¡¯s new, a goblin captain leading a small group of scouts, I concluded. And to think that he¡¯d camouflage himself by wearing a similar clothing.


    Immediately, I chased the fleeing goblin.


    [Away!] The captain bellowed as he and the remaining four blocked my path.


    Without responding, I threw my dagger towards the goblin at the front. Subsequently, I activated Reinforcement to close the distance. As the dagger buried itself into the goblin''s chest, I twisted my body and decapitated another with a slash.


    Surprised by the sudden increase in my speed, the goblins were not able to respond immediately.


    ¡°Gu-¡± Before the third goblin was able to cry, his body was pierced by an earthen spike from beneath his feet.


    Similarly, the fourth goblin met the same fate.


    [R-run!] The goblin captain cowardly shouted as he turned his back to run but immediately stopped as he faced a wall of earthen spikes. As he stood there blankly, my rapier effortlessly pierced his helpless back.


    After taking a quick sweep of the goblins, I re-activated Body Reinforcement and chased the fleeing goblin. As I closed in on its back, I poured mana into the shard on my left and produced a spike towards the path he¡¯s advancing.


    Surprised by the sudden appearance of the spike, the goblin panicked and halted. Soon, he met the same fate as his captain, falling into the hands of my rapier.


    <hr>


    Sitting on top of a branch, I muttered. ¡°For some reason,¡± Waiting for my experiment to work its wonders. ¡°The backlash of reinforcement is not as painful as before.¡± Observing the difference from how things worked before and as of now.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess this will take a while,¡± I muttered.


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    While waiting, I took out six berries that I chanced upon my travel and ate it. ¡°Raw berries sure are sweet,¡± I commented as I satiate my hunger.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡± I muttered as I leaned on the trunk the tree. ¡°End of Alabaster huh.¡±


    One end of Alabaster leads to Academia so I think she¡¯s referring to the other side, I thought as I playfully swing my legs. In that case, to the northeast?


    If that is the case, then I¡¯ll just have to wait till the pioneering is finished, and set the new town in that area as a base. The problem is, how long would it take or how many towns or villages are needed to be built before we reach the northeast end¡­


    Hmm¡­ Using the ships from the harbor for an advanced exploration would be a good option, but the number of supplies needed for the voyage is unknown. Plus the encounters they could meet along the way, I pondered. If by chance they met another race, then I¡¯ll have to intervene, or at least post someone that I could trust to handle the issue¡­


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to consult Father about this,¡± I muttered.


    Regarding chanting and magic shards and crystals, I think Celes is hinting something¡­


    ¡°Celes had been talking about stuff that I can¡¯t easily believe to the point that even if I question it, it won¡¯t lead me to an answer that I¡¯d need,¡± I contemplated on the topics regarding this world and other things that humans would easily find as ridiculous. ¡°But I don¡¯t think she¡¯s lying.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I halted as an idea surfaced in my mind. ¡°If this world was the first world created, then, why are the heroes summoned with an advanced knowledge? Could that be included in the blessing?¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­ maybe I shouldn¡¯t dwell too much on it?¡± I said slightly exhausted from thinking how is that possible.


    ¡°And another one,¡± I continued. ¡°The church kept claiming that they receive oracles or messages from the human God through the Angels, but Celes mentioned that the human God already abandoned this world.¡±


    I raised a finger and placed it on my lips.


    ¡°If that is the case, then what are Angels? Where do those Angels get their messages and oracles from?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I can find an answer right now,¡± I shook my head to dismiss the thought out of lack of information. ¡°Anyway, I trailed too far¡­¡± I muttered after realizing that I diverted from the topic.


    If I¡¯d consider it, Celes has a point. What is the difference between chant magic and magic produced by shards? I pondered as I got back on track.


    First, chant magic requires the chant of a specific magic to be recited. The chant¡¯s structure usually starts by calling out the element of the magic, followed by the nature of the magic, and lastly calling for the manifestation of the magic¡¯s name.


    Then for magic produced by shards or crystals, the only requirement is that the magic circle is present inside, and then all you need to do is to pour mana and activate the magic.


    In a way, the end result is the same, but the approach is different. Then considering that point, both are ways to ¡®activate¡¯ the magic, but ¡®maintaining¡¯ the magic is a different case.


    ¡°Haah¡­ to think that I¡¯ve been using it for years but never questioned anything about it¡­¡± I muttered as I brought my palm to my forehead. ¡°Considering illusion, if I poured mana to the crystal, then illusions based from what I imagined it to be would continuously be produced.¡±


    ¡°But maintaining the illusions requires a direct supply of mana to the illusion itself and not to the crystal or shard, which is practically the same to chant magic,¡± I continued. ¡°Then that means the difference lies in the activation part.¡±


    Contemplating, the sun started to set followed by a loud cry.


    ¡°Awoooo!¡± Howled the wolves.


    ¡°Well, I guess narrowing it down is a good start,¡± I muttered as I started preparing. ¡°Finally,¡± I mumbled as I heard more wolves approaching from the distance. ¡°Go on, follow the trail.¡±


    O¡¯ Ruler of Darkness I beseech you,


    In shadows, the darkness creeps,


    In darkness, my presence seeks,


    Manifest, Hide.


    Near the large tree, where four bodies of dead goblins lie, a trail of blood led to another goblin corpse and another trail of blood leading further into the forest.


    Come on, please work, I¡¯ve dedicated an hour or two just to set that up!


    Soon, a number of wolves followed the trail until they reached the remaining goblins. The first wolf barked in order to call more of its pack into the location. After the others arrived, they started feeding on the corpses.


    As they fed on the corpses of the goblins, I took out a shard and produced an earthen spike near the wolves. Surprised by the sudden appearance of the spike, the wolves jerked and moved backward away from the spike, but towards the large tree. It did not take long before an abnormality struck the wolves.


    One by one, a red vine shot out from the ground and entangled itself to the wolves¡¯ feet and dragged it towards the large tree.


    Success! Happy with the result, I jumped down from the tree, activated reinforcement, and poured mana into my horn. I then produced spikes facing the tree and used them as platforms to avoid stepping on the ground.


    Little by little, I neared the Tree Mimic while it was busy devouring the wolves on the opposite side. Soon, I reached the trunk of the mimic and hurriedly climbed on top of the trunk before it was finished feeding on the wolves.


    A safe camp for the night, get! In delight, I thought.


    ¡°I never would¡¯ve thought that I¡¯ll meet a Tree Mimic,¡± I muttered as I looked down. ¡°I guess, the animals or beasts attracted to its fruit are its usual prey,¡± I muttered as I moved my sight towards the yellow fruits hanging from its branches. ¡°According to Mon, its fruits are delicious.¡±


    Looking around, I reached for the nearest fruit I can get my hands on and tasted it. ¡°Wow! It really is!¡± I complimented as I took one bite after another.


    After filling myself, I sat on the large trunk and leaned on the branch and relaxed my body.


    ¡°Sometimes, I guess I am lucky,¡± I muttered as I closed my eyes. ¡°Yawn!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to mind watching through the night thanks to this mimic,¡± I said patting the trunk. ¡°It¡¯s a saving grace that it can¡¯t reach above its own camouflage despite using it as bait,¡± I laughed. ¡°Well, goodnight Mimic.¡±


    <hr>


    The morning after the peaceful night, I climbed atop the branches and ascertained my path.


    ¡°There¡¯s the forest barrier¡­¡± I muttered facing the north. ¡°If that is the case,¡± I moved my sight towards the west and found the foot of the mountain not too far away. ¡°F-finally!¡± I shouted in joy


    ¡°Finally, I can go back!¡± I repeated, raising my arms into the air.


    In a hurry, I descended from the branches to the trunk and grabbed the leather sack.


    ¡°West, then northwest,¡± I muttered smiling.


    With a shard in hand, I carefully trod the branches until it began to bend downwards. Without panicking, I produced slanted earthen spikes and used them to slide down away from the reach of the Tree Mimic and hastily jumped before reaching the ground.


    As I ran through the forest, I activated reinforcement and manifested my horn out of excitement.


    A day after traversing the mountain while locating the landmarks that I carved into memory; I finally reached the crest overlooking the Tribe¡¯s residence. There I stood wearing a smile accompanied with a sense of fulfillment.


    I can finally take a bath! Was the first thing that came to mind.

 Chapter 20: The Tribe 1

    When I approached the gates of the Tribe¡¯s residence, I raised my left hand to show the proof of the proving, the bracelet. After confirming the bracelet, the elven guards escorted me to the previous lodging.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I thanked the elven guard that escorted me.


    In response, the guard bowed before leaving.


    ¡°At last. Mmm, Ummm¡­¡± I muttered as I stretched my body after closing the door.


    With heavy footsteps, I approached the nearby table and placed the sack before taking a seat. On the table, with closed eyes, I laid the side of my face with my arms stretched.


    ¡°Finally a decent rest¡­¡± I muttered as I imagined myself sleeping peacefully on the bed without anything to worry about other than sleeping for the rest of the day.


    Knock! Knock! The door sounded.


    Why now¡­ Exhausted, I thought.


    Lazily, I stood from the table and approached the door. ¡°Coming.¡±


    When I opened the door, an unexpected guest greeted me.


    [Good afternoon Amelia.] The guest said. [Apologies for visiting at this hour, but we need to discuss something.]


    The guest had long pointed ears, a light green hair, and had his long hair tied at the back.


    ¡°Oh, Sylvar.¡± Surprised by the sudden visit, I said. ¡°Please, come inside.¡± I gestured as I moved aside holding the handle.


    [Thank you.] He replied as he passed through.


    After I offered a seat to Sylvar, I sat on the opposite side facing his direction.


    [Now then.] Sylvar started, placing his clasped arms on the table. [First, congratulations Amelia.]


    Silently, I sat upright and placed my hands over my stomach. ¡°Thank you.¡± I replied.


    [Hmm¡­ It seems that you are not surprised despite the lack of a proper welcome upon your return.]


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it in the first place.¡±


    [And why is that?] He asked smiling.


    ¡°It¡¯s because that the proving has no proper duration.¡± I answered smiling. ¡°In that case, the celebration or the welcome for the successful participant would be held at a later time.¡± I continued then asked for confirmation. ¡°Is it right?¡±


    [Yes, the celebration for the return is usually done a day after the return of the participant.] He confirmed. [But there¡¯s one thing you are mistaken.]


    ¡°And that is?¡±


    [As much as possible, we ask the spirits to keep track of the participant,] He answered. [In that case, we can at least be informed of the participant¡¯s well-being.]


    Then, if that is true¡­


    ¡°Then are you saying that the spirits failed to keep track of me, which is why you were not able to prepare a proper welcome?¡± I asked based from what I concluded.


    [Precisely.] He answered. [So in advance, we apologize that the celebration would be delayed by another day.]


    ¡°No, it''s fine,¡± I answered with a wry smile. ¡°I can use that time to rest.¡±


    [Now,] He said. [Will you tell me what happened?]


    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to,¡± I answered hinting of exhaustion. ¡°But I believe I¡¯ll need a proper rest before I could properly narrate my story.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think I can tell you yet, nor do I plan on telling everything.


    [Indeed.] He answered. [But please do tell me if possible, especially about the recent thunderstorm that occurred.]


    ¡°Please do anticipate it.¡± I answered as I stood.


    [No.] He gestured me to stop. [I will help myself; you may go and take your rest.]


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I answered as I sat back on the chair and waited for him to leave.


    Spirits unable to track me huh¡­ I pondered. The only cause I could think of is Celes.


    After he left, I stood from my seat and took the sack with me and went up the stairs.


    The fact that Celes hid it from the spirits then it¡¯s as if she¡¯s telling me that it¡¯s a secret.


    As I entered the room, I placed the sack down and began removing my clothes.


    In the first place, what would they think of me when I tell them that I¡¯m no longer just a human?


    I sat on the bed and took out the last fruit from the Tree Mimic and began eating it.


    Could I even tell Mother? I moved my sight to the window and viewed the setting sun as I partake of the fruit. Then how about Erina? She saw me back then, but would she even believe that I traveled back in time?


    I shook my head to dismiss the thought. I should think about how to confront Sylvar.


    Leaving nothing but the seeds, I placed the remains on the metal cup I took from the sack and placed it on a nearby desk.


    Before I went to sleep, I thought. Maybe I can grow Tree Mimics with these seeds.


    <hr>


    By morning, I woke up feeling refreshed. After coming down, I ate my morning meal, took a bath, and cleansed myself. After the bath, I sat down near the hearth and waited for Sylvar¡¯s arrival. When he arrived, we immediately proceeded with the talk at the table.


    ¡°Do I have to mention what happened after the ritual?¡± I started.


    [No, it is fine, we all know that the spirit of the water lend a hand to deliver you down the waterfall so you may leave it as that.] He replied.


    I nodded. ¡°First¡­¡±


    It took some time for me to explain what and how things happened. Nevertheless, I completed the task.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    [¡­] All the way from the start to finish, Sylvar listened silently.


    ¡°And that is all.¡± I ended.


    [Let me summarize.] He said. [On the night of the first day, you met the divine beast of the lake?] He asked. [Then it gave you a trial which took you two weeks to complete?]


    So Celes is called the divine beast of the lake¡­


    ¡°Yes.¡± I confirmed.


    [And as it wished, the contents and result of this trial cannot be disclosed?] He asked.


    I nodded.


    [Then afterward, you met Amalthea and again were given another trial?]


    Again, I nodded.


    [And your proof?] He asked without batting an eye.


    Prepared that my story is not believable at the very least, I took out a pouch and opened it before Sylvar.


    [This is?] He asked while his smile twitching and his expression visibly crumbling.


    ¡°These flakes are the shedding of Amalthea¡¯s horn.¡± I said with an infallible smile. ¡°It¡¯s a reward I received from Amalthea herself.¡±


    [And do you expect me to believe that?] He said without stuttering despite being visibly shaken.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I confirmed. ¡°As a guess, I believe you can immediately confirm that this is genuine.¡±


    [Ahahaha.] Sylvar laughed weakly. [To the Tribe, we worship Amalthea.] He narrated. [Without a doubt, this is genuine, and this is confirmed by spirits attracted to that unimaginable material.]


    Spirits huh¡­ I can¡¯t see anything though¡­ I thought as I looked at the flakes. Anyway, he¡¯s too attracted to the material for him to care about Celes.


    [My goodness¡­] He said as he leaned his back on his chair with his hand on his forehead. [I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still alive.]


    Me too. I thought silently.


    [For that Amalthea to give you a trial and survive it¡­] He muttered as he fixed his posture. [Anyway, let me get this straight, Amelia.] He said as he leaned closer. [Can you give us the shedding, no, at least some of it?] He asked with excitement on his face.


    Without hesitation, I replied. ¡°Yes, but only a small portion of it.¡±


    [That¡¯s good enough for us.] Sylvar smiled brightly.


    ¡°But of course with a proper compensation.¡± I continued.


    [Then, would you like to discuss that now?] He followed.


    ¡°No, not yet.¡± I answered. ¡°I wish to assess its value before receiving a fitting compensation.¡±


    [Ahahaha.] Sylvar laughed. [Amelia, the value of a material from a divine beast cannot be assessed normally.]


    And the fact that the Tribe worships Amalthea would make its value higher than usual¡­


    ¡°True.¡± I answered as I stood from my seat and approached Sylvar. ¡°Then, let¡¯s just consider it as a debt of the people involved in the processing which I could claim whenever I find the need to.¡±


    Sylvar stood from his seat and approached, [That is indeed a good suggestion, but I hope you wouldn¡¯t claim it all at once.]


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied as I brought my hand forward for a handshake. ¡°I would claim it in small portions at different periods.¡±


    [If you could promise that, then there is no problem.] He answered as he grabbed my hand and shook it.


    Letting the Tribe process it as a reference would be a great benefit to me.


    [But who knows that you¡¯d be able to pass the trial of two divine beasts at the same time.] He said as he removed his hand from mine. [With that, you¡¯d easily be recognized by the residents of the Tribe as a competent chief.]


    ¡°I do hope so.¡± I answered.


    [Well, then. I¡¯m sure Garfin would be overjoyed to hear this.] He said. [And one last thing, I want you to come with me for a moment.]


    ¡°Where to?¡± I asked.


    [To Garfin¡¯s workshop.] He answered.


    ¡°Understood.¡± I said in agreement. I better let Garfin check the rapier while I¡¯m at it.


    While we were walking outside, ¡°There sure are a few people at this hour.¡± I said.


    [That¡¯s because it¡¯s still morning, most elves and dwarves are out doing their respective jobs.]


    ¡°You mean mining and hunting?¡±


    [Yes,] He answered. [But of course, there are others who had an interest in the suggestions you made.]


    ¡°And those are?¡±


    [Alchemy is one.]


    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± I muttered. ¡°I did suggest that and included some books detailing about the foundations of alchemy.¡± I continued. ¡°Then that means someone in the Tribe has learned the language of humans?¡±


    [Yes, and it all started with Randolf.]


    ¡°So Grandfather sent a book about the language of humans too?¡± I asked walking beside Sylvar while looking at the surroundings.


    [Yes.]


    ¡°Then does the Tribe have books that could teach me the language of the elves and dwarfs?¡±


    [That has already been prepared so rest assured.]


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± I said as I waved at an elven child peeking from the window.


    [The suggestions and drafts you have sent is quite intriguing, especially about the various crafts related to magic.]


    ¡°Most of those are formulated from the things that I have found in Academia.¡±


    [True,] He said, glancing at my direction. [But those are still your ideas, and those ideas of yours affected the Tribe in a good way.]


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that I¡¯m of help.¡± I said returning a smile.


    [Specifically to us elves.] He said. [Those shard tipped arrows are quite helpful.]


    ¡°But the idea of using shards as the arrow tip is simple.¡±


    [Simple it may be, the effect towards hunting is tremendous.] He refuted. [That alone increased the chances of taking down larger beasts.]


    That¡¯s an idea I used to test out breaking shards from afar¡­


    [In addition, the dwarfs liked the idea of placing shards or crystals at the swords handle to make an artificial magic sword.]


    But that too is a simple idea I formulated from accessorized magic tools¡­


    While I was deep in thought, Sylvar halted. [We¡¯re here.] He said as he opened the door without knocking.


    ¡°Is it fine not to check whether someone is inside first?¡± I asked puzzled.


    [Don¡¯t worry, I already made an appointment with him,]


    Not before long since we entered the large brick layered workshop, I started to feel the heat from the large furnace on the other side of the room. Inside the workshop were several swords, axes, spears, bows, and different pieces of armor displayed here and there. On one side of the workshop were different pieces of ores piled up untidily.


    Among the prominent ones inside the workshop were hammers of different sizes and shapes, large metallic containers containing different liquids, whetstones made of different materials, pots of clay, tables made out of steel and iron, different blacksmithing tools lying about anywhere ,baskets of shards and crystals, and a dwarf wielding a hammer about three times the size of his head.


    [Oh, looky here.] The dwarf, Garfin, said as he approached.


    [Garfin, you should let go of the hammer.] Sylvar suggested.


    [Not listening to you.] Garfin answered. [Well, what brings you here?] Asked Garfin smiling after placing his hammer over his shoulder.


    [Amelia, can you please show that?] Sylvar asked looking to my direction.


    [Hrmm?] Garfin grunted.


    As Sylvar asked, I brought out the pouch from my pocket and showed the contents to Garfin. Garfin, curious of the content of the pouch, approached and appraised it.


    [Hrmm¡­] He muttered. [This sure is not an ordinary material. What is it?] He asked.


    ¡°The shedding of Amalthea¡¯s horn, Grandpa Fin.¡± I answered in a childish tone accompanied by a smile.


    Surprised, Garfin moved his sight towards Sylvar and asked for a confirmation. [Yes, the spirits can confirm this.]


    [Really?! What a great find! Hahahahaha!] Garfin laughed heartily.


    [But this shedding is a reward from Amalthea to Amelia.] He added.


    [No, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my Granddaughter after all! Hahahaha!] He continued laughing.


    With a wry smile, I stood there silently until Sylvar managed to calm the laughing Garfin.


    While Sylvar and Garfin argued where to use the material they would be given, I looked around the workshop and checked the completed weapons and armors. When they were finished, they agreed that they¡¯d take an eight of the shedding. They also promised that I¡¯d be involved all throughout the process as I ought it to be. After discussing the details regarding the use of the material, I left the rapier and the dagger for a proper maintenance.


    After the visit, Sylvar told me that there¡¯s still someone else that I have to meet. Since I have no plans for the day, I agreed. After passing through the gates, we walked for several minutes until we reached an open yet rocky area.


    [We¡¯re here.] Sylvar said.


    ¡°Oh, Lia¡¯s here.¡± A female voice said as she dropped from a tree.


    ¡°Eh?¡± I muttered surprised of the language spoken.


    The girl, no, the woman, who looked like a child, sported a short orange hair tied into a ponytail, and clear green eyes.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Lia probably forgot about me.¡± The female enarf said. ¡°But that¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll be together for quite a long time anyway, we can always build up our relationship again!¡± She said energetically as she ran to my direction and embraced me.


    ¡°I missed you, Lia!¡± She buried her head below my chest. ¡°Ah, an older Lia is a great Lia¡­¡± She muttered in bliss.


    I, unable to comprehend the situation, received everything wearing a confused expression.


    ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but you are?¡± I asked as I tried to peel off the female enarf.


    [That¡¯s K-]


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she shouted at Sylvar. ¡°My name is Kanna!¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Kanna, I don¡¯t think I remember you.¡± I said.


    ¡°I knew it! it¡¯s all Randolf¡¯s fault!¡± She declared. ¡°And that pesky animal!¡±


    Unsure of what to say, I remained silent.


    [Kanna, you should let them meet now.] Sylvar intruded.


    ¡°She¡¯s not the person I have to meet?¡± Puzzled, I asked.


    [No, she¡¯s one, but she¡¯s not it.] He answered. [Kanna give her the whistle, I¡¯m sure that too is excited to be reunited with his foster mother.]


    Eh? Me? Mother? Eh? What?


    ¡°Fine.¡± Kanna answered frowning. ¡°Lia, here.¡± She handed a small wooden whistle. ¡°Use it over there.¡± She pointed a few meters away from where I stood.


    Unable to piece anything together, I reluctantly accepted the task. After reaching the said location, I blew the whistle.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I muttered. ¡°Why is there no sound?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Kanna shouted. ¡°There¡¯s a sound, but you can¡¯t hear it!¡±


    A sound that I can¡¯t hear? I pondered.


    After a few seconds, a shadow accompanied by a sound slicing through the wind passed above me. In response, I looked above but was unable to catch a glimpse of the beast.


    Immediately after that, a loud roar echoed to the surroundings.


    Wait, Isn¡¯t that?!


    Followed by the roar was a powerful gust of wind that made me close my eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s going to be fine!¡± Kanna shouted.


    Soon after the gust of wind died down, I heard a heavy thud accompanied by a low growl.


    After opening my eyes, I was greeted by a tongue filled saliva.


    ¡°Euhhh¡­¡± Visibly shaken, I stood there wiping the saliva off my face. Without mercy, I was licked again and again until I fell to the ground sobbing. ¡°I surrender¡­¡± I cried.


    What¡¯s wrong with this wyvern...

 Chapter 21: The Tribe 2

    A few minutes later after I gave up, I sat on the ground and leaned on the wyvern¡¯s neck as it slept with its head curled beside me. Its neck, covered in long black, yet not so hard scales, was long enough to accommodate four people sitting side by side.


    ¡°So you mean that I met this wyvern seven years ago?¡± I asked Kanna.


    ¡°Yes, after it hatched from its egg, you were the first thing that it saw and thought that you were its Mother.¡± She answered. ¡°For two years, you took care of this White-tail because you thought it was a cute and large bird.¡± She said grinning as she stood before me with her hands on her hips.


    ¡°¡­¡± In silence, I moved my sight towards the White-tail beside me. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like a bird at all.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Answered, Kanna. ¡°New-born White-tails take the form of a large feathered chick. This trait of them is believed to be the cause of having the blood of Gryphons.¡±


    ¡°Once hatched, White-tails are covered by a thin layer of down. As they grow, that layer of down increases. Those made them look like a very fluffy bird despite the sharp looking jaw.¡±


    ¡°After three to four months, they start shedding their first layer of down. This process continues each month until every layer of down is removed.¡±


    ¡°But why are they covered in that amount of feathers?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s because White-tails tend to make their nest near the mountain peaks where it is cold.¡±


    ¡°In that case, won¡¯t they be out in the cold after all the down was removed?¡±


    She shook her head in response. ¡°No, during the process of the shedding, White-tails start to develop their first set of feather-like scales. These scales are thick enough to withstand the cold air.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t the process of developing the scales take too much time?¡± I asked tilting my head.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± She answered. ¡°White-tails develop slower than most wyverns. They take about eight to nine months before their down is completely replaced. But in comparison, White-tails are superior to most wyverns, especially in terms of speed.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s because of their feather-like scales?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Their scales are lighter compared to the scales of other wyverns. This gives them less weight to carry with their large wingspan. But entirely, it¡¯s just probably that they are a superior variant of wyverns.¡±


    ¡°Then why the white tail?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, we don¡¯t know.¡± She answered scratching her head. ¡°Usually, their tails, up until a third of their back, turn white three years after they hatched. We consider it as the sign of maturity for White-tails.¡±


    ¡°Then this White-tail is already a full-grown adult?¡±


    ¡°The fact that it¡¯s seven years old, yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, how did I meet this White-tail?¡±


    ¡°Every elf that becomes a chief receives an egg of a White-tail as a sign of prestige.¡± She said as she looked at the White-tail. ¡°But since there was originally no trial for humans, the Tribe decided to give them the same proving trial of the elves.¡±


    In that case¡­ I thought. ¡°Then that means that this one was originally Grandfather¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was supposed to be Randolf¡¯s, but since you stuck with it since it hatched, it imprinted you as its parent.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Silently, I moved my sight to the ground. Ah, what was I doing back then?


    ¡°Ahahah.¡± She laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Randolf was satisfied seeing you playing with it anyway. You even slept with it numerous times, rather than sleeping with me!¡± She shouted. ¡°Even though I was present back then, you liked that big fat bird more than me!¡± she said displaying a vexed expression.


    ¡°Err¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    So that¡¯s probably why I don¡¯t remember her that much? But I don¡¯t think I remember that much about this wyvern either¡­ I tried recalling. Wait¡­


    ¡°Haah¡­ Anyway,¡± She said after letting the past be past. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t focus on the next bird you¡¯ll receive.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Confused, I asked. ¡°You mean I will receive another egg?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She asked puzzled. ¡°Of course yes, that big one over there was a reward for Randolf, but the next one is specifically for you.¡±


    How would I take care of that? I thought thinking of being responsible for two wyverns. Just how much do I even need to feed it?


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t like it? You used to like big fat fluffy things right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Guess?¡± I answered unsure wearing a wry smile on my face. ¡°I pretty much don¡¯t remember much of my childhood after that event, so¡­¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sorry I dug that up.¡± She apologized with a slight bow.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I smiled. ¡°In any case, why White-tails?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that.¡± she muttered. ¡°It has something to do with the history of the Mountain Elves.¡±


    ¡°Why were they called Mountain Elves in the first place? Weren¡¯t they ordinary Elves?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are ordinary Elves.¡± Then she looked over to Sylvar who was quiet the whole time.


    [It¡¯s fine; she¡¯ll become a chief soon. It¡¯s necessary for her to learn of the Tribe¡¯s history.]


    Kanna nodded.


    [Well then,] Sylvar said. [I¡¯ll leave things to Kanna and take my leave.] He said as he left.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Well, even if Sylvar said that, I won¡¯t be discussing everything today.¡±


    ¡°True, I¡¯d rather hear about it in a span of several days.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± She said as she approached and sat down beside me. ¡°The Mountain Elves are from the same elven race that used to reside in Avalon. In Avalon, the elves dominate. It¡¯s not that far to say that they rule the entire forest surrounding Avalon.¡±


    ¡°But Garfin said it was a forest?¡± I asked after recalling Garfin¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s right, but he¡¯s wrong too.¡± She added. ¡°Avalon is a metropolis and a forest. Unlike here in Alabaster, they said that the trees in Avalon are at least five times larger. Using those trees, they made homes with them as a base, and then connected them in one way or another.¡±


    After hearing what she said, I looked over to the nearest tree and stacked them five times in my mind.


    Those trees sure are huge¡­ I thought as I imagined the size.


    ¡°Anyway, in Avalon, the same as most races, they too have factions.¡±


    ¡°So the Elves were divided?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She nodded. ¡°Like humans, elves too were divided by their beliefs.¡±


    ¡°There were those that wished to further expand Avalon to spread the belief in nature. Those that thought the other races were barbaric and wished to judge them based on the elven law. Those that thought that secluding their selves in Avalon and ignoring the other races are the best option.¡±


    ¡°Some that wished to venture outside Avalon tempted of the unknown. And some wished to make peace with other races and make a small community with them.¡±


    ¡°Then the Mountain Elves came from the last group?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they did.¡± She answered. ¡°To cut the story short, along their journey, they met the dwarfs searching for a place to mine resources.¡±


    ¡°Then after that, they ended up in Alabaster?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but of course, at first, they had disputes, but after working together for a long time, they built a sense of fellowship, and became the Tribe.¡±


    ¡°Then the White-tail?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha. Yes, the White-tail.¡± She snickered. ¡°Back then, the Tribe was unfortunate to step inside the territory of a White-tail. Of course, the Tribe doesn¡¯t have problems when dealing with most wyverns, but the White-tail was different.¡±


    ¡°During that time, the White-tail that attacked the Tribe was a female that had just recently laid its eggs. Furious that there were trespassers on its territory, it began its attack. The Tribe thought that it would be fine as long they used the same tactic they used against ordinary wyverns.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the White-tail''s attacks were different. Rather than gliding down and attack with its claws, or use its mouth to spit something from up close, it took to the sky and hid in the clouds. At the next moment, it pierced through the clouds in a nosedive. The Tribe tried to attack it as it falls, but it was too fast, and a slight flick of its wings made it twist in the air effortlessly.¡± She narrated while using her hands to show an image.


    ¡°Before it reached the ground, the White-tail spread its wings wide and created a powerful gust of wind that threw Dwarfs and Elves alike into the air. Without rest, it swung its razor-sharp tail and killed several members of the Tribe. Truly, it was the largest disaster that the Tribe met. After several attempts, the Tribe achieved its victory and took the eggs as their prize. Then, it became a symbol of prestige to the Tribe.¡±


    ¡°¡­So White-tails are that powerful?¡± I asked imagining how powerful a wild White-tail is compared to the juvenile wyverns that often come to Laurel.


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s probably because that it was a female guarding its eggs. At those times, White-tails doesn¡¯t show mercy. Add the fact that White-tails are rare and hardly reproduce. But in general, White-tails are powerful enough to easily cut the necks of lesser dragons if given the time to do a nosedive.¡±


    ¡°Then, how many White-tails does the Tribe have?¡±


    ¡°Including this, seven in total.¡± She answered. ¡°The others were given White-tails for their efforts in hunting.¡±


    ¡°Then does the Tribe use other wyverns?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do. But their numbers are also limited. Usually, limited to the number of Enarfs in the Tribe.¡±


    Puzzled I asked. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because we Enarfs are the riders and tamers of beasts in the Tribe. The reason for that is that the Elves can¡¯t aim and control the wyverns at the same time. Because of that, Enarfs became the riders.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I continued listening.


    ¡°Another reason is that Enarfs are light compared to dwarfs and elves. We also have a small and slim body, yet we have a fragment of the dwarfs¡¯ strength which made us ideal riders. The taming part came second after being riders.¡±


    ¡°Then you mean that-¡±


    Smiling brightly she spoke. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m tasked to tame this wyvern and the next that will hatch, which means, I¡¯ll be together with Lia for a looooooong time!¡± She said as she embraced me from the side.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, can you try guessing this one¡¯s name?¡± She asked. ¡°You were the one that named it before.¡± She said peeking from the side with a grin.


    Silently, I thought. Remembering that I was completely different from before, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good name¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? You should be able to name it right?¡± She asked chuckling.


    ¡°C-can the name be changed?¡± I asked nervously.


    ¡°Why? It already has a cute name.¡± she answered smiling. ¡°And besides, it won¡¯t easily recognize a new name, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Silently I looked to the sky and thought. I feel like I have done something bad¡­


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to guess then I¡¯ll say it.¡± She said as she stood and began patting the White-tails head.


    ¡°Its name is-¡± Before she finished saying anything, I cupped my hands on my ears.


    No, I don¡¯t want to hear it! I thought as I curled myself and closed my eyes.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s cheating!¡± She said as she tried prying my hands off.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t let me remember my sin!¡± I struggled. ¡°Let me be without knowing it!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± She answered. ¡°You¡¯ll only prolong your agony! It¡¯d be best to bear the shame right now!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I kept struggling ¡°I said I do-¡±


    ¡°Birby.¡± She whispered through the gap.


    With my strength draining from remembering a ridiculous name that I gave to a wyvern, I slumped.


    I knew it¡­ I thought. I¡¯m sorry I named you Birby¡­ Old me, what the hell were you thinking¡­ Then I hid my face with the palm of my hands.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be great if we start introducing Birby to other people in the future.¡±


    ¡°No! Please don¡¯t!¡± I bellowed. ¡°That¡¯s torture! At least introduce him as a White-tail instead!¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Why not? He liked his name, you know?¡± She said as she continued patting Birby while it gave a low growl.


    You too?!


    ¡°Then at least don¡¯t tell them I named him¡­¡± I said as I held her hand. ¡°Please, have mercy.¡± I begged.


    ¡°In that case,¡± She said with a smirk. ¡°Ride Birby with me.¡±


    I looked towards Birby¡¯s back and saw a saddle for two. ¡°Won¡¯t it be dangerous?¡± I asked worried about falling to my death.


    ¡°As long as you hold tight, then there wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± She grinned.


    ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s fine?¡± I answered.


    Well, even I am excited finding out how it feels to fly. I thought. I don¡¯t see any problem with riding it anyway


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go?¡± She asked.


    Later that day¡­


    ¡°Fast! Too fast!¡± I shouted as I held the reins tight as if holding for my dear life as we flew into the sky.


    ¡°Hehehehe.¡± Kanna laughed. ¡°Go on Lia, hug me tighter!¡±


    ¡°What Nonese-¡± cut off by the sudden flip, I unconsciously embraced Kanna tighter as I felt my hips lifting from the saddle for a moment.


    W-what the¡­ Frightened of the unfamiliar feeling, I thought.


    Ughh¡­ I¡¯m starting to feel sick¡­ I thought as Birby did continuous maneuvers in the air. For several times, I felt that my heart was being left somewhere else, and my soul slowly sucked. I think I¡¯ll develop a trauma from flying¡­


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± I said as I used Reinforcement on my arms and embraced Kanna tighter.


    ¡°W-wait Tight! Too tight!¡±


    ¡°B-bring us down!¡± I commanded. ¡°I-I¡¯ll make it tighter if you don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°N-no! I can still handle this!¡± She answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn!¡± I shouted and poured mana into my horn.


    ¡°Aaah! No! Way too tight!¡± She screamed. ¡°You¡¯ll squeeze my insides!¡± She cried. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll bring us down!¡± Upon hearing her answer, I halted the mana flow and hid my horn.


    Then she began to change the direction and proceeded with a nosedive.


    ¡°T-this is too much for meeee!¡± I screamed as the wind rushed towards me with eyes closed.


    I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d do this! I screamed. I don¡¯t want to die!


    Then a sudden force made me lean forward and hit my head on Kanna.


    ¡°¡±Ouch!¡±¡± We both cried.


    Upon reaching the ground,¡°Uhh¡­¡± I muttered light-headed. With my sense of balance overthrown, legs quivering like a newborn deer, I tried to walk towards the nearest tree and threw up.


    I just got cleaned today and here I am throwing up after being covered by saliva¡­


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kanna asked.


    ¡°Of course no- Ugh¡­¡± Then I threw a second time. ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ I¡¯ll get used to riding a wyvern¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahehehe.¡± Kanna laughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but don¡¯t worry, next time we¡¯ll start out at the speed of galloping horse, that way, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to ride with you anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask for someone else¡­¡± I muttered.


    ¡°W-w-wait!¡± She panicked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really, really, really sorry!¡± She cried. ¡°Don¡¯t replace me, Lia! I¡¯m begging you! And besides, no one is better at riding wyverns other than me! I¡¯ll teach you every trick I know!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I looked at her with disdain. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh! What have I done?!¡± She shouted messing with her hair with both arms. ¡°Ahuhuhu¡­ Randolf¡­ What do I do?! Lia hates me again!¡± She asked the heavens.


    It¡¯s your fault...

 Chapter 22: The Tribe 3

    On the next day, the celebration of my completion of the proving was held, at the same time, the announcement of my becoming as a Tribe Chief.


    During the announcement, I remained at the center of a wooden stage overlooking hundreds of Dwarfs, Elves, and Enarfs.


    They are all different, but they are all mixed up. I thought as observed the members of the Tribe.


    I thought. Four, no, three years. I¡¯ll make the residents of Laurel familiar with the peculiarities of the Tribe in three years or less.


    As Sylvar and Garfin announced the result of my proving, my achievements, and my position as a new chief, several different reactions painted the crowd. Before it officially closed, I was asked to give a speech.


    I moved forward until I reached the edge of the stage then stood there as I moved my sights around the crowd. Before I started, I inhaled deeply.


    ¡°First, good morning to you all.¡± I said with a light bow, wearing a smile. ¡°Before anything, I wish to express my gratitude for accepting me and my Grandfather here in the Tribe.¡± I spoke loud and clear.


    Silently, the crowd listened.


    ¡°Between humans, most if not all of us thought that the other races were nothing but evil. We were selfish and close-minded, ignorant and apathetic.¡±


    ¡°Due to the varying accounts that depicted the races as demonic beings, our minds were poisoned. In retaliation, humans fought and did the same, no, far worse. We knew no bounds. We enslaved the races, innocent or not it didn¡¯t matter, we all looked at them as a toy for entertainment. We were monsters.¡±


    I said placing a hand on my chest and gave a deep bow. ¡°Although I am not fit, I wish to admit our sins, and as a representative of my people, I gravely apologize to you all on their behalf.¡±


    Then after pausing for a while, I continued with my speech. ¡°But every once in a while, there were those who viewed things differently, and one of those was my Grandfather, Randolf Laurel, a King.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather taught me many things, but among those, the most important thing I¡¯ve learned is to never judge a person by his or her birth, human or not. And because of this belief, he led Laurel into thinking that there is a stage where we humans and the races could meet eye to eye.¡±


    ¡°To prove this, Grandfather led expeditions in Alabaster to search for a community of any race, and this resulted in the discovery of the Tribe. After seven years, his efforts bore fruit, and a connection with the Tribe was established.¡±


    ¡°During those seven years, he had begun showing that the races in the Tribe were harmless. Little by little, the citizens of Laurel started thinking and gradually accepted that the other races may not be as bad as the accounts told.¡±


    ¡°For the next two years, the trade between us increased the diversity of the commodities available in Laurel, but at the same time, the Tribe was satisfied. It was a mutual correspondence.¡±


    ¡°Positive of the result, he thought that the account should be spread, hoping to change how the humans viewed the races. But in the end, the result was his death.¡±


    ¡°The church, forerunner in advocating that humans are superior, feared that their teachings would be denied and their position shaken. They were cowards that hid behind their believers and pushed them into doing what they wished. They were a society of puppets, a false religion.¡±


    ¡°Hoping to continue what Grandfather started, I left my own kingdom and studied in Academia. In Academia, my life was harsh. Everywhere I went; there would always be a rumor, a rumor of a child loved by the demons. To them, the truth did not matter. They were my fellow humans, but they were blind. Because of this, I learned that fruits of the same tree are not similar."


    ¡°In Academia, there was never a day that I could rest at ease. Even so, I moved forward until I finally reached what Grandfather achieved. Standing in front of the Tribe, hoping that we could live together peacefully.¡±


    ¡°And now, to all of you, as a new chief of the Tribe, I hope that one day we could all talk as equals, as a community, as beings living in this world, and not as different races. I hope that one day we can live under a single roof, free of prejudice, unconcerned by our differences, and worthy of trust. And so I ask you, to help me show my fellow humans that the races are not what they think they are.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Then and there I ended my speech as I stepped backward. After ending the announcement, the feast started.


    The celebration was lively, Elves sang songs, Dwarfs quarreled over the drinks, and Enarfs performed dances. It was a community where everyone was treated as equals, chief or not.


    ¡°Lia, come, let¡¯s eat!¡± It did not take long before I was dragged by Kanna and was forced to eat their local food.


    From one place to another, I mingled with the residents and learned of their names. We shared stories, what we like and what we don¡¯t. All in all, we ate, we drunk, and we celebrated for another day of nothing but joy.


    During the celebration, I started to observe some peculiarities among the races. The Elves ate meat without a hint of disgust. The Dwarfs ate fruits and vegetables accompanied by meat. The Enarfs enjoyed either of the two.


    As I observed this, I smiled. The change is hardly visible from a person outside the community, but they adapted each other¡¯s traits and became an entirely different race.


    I wonder if this is what Grandfather wanted everyone to see. With a warm sense of fulfillment, I thought. Seeing everyone like this, I kind of understand why Grandfather wanted to start the change¡­


    A place we can all call home huh. I wish that someday if ever I retire, can have a home like this¡­


    It did not take long before the celebration reached its peak. At night, the Tribe kneeled on the ground, placed their fists on the left side of their chests, and began praying. After praying, a horn made out of goat¡¯s horn was blown to signify its end


    With a wry smile, I thought. A prayer of thanks and guidance towards Amalthea huh.


    After the celebration at night, inside the bedchamber of my lodge, I bathed myself on the moonlight and released my horn.


    ¡°Celes,¡± I called, grasping the crystal with my hand. ¡°Are you there?¡±


    In response, the crystal glowed faintly. [I am listening, Amelia.]


    ¡°You see,¡± I started as I peered towards the moon. ¡°I think it¡¯s not that bad that I followed what Grandfather had set for me.¡±


    [¡­] In silence, she listened.


    ¡°Seeing them all wearing genuine smiles, I¡¯m quite envious. I wish I could become like them.¡± I said. ¡°They all lived knowing that their comrades are there beside them, ready to support. Unlike me, there¡¯s a need to be wary. I cannot just lend my back to someone else. Celes, someday, can I become like that? Can I become innocent and free once more?¡±


    As I continued, a tear dropped from my eye. ¡°As everyone thought, I¡¯m too harsh on myself,¡± I muttered. ¡°Celes, can you please come? Just this moment, please, I want someone I can lean on.¡±


    Answering my wishes, Celes appeared before me in her human form. Silently, I stood before her and buried myself into her chest. ¡°Celes, will you help me? Will you guide me? I don¡¯t think I can do everything on my own¡­¡±


    Without answering my question, she stroked my hair and carefully lowered herself to a sit.


    ¡°Why do I have to be born to be a princess?¡± I cried. ¡°It¡¯s so hard, looking at them all genuinely living their life, while here I am in the dark, thinking about how I would face them all again once I return.¡±


    Again, I cried weakly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Celes, I¡¯m pathetic. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this¡­¡±


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Celes answered in a calming tone. ¡°It¡¯s fine to show weakness from time to time. Weakness is a sign that you are an imperfect yet perfect being. So just for today, you can act like a weak child you are.¡±


    No longer that I remember what happened next, but I was sure that it didn¡¯t take me long before I fell asleep in her embrace.


    <hr>


    The day after, ¡°Morning Lia!¡± Kanna, uninvited, barged inside my lodge.


    Nevertheless, ¡°Morning Kanna.¡± I replied.


    She approached the table; ¡°I¡¯ve brought the books.¡± and placed it on top.


    The books detailed both the language of the Elves and the Dwarfs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also brought the records that Randolf prepared in case you became chief.¡± She said while taking out a stack of papers.


    ¡°Records?¡± I asked, eating my morning meal. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It''s a record detailing the trade routes to be used, the commodities to be traded, the estimated value of the commodities generalized into different classes and a lot more just in case something happens to him.¡±


    Surprised by what she just spoke of, I stood from my seat and took the records. After grabbing them, I skimmed over its contents.


    This is¡­ I thought as my eyes read through them one by one and collected the information in my mind and supplied what I knew of.


    ¡°This is incredible¡­¡± I muttered in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Grandfather prepared this much¡­¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± She answered with a smile. ¡°He also wrote there the people you could trust in case you need people to handle the detailed stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know them,¡± I muttered as I go over the names listed. ¡°Most of them are retired Chancellors and some are direct vassals of Grandfather...¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I want to review this for a moment,¡± I answered without moving my eyes away from the paper. ¡°Probably it''ll take me a day or two before I finish.¡±


    ¡°So you want to delay the language and riding lessons?¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± I answered. ¡°Besides, the council would be held two days from now. I¡¯ll take the riding lesson first. There¡¯s no immediate need for me to learn the language.¡±


    For two days, I reviewed the records left by Grandfather.


    This is¡­ I thought as I listed what I thought that needs to be retained and what needs to be modified. This will do, but for this one, I¡¯ll need Mother¡¯s opinion.


    I checked it once, twice, and then thrice before finally putting the records down, satisfied with what I¡¯ve done.


    ¡°Kanna, do you know where Mon lives?¡± I asked as I approached the door.


    ¡°Hmm? Mon you say?¡± She said as she fiddled with a dagger. ¡°What do you need him for?¡±


    ¡°I need a favor, oh, that also includes you.¡± I added. ¡°I need you both to deliver these papers to the palace, it would be faster if you take Mon on Birby and accompany him until the forest entrance. And a reminder, don¡¯t approach Aves, they might mistake Birby as a hostile wyvern and take him down.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She answered. ¡°I¡¯ll take a few minutes to reach the forest entrance from here if I take Birby anyway. But the journey back will be longer.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. ¡°Also, please tell Mon to meet me after his return. I need to apologize for the bow I broke.¡±


    ¡°Heeh, so he lent you a bow?¡± She asked.


    I answered. ¡°Yes, before the proving.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. Mon probably gave it to you as a gift rather than lending it to you.¡± She said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll go visit him now.¡± Then she ran off taking the documents I wrapped with a string and placed on the table.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I called, but I was ignored. ¡°Haah¡­¡±


    I guess I¡¯ll go grab the rapier and the dagger for now.

 Chapter 23: The Tribe 4

    Inside the council, [Now then,] Sylvar started, standing before his seat. [My fellow chiefs, this is Amelia, our new chief. As we all know, we are here to discuss our relationship to the kingdom of Laurel.]


    He gestured to his left and right, [But before that, Amelia, let me introduce to you Kan and Ran, my fellow Elven Chiefs.] introducing two other Elves.


    Kan and Ran bore the same blonde hair, blue eyes, and a similar face. They wore the same brown leather clothing like Sylvar. A sleeve reaching to the elbow followed by a leather hand guard crested with a gem, a two-layered shirt reaching up to the ankle topped with a leather vest, an obsidian belt, plain short trousers, and knee-high leather boots.


    [As you can see, Kan and Ran are twins.] The two nodded as said.


    [Greetings Amelia.] The short-haired Kan said.


    While the long-haired Ran, [Good morning Amelia.]


    Another difference between them was that the Ran was slimmer than Kan, a male and female twin, similar to Fae and Rick.


    On the other hand, [Sorry Amelia,] Garfin apologized. [Both Arkand and Dresbon have yet to return after the expedition. In any case, I¡¯ll be taking over their responsibility for now.]


    ¡°I understand.¡± I answered.


    [Have you read what Randolf has prepared in advance?] Kan asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± I replied.


    [Then this would be a lot easier than we thought.] Ran said after Kan.


    [Anyway, let¡¯s all take a seat.] Sylvar suggested.


    As told, we all took our respective seats. Garfin on my left, with two vacant seats beside him, and on my right, Sylvar, Kan, and Ran sat respectively.In between, is a large copper-gray roundtable. Obviously, they sat facing my direction, where a similar scenario of an interrogation played inside my mind.


    Contrary to that image and atmosphere, [If you¡¯ve read it, then are there any questions about it?] we were all relaxed.


    If there¡¯s one thing that I¡¯ve learned for these past few days, it¡¯s that we could all speak with each other casually, a freedom given to everyone no matter the difference in rank.


    ¡°Yes, but first, I want to apologize,¡± I said with a light bow.


    [Hrmm? Why?] Garfin asked leaning on his seat.


    ¡°I wish to change several things in the records that Grandfather had prepared.¡± Confidently, I answered.


    [And why is that? Hadn¡¯t Randolf prepared those to ease your burden?]


    ¡°Indeed, it was his intention to do so,¡± I nodded. ¡°But I fear that not all of its contents are suited at this period. During the last five years, Father and Mother had taken actions in order to deceive the public of the severance of the trade with the Tribe.¡±


    I breathed, then continued. ¡°One of those actions is to collect a group of blacksmiths and task them to replicate the swords made by the Dwarfs.¡±


    Father and Mother took this action so that the image built by Grandfather of the Tribe would not crumble.


    ¡°In that way, the public wouldn¡¯t notice that the trade was severed even after his death. We¡¯ve also released a number of the shards and crystals that was stored in the treasury of the palace; while Father tasked another group of miners to establish a hidden mine to cover what was lost from the trade.¡±


    They even used their connection with the merchants in order to shut the mouths of those who were previously involved in the trade by privately hiring them as the palace¡¯s accountants and as private purveyors.


    ¡°In addition, I believe that transferring the commodities in bulk is not beneficial as of the moment. We would need time to replace the artificial products we released so that the difference in quality wouldn¡¯t be easily noticeable, but this is something that I need to discuss with Father and Mother since they might have a different opinion on this.¡±


    I continued. ¡°And before that, I wish to further review these records while I visit the places where the Tribe processes the commodities to be traded. But if there''s one thing...¡±


    [Continue.] Sylvar said after my short pause confirming that they are listening.


    ¡°The route that he made by shutting down an old mine, reasoning that the mine was running empty. I would like to see it personally.¡±


    A trade route using a mine¡­ I thought. If it is properly used, guarding the commodities would be easier compared to guarding it while scaling the mountain.


    [Hrmm¡­] Garfin grunted as he combed his beard.


    [It seems that the trade severance,] Ran started.


    Then Kan continued. [Gave our neighbor some difficulties.]


    [Seems like it.] Sylvar agreed.


    If only the trade wasn¡¯t severed¡­ I thought as I observed their reactions. Besides, I still don¡¯t understand why the trade was severed. It is in no way beneficial to both parties¡­


    I raised my right hand to ask for permission to talk, in which they allowed.


    ¡°Could I ask the main reason for the severance of the trade?¡± I asked. After they nodded, I continued. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to believe that the lack of a member of the Tribe from the human side is the only reason.¡±


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    [We didn¡¯t want it either.] Garfin answered with crossed arms. [It¡¯s a wish from Randolf himself.]


    [He told us that,] Ran said.


    Then Kan, [He already planned it.]


    [If there¡¯s one thing,] Sylvar said. [He left you a message that he stashed in Alabaster that we are not allowed to get near to.]


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Sylvar, looking to Garfin¡¯s direction, nodded. [Garfin will lead you to the place.]


    [I¡¯ll take several days to prepare for the trip, so you can use that time to visit the other places.] Garfin said.


    ¡°How long would the preparations take?¡± I asked. ¡°I still have about¡­¡±


    Placing a finger on my lips, I thought.


    Today is the 25<sup>th</sup> day of the 2<sup>nd</sup> Month of Spring. Then I have about 3 more days, another 28 for the next month, and then an extra day before the Academy starts.


    The people I left in Academia should¡¯ve prepared the necessary requirements for the enrollment so I can at least try to be at the Tervin¡¯s dukedom 3 days before it starts. I¡¯ve also sent a message to Erina to move into Fargan, the town next to the dukedom. After that, I could ride Birby into Fargan in a single day, but I have to at least stay in Aves for 5 days. In that case¡­


    ¡°I still have about 22 to 24 days.¡± I said. ¡°Would that be enough?¡±


    [Hrmmm¡­] Garfin muttered. [Then we¡¯ll go there seven days from now. In the meantime, do as you wish.]


    After Garfin, Sylvar asked. [By the way Amelia, have you prepared a candidate to serve as your substitute while you¡¯re away?]


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ll have my servant, Ark, act as my substitute while I¡¯m away.¡±


    [And the people you wish to bring?]


    ¡°Including Ark, at most 11 persons would arrive here a few days from now.¡±


    It¡¯d be best if I could hide Camille, Rick, and Fae here in the Tribe. That way, the chance that Camille will meet Father without the illusion will be minimal. I just hope that they wouldn¡¯t be uncomfortable meeting another race, but I guess they can get used to it as the time goes.


    [Good,] Sylvar replied. [Is there anything else?]


    In response, I shook my head. ¡°None.¡± And so did Garfin, Kan, and Ran.


    [Then this meeting has ended.]


    After the meeting had ended, we respectfully left our seats and proceeded to the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor of the council. At the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor, there were seats and tables made out of brown varnished maple wood. There were enough seats to accommodate 20 persons.


    On the nearest table for six, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here.¡± was Kanna.


    Without hesitation, I took the seat beside her. On the other hand, Ran took the seat beside me, ending up between Kanna and Ran. On the other side, Garfin, Sylvar, and Kan sat down respectively.


    ¡°Finally, a meal!¡± Kanna said brightly.


    ¡°You did nothing though?¡± I refuted.


    ¡°Waiting is tiring too Lia.¡± She lectured with a fork on her left hand.


    [Seems like you two come along quite well.] Ran added.


    ¡°Of course!¡± She answered. ¡°Lia and I go way more than you think!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who thinks that¡­¡± I said with a frown.


    ¡°At least cover me Lia!¡±


    [Ahahaha.] Kan chuckled. [It¡¯s nice to see that our new chief is coping up well.]


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I muttered. ¡°Somehow, it¡¯s weird that you¡¯re not following up after your sister or your sister not following up after you¡­¡±


    [Ah that,] Ran answered with a wry smile. [Actually that¡¯s what Kan suggested, and since we can read each other¡¯s mind to some extent, we can follow up for each other.]


    ¡°Ah, is that so?¡±


    [Ha ha ha] Kan forced a laugh. [Doesn¡¯t it sound mysterious and amazing?] He grinned.


    ¡°Excuse me for this,¡± Apologetic, I said. ¡°Actually, I find it annoying.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± Kanna added.


    Sylvar nodded. [I agree.]


    [Couldn¡¯t care less.] Garfin inserted.


    [See?!] Ran shouted. [I told you it looked weird!]


    [I-It¡¯s at least tasteful right?] Kan asked raising his hand just above the table as if preparing for something. [And besides why does Kanna have a comment in this?]


    Without a second thought, I shook my head. ¡°No.¡±


    [Please forgive me!] Kan raised his hand in surrender.


    Meanwhile, Ran grinned after standing from her seat. [Heh, you seem prepared this time.]


    [Impossible.] Kan muttered. [I, the great chief Kan, would never back do- w-wait!]


    [Stop with that nonsense!] Ran said as he grabbed Kan¡¯s hand. [We¡¯re bringing this outside!]


    [S-sylvar! My friend!] Kan called. [Help me!]


    In response, [Sorry.] Sylvar waved his hand goodbye.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s two people down for the food.¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°And just in time, here it is!¡±


    A parade of three elves came and brought the most awaited meal.


    [I agree, Amelia did a good follow-up to reduce our enemies.]


    [That¡¯s my Granddaughter for you.]


    ¡°Eh?¡± Surprised, I muttered. ¡°I just gave my honest thought though? I didn¡¯t try to read too much into it.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, you did good!¡±


    One by one, the food was placed on the table. Once everything was served we all took our own portions and started to eat.


    ¡°Now that I thought about it, I haven¡¯t seen a lot of vegetables around, but there¡¯s an abundant amount of fruits.¡±


    [That¡¯s actually a problem for the Tribe.] Sylvar answered. [There¡¯s a few number of plants that are able to live here at this height of Alabaster.]


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you settle somewhere else?¡±


    [That¡¯s due to the number of beasts in this area.] Sylvar replied. [Do you remember the underground spring?]


    ¡°The one from the ritual?¡±


    [Yes, there are several spirits residing there, as well as earth spirits in this area. Living between the two spirits make an abundant ground to grow certain crops. In addition, the spirits works as a natural deterrent to the beasts.]


    ¡°Ah, I understand now.¡± I said as I guessed the reason without knowing the actual inner workings of the spirits that I can¡¯t see. ¡°By the way, what does the seeds from a Tree Mimic do?¡±


    [Ah, that¡¯s actually what we call the Mimic¡¯s treasure.]


    Puzzled, I tilted my head slightly. ¡°Treasure?¡±


    [Yes, they usually grow a random crop that¡¯d naturally adapt to the surrounding.]


    ¡°Then anything that grows from it will naturally survive?¡±


    [Yes,] He replied. [In some cases a rare kind of plant may grow. Like that plant we Elves use to make Elixirs.]


    ¡°Elixir?!¡± I unconsciously shouted as I stood. ¡°You mean that potion that can cure any ailment and heal any wounds?!¡±


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Kanna muttered. ¡°Relax there, Amelia. It¡¯s not that easy to get that plant even for the Elves you know?¡±


    [Indeed,] Sylvar added. [That plant has an extreme case of rarity, so I wouldn¡¯t expect them to grow from the Mimic seeds that easily.]


    Realizing what I did, ¡°Ah, what a shame.¡± I took my seat like refined lady I was. ¡°Anyway, when would they return?¡±


    [They will take a bit longer.] Unexpectedly, Garfin answered. [Anyway, enough with that seed. Let¡¯s discuss what we¡¯ll do with those flakes!] With a wide smile, he enthusiastically said.


    ¡°Oh, here they go again.¡± Kanna muttered.


    And I added. ¡°Yeah...¡±


    [Garfin, like I said, it¡¯ll be pointless to talk about it now that Arkand and Dresbon have yet to return.]


    [Who cares about them, I¡¯m the best weapon smith in this Tribe!]


    [I told you that it doesn¡¯t have to be a weapon!]


    [Then what do you want?! An armor from a horn shedding? Ridiculous!]


    ¡°¡±Haah¡­¡±¡± Kanna and I sighed and silently ate our food while we watched them fighting over their decisions.


    Suddenly, Garfin asked me. [Amelia! What do you think? A weapon, right?!]


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    While Sylvar suggested. [Amelia, please tell off this weapon monger.]


    ¡°Err¡­¡± While taking in their glares, I tried to think of an answer while I recalled the trial given to me by Amalthea.


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± I muttered. ¡°Maybe a metallic horn would do?¡±


    [[Hmm? Why?]] They asked in chorus.


    ¡°Well, you see, Amalthea¡¯s horn was used to gather lightning strikes,¡± I answered. ¡°Then I remembered the horn from the celebration the other day. So I thought that maybe, using it to make a horn will create a horn that calls in lightning or maybe a storm?¡±


    [[And where did you get idea for the effect?]] Again, in a chorus, they asked.


    ¡°Just my fantasy?¡± I answered honestly.


    [Hrmm¡­] Garfin thought as he combed his beard. [It does make sense in a way.]


    [Yes,] Sylvar agreed. [I agree, it does make sense.]


    Eh? They¡¯re buying that idea I just thought of out of the blue?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good thing to follow my idea.¡±


    [[No, we¡¯ve decided.]] Then they shook their arms with a wide smile plastered on their face.


    ¡°Well, it does make sense Lia. Burp!¡± Kanna joined while she placed her hand over her full stomach.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°What? I just ate my fill and a part of Kan and Ran¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    [Oh, what did I miss?] Then Ran joined.


    ¡°Oh, welcome back Ran and Ka- where¡¯s Kan?¡± I asked.


    [Ah, don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯ll be returning soon.]


    ¡°Okay?¡±


    Afterward, we continued our idle chatter while Sylvar and Garfin left to make a design for the horn.


    Don¡¯t blame me if something goes wrong with that horn¡­

 Chapter 24: The Tribe 5

    I didn¡¯t know how to describe it, but what I know is that it was breathtaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± I muttered as my silver hair fluttered in the wind as I took in the beauty of nature. ¡°It¡¯s as if the sky is divided into two¡­¡±


    Silence painted the surroundings except for the wind that whistled to my ears. To the east, was a ball of light that illuminated the dark sky. As its presence grew stronger by the second, the twinkling stars hid in the darkness, shy of the ball. To the west was its known friend, the moon, guardian of the world, the light in the dark. Below us were large clumps of clouds overshadowing the forests, blanketed by patches of thick white mist.


    ¡°How does it feel?!¡± Kanna asked shouting as she held the reins of a White-tail, flying beside me.


    In response, I smiled back and said. ¡°A lot better than you riding with me!¡±


    ¡°That hurts my feelings, Lia!¡±


    Having felt a sense of comfort, ¡°I don¡¯t care about your feelings!¡± I dumped her on the spot.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re breaking up our engagement?!¡± She replied. ¡°What about the child you¡¯re bearing?! I''m the Father!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Playfully, I replied. ¡°I cou-¡± ldn¡¯t bear a child, I¡¯m no longer human¡­


    Worried that I suddenly stopped, she called. ¡°Lia?! What¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing!¡± I answered. ¡°I just remembered that they might arrive today!¡±


    Why did I think of that? I¡¯m still human, I thought. Now that I think about it, did I bleed when I was asleep?


    ¡°Want to go back now?!¡±


    In reply, I shook my head. ¡°No, I want to scout them from above!¡±


    It¡¯s almost the end of the month, I¡¯ll know soon...


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± She laughed. ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but wouldn¡¯t they panic if they saw wyverns flying above them?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯ve written in the record that I¡¯ve acquired a wyvern!¡± I replied enthusiastically. ¡°They probably won¡¯t be that too panicked! I think!¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡±


    Along with Kanna, I pulled the loose reins to the right while I gently squeezed with my legs. Gradually, Birbly tilted to the right while I moved to the left to keep my balance until I faced north.


    ¡°Slowly¡­ Slowly¡­¡± I muttered while nervously leading Birby by the reins.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing better than last time!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m getting used to it faster than expected!¡± I replied. ¡°But maneuvers are still too much for me! Flying like this is the best I can!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural!¡± She replied. ¡°No one can learn to fly in a single day!¡±


    Three days have passed since the council meeting. Day by day we visited one place to another, riding on Birby, a training made by Kanna to learn wyvern riding. Fortunately, he was intelligent enough to follow up on my mistakes.


    The day after the meeting, we immediately set our sights towards the Tribe¡¯s tannery. It was located further southwest where it stood beside the river that led to the waterfall I had fallen into during the ritual. The whole tannery, including the lodge for its workers, was the size of a small hamlet.


    The tannery aside, the leather it produced varied. In any case, the processing of the leather starts in the curing stage. Unlike the curing done by humans, their curing stage is done by freezing the rawhide due to the lack of salt. The freezing of the hides is done by the water spirits contracted by the Elves. After freezing, the hide is left outside for the ice to melt and prepare it for soaking.


    In soaking, the hide is dipped into water mixed with either oil from Oregano, Garlic, or Bay Laurel for several days to restore its water and to prevent molding.


    Limestone, which is an abundant resource in Alabaster due to its endless network of caves, is heated into quicklime before mixing it into the water for liming. In liming, the skin of the hide is weakened to remove the hair and to divide the hide into a few layers depending on the thickness while removing the excess flesh.


    Afterward, the hides are washed with cold water mixed with wyvern dung or wolf dung while it was attached to a rotating drum powered by a watermill. After washing, the hides are brought to a large open space where the hides are placed on beams to prepare for the tanning. Frankly, it stunk that I covered my nose with cloth I brought.


    When the hides are almost dry, they are brought into a house filled with large jars that contained different kinds of tanning mixtures. The mixtures used Tree barks, roots, leaves for vegetable tanning which makes good leather boots, belts, or book covers and animal brains for brain tanning which is great for soft leather clothing and the like.


    Regarding the wastes, the water spirits helped in cleansing the water used for re-usage. A very friendly approach that I wished us humans could adapt.


    Fond of the leather-made items, I used my authority, and the deal with Sylvar to acquire fur boots, a fur cap, and fur clothing with a design similar to those of the Elves. It was preparation for the cold winter during the months of fall.


    Up until that day, I still wondered why we were following a calendar of a lost civilization which contradicts with the actual seasons here in Laurel. If not for the huge clock tower in Academia that displayed the time, year, season, month, and day, we would¡¯ve used a different calendar system despite the history of the kingdoms too short for 1500 years. At best, the oldest is Libet at 637 years including its history before it was named Libet.


    ¡°Kanna, do you see anything?!¡± I asked as I moved my sight looking for any sign of humans scaling the mountain.


    ¡°Of course I can¡¯t! We can only see dots at this height!¡±


    ¡°Then use Far Sight!¡± I replied. ¡°I already gave you a shard with that magic! Just pour mana into it!¡±


    These past few days, I¡¯ve started collecting shards and crystals. I¡¯ve also requested to change the necklace¡¯s string into crystal thread, which was happily accepted by Garfin. Fortunately, the dwarfs do not use them a lot, but they use them to make bombs. It was a god knows how frightening practice which rooted from the book I sent to the Tribe, detailing the effects of incomplete magic circles.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The dwarfs, fond of the exploding shards, knew an advanced magic circle for Fire, Lightning, Earth, and Metal as a result of their racial capability and history, resulting in the creation of magic bombs. At that time, I could only smile while thinking that someday, Alabaster might crumble after excessive bombing by the dwarfs. I hoped that day would never come, at least while I¡¯m alive.


    The closest contestant to their magic bombs is bombs made from black powder, an alchemic powder introduced a year ago. Although the black powder is useful, they have been mostly ignored due to the potency of magic. Nevertheless, there are still small groups of researchers in Academia studying the black powder.


    In any case, I¡¯ve successfully embedded an intermediate magic circle into a shard. Nevertheless, I was able to do it in 1 out of 6 tries.


    ¡°I think I can see them!¡± Kanna said.


    ¡°Where?!¡±


    ¡°Northeast near the forest barrier!¡±


    As informed, I moved my sight in search while maintaining Far Sight.


    Wait¡­ That many? And why are there two persons with silver hair? I thought as I squinted. Isn¡¯t that Argent? What is he doing here?


    ¡°Kanna!¡± I grinned. ¡°Change of plans! Let¡¯s test that one out!¡±


    ¡°Will it work?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I replied. ¡°But it¡¯d be great if it did!¡±


    ¡°You look like you''re enjoying your time!¡±


    ¡°I definitely am!¡±


    It¡¯s been quite a while since I¡¯ve stayed, but I can be at ease here. I thought. Although it¡¯s a bit late, I should¡¯ve done this from the start¡­ It would¡¯ve been better than releasing it all at Celes¡­


    I reached my hand to the front and patted Birby. ¡°We¡¯re going to surprise them for a bit Birby,¡± I said. ¡°Please help me this time again.¡±


    As if acknowledging what I asked him, he replied with a low growl.


    ¡°Kanna! I¡¯m ready!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first!¡± She started descending while circling on the people below, but she suddenly vanished.


    A smile emerged on my face as I confirmed it. Success! Then I started my own descent in the same direction, then activated the shard I attached on the saddle embedded with Cloak of Concealment.


    Noticing the sound from above, the 33 persons moved their sights, searching for the source.


    ¡°Argent!¡± I called when I was nearing the ground.


    Recognizing the voice, Argent replied. ¡°Amelia! Stop playing tricks! Show yourself!¡±


    ¡°Over here you blind!¡± I called as Birby vigorously flapped his wings before landing with a thud, while Kanna landed on the other side after canceling the concealment.


    After dropping the arm he used to cover his eyes, he was met with Birby¡¯s snort.


    The twenty knights, familiar with our relation, laughed it off instead of moving into action. They wore the familiar crest of the Royals Guards, donning a light armor of steel and leather, carrying shields with spears or halberds.


    ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± Argent laughed forcefully. ¡°There, I¡¯m done laughing at your joke.¡±


    Chuckling, I made my way down Birby¡¯s back. ¡°Your reactions are lacking as always.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your opinion.¡± He said. ¡°Besides, you should be acting like a princess.¡±


    ¡°Currently, I¡¯m acting as chief, not a princess,¡± I replied, ¡°and a playful little sister to her boring elder brother,¡± I added. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite rare for you to wear that outfit. It doesn¡¯t suit you at all.¡±


    Wearing a set of high-quality silk, fitting of a prince, Argent stood gallantly. With his black leather boots and pants, a brown belt with a long sword hanging at the left, and a top that bore the crest of the Royal Family, the silver Bay Laurel, and a falcon.


    ¡°My little sister is just like always, deranged.¡±


    ¡°And so is my elder brother, dull.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, your Highness.¡± A woman called.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Recognizing the voice, I moved my sight behind Argent


    There, a woman approached dressed in a black waist fit clothing topped with white silk, a loose short sleeve with tight ends, and a neat collar typical of my maidservants. Along with her mature brown eyes and affectionate face, she bore a short brown hair tied on the left.


    Familiar with the face, I muttered. ¡°Erina?¡± I said puzzled. ¡°Did you¡­ Cut your hair?¡±


    In response, she smiled. ¡°It seems I cannot surprise her Highness.¡± Then she began removing the clip, revealing her bob-cut blonde hair and blue eyes.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ your new hair suits you a lot,¡± I complimented. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d cut it.¡±


    ¡°Am I not allowed to?¡±


    ¡°No, of course, you are,¡± I said. ¡°Anyway, Erina, I¡¯m back.¡± I smiled with crossed arms behind.


    ¡°As always,¡± She curtsied, ¡°welcome back, your Highness.¡±


    At the side, Argent watched our conversation quietly before interrupting. ¡°Amelia, you should introduce that girl over there.¡± He pointed towards Kanna who was excitedly playing with Fae like a child you¡¯d see on the streets.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Kanna, and she¡¯s not just a girl.¡± I emphasized. ¡°She¡¯s an Enarf, and she¡¯s even older than Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Stop with the joke, that¡¯s obviously a child. She¡¯s even speaking the human tongue.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Then I left towards Kanna''s location.


    ¡°Kanna, you¡¯re enjoying this too much.¡± I called.


    ¡°Mehehe.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here so you shouldn¡¯t be afraid of that huge bird.¡± She said while clinging on Fae, afraid of the White-tail.


    On the other hand, Rick was trying to face the White-tail with a short spear.


    ¡°Rick,¡± I said, ¡°calm down, that¡®s harmless.¡±


    After confirming with a last look, he relaxed and began approaching.


    ¡°Your Highness, can we train again?¡± Was the first thing he asked. ¡°I want to try spa-¡±


    ¡°A-apologies, your Highness.¡± Camille apologized in behalf after covering his mouth.


    ¡°...¡± Dumbfounded, I stood there quietly.


    This muscle head¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Camille,¡± I replied. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°My gratitude.¡± She bowed.


    While Kanna was happily caressing the frightened Fae, Ark approached along with Argent and Erina.


    ¡°Good day, your Highness.¡± Ark greeted with a bow. ¡°A letter from her Majesty.¡± Then he brought out a parchment tied up with the royal seal.


    After receiving the parchment, I placed it inside the sack on my right hip


    ¡°You have my gratitude Ark,¡± I changed my tone. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving my duties to you once I leave for Academia, would that be fine?¡±


    ¡°My loyalty belongs to you, your Highness.¡± He said as he kneeled on the ground with his fist on his chest.


    In response, I reached out a hand and said. ¡°This princess, thy light.¡±


    Reaching to my hand, ¡°and this servant, thy sight,¡± he placed his forehead on the back of my hand.


    ¡°Thank you, Ark,¡± I said as he slowly stood. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the children of your orphanage gets everything they need.¡±


    I silence he nodded and took a step back.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite envious.¡± Argent spoke. ¡°To have such loyal servant.¡±


    ¡°You just have to learn to search.¡± I said. ¡°There are a lot of rough gems out there. They just don¡¯t have the opportunity to be polished.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Then work hard as the next king, Argent.¡±


    ¡°As long as my little sister supports me, then I¡¯ll have no problems.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that.¡± Mischievously, I smiled. ¡°Who knows what I might do.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been close siblings,¡± He said. ¡°I can at least tell.¡±


    ¡°I might be a busy duchess once you ascend.¡±


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s nothing new to you.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± I replied. ¡°Anyway, Rick and Fae, want to ride the wyvern to the Tribe?¡±


    ¡°C-can I?¡± For some reason, Rick was excited.


    And Fae, ¡°I-is it scary?¡± Was worried.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay, Kanna will surely take care of you.¡±


    ¡°Mehehe.¡± She laughed. ¡°Of course I will!¡±


    ¡°Argent, Erina, Ark, Camille, and everyone else, we¡¯ll be taking Rick and Fae to the Tribe. For the rest, I apologize, but the saddle is just enough for two.¡±


    ¡°¡°We understand, your Highness.¡±¡± They responded.


    ¡°Ah, I can bring their mother along.¡± Kanna added. ¡°I¡¯m fine sitting on the scales, and besides, the White-tail can hold two children and one adult.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided.¡± I nodded. ¡°Camille, you¡¯ll ride with Kanna and Fae, I¡¯ll take Rick.¡±


    We got up the wyverns, tied their belongings to the back, and fixed ourselves on the saddles. As soon as I confirmed that I¡¯ve tied Rick in front of me, ¡°Give way!¡± I shouted as I made Birby run as he vigorously flapped his wings, starting our ascent.


    ¡°Whaaaa!¡± Holding the handle of the saddle, Rick exclaimed excitedly. ¡°Amazing!¡±


    ¡°Hold tight.¡±


    Rick seems like a fearless one huh¡­


    As we took flight, ¡°Rick, I know it¡¯s a great sight, but close your mouth.¡± Chuckling, I said.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Fae shouted from behind, waving her hand.


    In response, I waved back with my right.


    Gradually, we scaled the mountain while scouting from the sky, checking for dangerous beasts that Argent¡¯s parade might encounter. Fortunately, it was clear, and so we proceeded to the Tribe without further delay. Upon arrival, I escorted Camille, Rick, and Fae to their prepared lodge while Kanna led the White-tails to the feeding grounds. She also asked other riders to take Elven guides that¡¯ll lead the others to the Tribe. Unlike my lodging, it was a familiar rectangular structure, enough to rival a small manor.


    ¡°You can pick any room you like.¡± I told Camille.


    ¡°Thank you, your Highness.¡± She replied. ¡°Please excuse us.¡±


    This lodge is far more welcoming than the one I have. I thought. I should move here.


    With a coffee-brown wooden flooring, couches covered in leather, a checkered rag made of different furs at the hearth, and indoor plants placed on corners, the lodge looked warm and comfortable.


    Moving from the stone covered floor to the raised wooden platform, I removed my boots as indicated by the sign near the door. After removing my boots, I moved around the lodge, fenced with harvest-colored wooden walls. On the left, wooden stairs lead to the bed-chambers on the second floor. Underneath the stairs, was a door leading to a large washroom, fitted with shards that dispense cold or hot water. On the right were a pantry, a dining hall, and a door leading to the yard.


    Outside the yard, was a circular stone structure topped with a grill. On the side, was a pile of peat covered with a wooden frame, a fuel for a fire.


    ¡°Seems like they¡¯ll be given freedom to cook the way they like.¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I¡¯ll move here.¡±


    In the afternoon, Erina, Ark, and the other servants arrived one by one. They were fetched by the other wyvern riders and were brought in advance. Argent, refusing to leave the Guards and the baggage they carried, chose to walk instead while being guided by Elves.

 Chapter 25: The Tribe 6

    Two days have passed while I informed Ark and the servants of their responsibilities in the Tribe, and now...


    ¡°How is it?¡± Asked Erina.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± On a stool, I sat as Erina combed my hair.


    Quietly, I began reviewing the contents of the parchment once the servants had settled in the lodge.


    ¡°Is there any problem?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied, ¡°I just find it surprising that Libet would announce that they miraculously summoned four heroes in a single time.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°The fact that they announced it themselves meant they are not trying to hide it.¡±


    ¡°Hide?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°They¡¯re not trying to hide that they have four heroes as puppets.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a harsh evaluation?¡±


    ¡°I could only assume unless they broke free from Libet and the church at their own will,¡± I said nonchalantly. ¡°Libet and the church will start by promising continuous support as they add a spy among their party members to control their movements. The fact that they allowed to let their princess and a high-priestess to join the heroes party is a testament of this.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean that they¡¯re all males?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°There are two males and females. Quite balanced, I say. For the female side, I could only be proud on one of them.¡± I smiled. ¡°She snuck out and left a message behind.¡±


    ¡°And it says?¡±


    ¡°It says that ¡®I¡¯m going to live quietly on my own. I don¡¯t want to fight some crazy demon lord or whatnot.¡¯¡±


    ¡°She chose wisely.¡±


    ¡°She did, but I wonder how she¡¯ll fair on her own, but perhaps, her blessing gave her the confidence to leave.¡±


    ¡°What did Libet and the church do about it then?¡±


    ¡°They suppressed the rumors,¡± I answered. ¡°As expected, they reasoned that the hero wished to travel in incognito.¡±


    ¡°The reason for summoning?¡±


    ¡°Brent became a border kingdom.¡±


    For a second, she paused. ¡°What grave news.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I replied in pity. ¡°I hope that the sons and daughters of the late King of Niveria find reprieve in Brent.¡±


    ¡°Was the reason for their fall stated?¡± She said after placing the comb to a nearby desk and started tying up my hair.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°They¡¯ve let the Beastmen slip into the capital while the siege in Nava Fortress is prolonged. It would¡¯ve been easy for Niveria to eliminate them, but the ones who got inside seems to be on the level of the heroes of old.¡±


    ¡°For the Beastmen to have such a card¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising given the fact that we are able to summon heroes, what reason do they have for them to not have the same capability? Besides, I¡¯m more interested in the reason why they appeared now.¡±


    It¡¯s not strange if they really did. Given that the Gods selfishly cherished the race they created, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if they were given a similar parting gift by their God¡­


    ¡°And what makes you so confident?¡± She asked.


    ¡°¡­¡± Silently, I realized. I¡¯ve been had¡­


    In a reassuring tone, she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t wish to tell me.¡±


    Quietly, I¡¯ve let Erina tie up my hair into a braided bun, similar to that of the one I had during the unofficial banquet. Without a single mutter, Erina moved to the bed made of cotton and sat.


    ¡°Erina,¡± I called as I lifted my face.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Erina, will you¡­ still, accept me? If for some reason¡­ I changed?¡±


    It¡¯s already the 1<sup>st</sup> day of the 3<sup>rd</sup> month and it hasn¡¯t come yet...


    ¡°You¡¯re late asking that question now.¡± Gently smiling, she replied. ¡°Whatever happens, as long you live, I will follow, stand beside you, and support you till the end. Even if I have to betray the kingdom, I will always, always, be by your side.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just appropriate as your second mother, right?¡±


    Upon hearing her words, the feeling of hesitation vanished into thin air as if she understood what I meant.


    ¡°Y-you¡­¡± I stuttered. ¡°Remember?¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Unlike a child who can¡¯t remember a part of her past,¡± she answered, ¡°my memory remains sharp.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± I manifested my horn. ¡°Do I¡­ Look human?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± She answered unperturbed and began approaching. ¡°There¡¯s no human with a horn, but it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°R-really?¡± I asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it repulsive?¡±


    She reached her hands towards my horn and tried to grasp it, but failed as her fingers went through. ¡°Sadly, I can¡¯t hold it.¡±


    ¡°I-it hasn¡¯t physically taken root yet¡­ But aren¡¯t you-¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll stand beside you no matter the case, human or not.¡± She said, looking directly into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of mother who¡¯d push away my daughter just because she¡¯s different. Besides, you were always different from the others since the beginning, so what¡¯s new?¡±


    ¡°Sniff. You¡¯re so mean¡­¡±


    ¡°There goes the crybaby.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a fragile maiden.¡±


    <hr>


    After my conversation with Erina, I moved into Argent''s room.


    ¡°You seem energetic elder brother.¡± I chuckled with a hand over my mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Want to go out and play? I can teach you how to fly a wyvern.¡± I added.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Rick and Fae are already outside playing with Kanna,¡± I said. ¡°Want to join?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Want to e-¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m resting?!¡± Lying on his bed, he bellowed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m facing the other way.¡± I chuckled then moved my seat to face his direction. ¡°Oh, I can see it now.¡±


    ¡°I hate you¡­¡±


    ¡°The feeling is mutual.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°Please, let¡¯s do this later¡­¡± He said exhausted. ¡°I want to rest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for toughing it out even though you¡¯re not the type to¡±


    ¡°I get it. I get it.¡± He answered. ¡°I need to¡±


    ¡°¡°Be like father at times, but not always.¡±¡± We spoke in chorus.


    ¡°Besides, you know the reason I stayed, right?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°My troublesome little sister.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m your bane, your sorrow.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll agree on that.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you should train more if you want to show your gallantry,¡± I said. ¡°But then again, appealing to the Guards by appearing valiant despite the need to, serves as a good image to the Guards.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯ll start that after freeing up the things to be done in the palace.¡± He replied. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s discuss the details later.¡± Then he returned to face the other side of the bed.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Then I stood from my seat and approached the door. ¡°Oh, one thi-¡±


    ¡°Not! Listening!¡±


    Frowning, I unhooked the door and left.


    After leaving, I met up with the servants and ordered them to prepare a meal for Argent and the Guards. Afterward, I met with the Guards and informed them of their task. I tasked half to go out hunting with the Elves as training and to procure food and placed the remaining to guard Argent for a day of rest. After confirming their response, I went to meet Kanna who¡¯s playing with Rick and Fae.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± I called


    In response, she turned and replied. ¡°Oh, Lia!¡±


    Meanwhile, Rick bowed, and Fae curtsied.


    ¡°Hey, Lia.¡± She said. ¡°Rick and Fae have a few similarities with Randolf, right?¡±


    Knowing what she meant, ¡°Yes,¡± I played it off. ¡°I think so too.¡±


    At least think why they¡¯d show respect to me!


    Without a hint of being hurried, ¡°Kanna, could we talk about the egg for a moment?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, sure.¡±


    I moved a distance from Rick and Fae and waited for Kanna to come.


    ¡°What about it?¡± She asked. ¡°It¡¯s far from hatching yet, so we shouldn¡¯t touch the egg right now. Besides, the condition for the egg is perfect at its nest.¡±


    ¡°I know, but don¡¯t mention to Rick and Fae anything about their similarities to the Royals.¡±


    ¡°Eh, why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± I answered, ¡°now is not the time to discuss it. Just avoid mentioning anything about Royals to Rick, Fae, and Camille.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± She nodded.


    Then we began to return to Rick and Fae.


    ¡°Rick it¡¯s a little early, but do you want to train again?¡± I asked.


    Enthusiastically, he replied. ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°How about Fae?¡± Kanna asked.


    ¡°I¡­ Want to try, but I¡¯m not good with weapons...¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Remembering something, I asked. ¡°Fae, have you started studying magic?¡±


    Shaking her head excessively, ¡°No, not yet.¡± She said.


    ¡°Then wait here,¡± I said as I left towards the lodge. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a bit!¡±


    Returning to my room, I passed by Erina, Ark, Camille, the Guards and the Servants and gave my greetings while I actively ran up the stairs. After entering my room, I grabbed a small pouch filled with shards and immediately returned to where Kanna and the others are.


    After leading Kanna and the others, I passed by Garfin¡¯s workshop and borrowed a mana stabilizer made of mithril and a wooden sword. Then we went to the open field near the gates.


    ¡°Rick, you can start with your warm up while I teach Fae,¡± I commanded. ¡°And Kanna, here,¡± I threw the wooden sword which she caught properly. ¡°Anything will do, just keep Rick busy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not used to swords, but I guess it¡¯s a good handicap.¡± Then she began swinging the sword as a test. ¡°Yup, this will do.¡±


    Then they began to move a distance from us.


    After confirming that we wouldn¡¯t be interrupted, I started.


    ¡°Fae, you haven¡¯t learned your affinity right?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡±


    ¡°First, you have to know how mana flows.¡± I grabbed her hand and made my mana gloss over her skin. ¡°Do you feel it?¡±


    ¡°Un, it¡¯s a little ticklish.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Good, now try to remember that feeling.¡± Then I brought out the mana stabilizer, a mithril ring, then inserted it on her finger. ¡°How about now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like water? Then it flows to the ring?¡±


    I removed the ring and said. ¡°Now try to imitate that feeling.¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°Just try it,¡± I said. ¡°I know it''s vague, but mana is like a sleeping liquid inside your body. You have to feel it and force it to move, and to do that, we have to rely on gut feeling.¡±


    ¡°Un, Okay.¡± Then she tried letting mana flow to her fingers while I poured mine over her skin. ¡°I-it¡¯s hard...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Then I placed the ring again to her finger. ¡°Now, try again.¡±


    We repeated the practice several times until a small amount of mana was released from her fingers with the ring''s help.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I said smiling. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± She asked then, ¡°I did!¡± She rejoiced.


    ¡°But we¡¯re not done yet.¡±


    ¡°Un!¡± She nodded excitedly.


    ¡°Next, we have to know your affinity, but the problem is, I don¡¯t have an element stone with me so we¡¯ll have to resort to trial and error.¡±


    Then I took out six shards from the pouch.


    ¡°Each one of these shards is embedded with one of the lowest magic circle in each element system. First, my favorite, Stone Mold.¡±


    ¡°Stone Mold?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°Generally, Stone Mold is useless, but I¡¯m quite fond of them. This magic molds any earthen matter into a shape you want, but it usually ends up looking like a stone.¡±


    ¡°What is it used for?¡±


    ¡°You can use it to level furniture, tip a barrel to one side, and things that you usually can do without wasting any mana.¡±


    ¡°Then why was it created? And why is it your favorite?¡±


    ¡°It was created for the purpose of practicing before proceeding with Earth Spike. Without enough practice or knowledge on how the earth would mold itself, or where it would manifest, it could lead to injury or worse, death.¡± I warned.


    ¡°And the reason why I love it is that it could be used like this.¡± Then I poured mana into the shard.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Kanna shouted after tripping from the stone I manifested.


    ¡°I won!¡± Rick shouted in rejoice.


    ¡°See?¡± I chuckled. ¡°You can use it to trip people. It¡¯s especially fun when tripping drunkards or any rude person then accidentally stepping on their hands with the heel of your shoes.¡±


    ¡°Un, got it.¡± She nodded. ¡°But what is her Highness doing outside to meet drunkards anyway?¡±


    ¡°...¡± For a moment I froze. ¡°D-don¡¯t mind it. I was just looking for bad people, yes, that¡¯s it. Anyway, here, try it.¡±


    With the ring on, she poured mana into the shard little by little and was able to activate it after 3 seconds.


    ¡°Wha?!¡± Then Rick fell down.


    Then Kanna laughed at the fallen Rick. ¡°Ahahahaha! Now we¡¯re even!¡±


    ¡°Fae,¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± Then patted her head.


    ¡°Ahehe.¡± She giggled.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s proceed with the others...¡±


    After testing all the shards, I found that Fae¡¯s magic affinity leaned on water. Finishing the training between Kanna and Rick, I visited Garfin and asked if Fae could keep the stabilizer for a while, we promised to return it, but Garfin insisted as long as Fae visits now and then.

 Chapter 26: Alabaster Caves 1

    After Argent has properly rested, I came to visit to discuss the matter regarding the trade.


    ¡°Finally, the pitiful prince, poisoned by the witch and doomed to an endless sleep has awoken. Awoken by the love of his pure and magnificent sister who fought and slew the witch along with the evil dragon to retrieve the dragon¡¯s blood at the cost of her life.¡±


    ¡°I hope you actually die.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what sorrow, for a kingdom to have such a dull and lifeless prince, what future does this kingdom have?¡± I continued.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± He called. ¡°What have you been reading in Academia?¡±


    ¡°A variety of genres.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°¡­ For you to have enough time to read stories,¡± He said. ¡°How much free time do you have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading some now and then,¡± I answered. ¡°Some stories hide some secrets you know? And it¡¯s not like all the stories I read are all fiction, there are those that are historical when I¡¯m investigating civilizations of old. Anyway, it''s not good to read only books of one genre.¡±


    ¡°Fine...¡± He gave up. ¡°In any case, let¡¯s discuss the trade.¡±


    In response, I nodded.


    ¡°So let me start," He started. "What commodities do you think we can receive from the Tribe?¡±


    ¡°Their top commodities are leather, minerals, weapons, and armors. Aside from that, they have luxury goods such as soap, glass, and high-quality timber. We could also trade for alchemy materials such as herbs, flowers, oils, and powder. Not to mention their abundant supply of shards and crystal, in addition to the crystal thread.¡±


    ¡°Have you confirmed this all?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    I wouldn¡¯t have flown to one place to another if not for this.


    ¡°To think that the Tribe did have crystal threads. This will be a good leverage to reduce their procurement from Academia.¡±


    ¡°Argent, we shouldn¡¯t openly tell the public nor the other kingdoms that we have access to crystal threads.¡±


    ¡°I agree, we could also reason out that we began a larger effort in trading with the Tribe to reduce the import.¡± He answered. ¡°Anyway, have you found out what they need in exchange? The fact they don¡¯t need any form of money means we could only barter.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. ¡°For most of the Dwarfs, they wanted an alcoholic drink; mead, ale, beer, wine, name it. The rarity of fermented drinks here in the Tribe made them more interested init so we could trade a hefty sum for them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have a lot of grape vineyards, bee farms, and several distilleries in Laurel.¡± He added. ¡°How about the Elves?¡±


    ¡°Most Elves wanted to trade for cotton, silk, wheat, milk, cheese, and salt just like it was during five years ago.¡±


    Confirming it, he nodded with his hand on his chin. ¡°We don¡¯t have any shortage on any of those so we could prepare them.¡±


    ¡°What about the questions I¡¯ve sent to Mother?¡± I asked. ¡°What did she say?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that.¡± He replied. ¡°Mother said to proceed with the bulk trade. She also sent me here to tell you not to worry about it since she would take care of the loose ends.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡± I breathed a sigh. ¡°So what did she plan?¡±


    ¡°She planned on letting the army receive the armors and weapons first before using the old ones for the trainees and new Knights while we slowly release the weaker ones to the public.¡±


    ¡°And the crystal thread?¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± wryly, he smiled ¡°Mother wanted you to gather more information on how Academia uses their crystal threads and how they procure it.¡±


    ¡°Regarding that matter,¡± I said confidently. ¡°I¡¯m planning to get access to the 4th area of Academia upon my return. Maybe I¡¯ll get some hints there. If not, I¡¯ll try to look for another way to access the 5th area without the help of a True Scholar.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell her when I return.¡± He said. ¡°Oh, another thing, she said you can take a rest and let me check the prepared trade route. Then for the rest, Grandfather''s vassals are willing to work the part for the road construction and maintenance, guarding, and the connection to the merchants.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but I¡¯ll still join the visit to the trade route tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He replied. ¡°Another thing, we found out that the Lynxes who came from Alabaster seemed like they belong to an Island east of Alabaster. Do the Tribe know anything about them?¡±


    In response, I shook my head. ¡°No, apparently, they just sighted the Lynxes at times, but they considered them as ordinary cats. And regarding that island, there¡¯s a high dragon further east of here so the wyverns couldn¡¯t get near.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a good news...¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine, they said that it doesn¡¯t leave its nest that much. I also heard that Amalthea is looking after it so it won¡¯t create that much of a disaster.¡±


    ¡°Was it written in any myths or legends?¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°No, apparently, it¡¯s just an ordinary high dragon and not an elder one nor anything above that. I even thought it was named Gandr...¡±


    ¡°Gandr?¡±


    ¡°No, never mind that.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Anyway...¡±


    We further discussed the details of the trade until we settled it at the night of that day.


    <hr>


    The following day, the next ten Guards went hunting with the Elves as ordered while the remaining guarded me and Argent. For my servants, I tasked them to build a small distillery beside the lodge with the full consent of the Dwarfs. Kanna on the other hand, left to check on the egg and to lead the other riders for scouting, knowing she¡¯ll be useless in checking the trade route.


    Before we went to the caves leading to the mines, we were blocked by Garfin and a group of seven dwarfs.


    [Amelia,] Garfin called. [You¡¯re going to visit the trade route?]


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°Is there any problem?¡±


    [Hrmm...] He muttered. [We¡¯ll come along, but you¡¯ll have to split midway.]


    Puzzled, I asked. ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be tomorrow?"


    [Yes, it is.] He replied. [But Arkand and Dresbon encountered a problem while mining a vein deep in Alabaster, so I have to take a visit there and help. In any case, the path towards the sealed entrance to Randolf¡¯s stash is somewhere near the vein so we can escort you there now.]


    ¡°Stash?¡± Argent asked. ¡°What does he mean Amelia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a message left by Grandfather to me once I become chief,¡± I answered. ¡°Anyway, do I have anything to bring with me?¡±


    [None, we already prepared enough resources for two weeks,] He replied. [and here, take this robe, it¡¯ll be cold once we begin entering the Sapphire Domain.]


    I looked towards Argent and nodded.


    ¡°I understand.¡± He said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the route, I¡¯ll properly check it. Go and focus on the message left by Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Argent,¡± I replied. ¡°Also, please tell Erina and Kanna that I won¡¯t be returning today.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Ark,¡± I called. ¡°You are free to direct the servants while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡± He bowed.


    ¡°¡°Your Highness.¡±¡± The guards called.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, guard Argent for me.¡± Then I waved my hands as I left.


    After that, we left the gates of the Tribe and ascended Alabaster until we reached the top where a deep valley surrounded by steep cliffs was visible. Rather than going down the valley, we walked for a while until we reached a placefilled with boulders.


    [We¡¯re here,] Garfin said.


    The Dwarfs then scaled the boulders while I followed behind. We moved from one boulder to another until we reached a depression revealing a hole large enough for a small carriage to go through.


    The Dwarfs started to descend using the ropes hanging at the sides attached to iron stakes driven on the boulders.


    As I watched them descend using the rope, ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s deep...¡± I muttered.


    Using a leather glove given to me, I descended to the cave while I used the knots on the ropes as support. Eventually, I reached the bottom.


    I looked up to take one last look at the hole, with a thick ceiling filled with numerous sharp stalactites.


    Afterward, we continued moving until we reached the end of the twilight zone, the zone where light meets its end. The dwarfs, prepared for the exploration, brought out torches coated with resin.


    ¡°Should I make a light instead?¡± I suggested.


    [No,] Garfin refused. [You should save up your mana, once we go deeper it¡¯ll be a different world filled with beasts.]


    ¡°There are beasts that live underground?¡±


    [Yes, and there are quite plenty of them.]


    With only the torches as our guide, we continued deeper into the cave filled with uneven rocks until we reached another hole, but this time the bottom is visible.


    ¡°Is that water?¡± I asked as I looked at the mysterious water emitting a dull blue light.


    [Yes,] Garfin answered. [And we have to swim underneath it until we reach the sapphire domain.]


    ¡°Wait, swim?¡± I asked for confirmation. ¡°You mean we have to swim into an underground cave submerged in water?¡±


    [Yes, there¡¯s already some crustacean beasts in that water.] While he spoke, he took out a shard and tossed it.


    At the next moment, a loud sound suppressed by water was emitted while the water surface jumped then raged after the explosion.


    So that¡¯s how they use it¡­ I thought.


    [Down we go!] without even letting the water set still, the dwarfs jumped one by one followed by a splash.


    In a panic, I hurriedly searched my pouch for a shard.


    Not this, Not this!


    [Just jump,] Garfin suggested. ¡°There¡¯s not much time before those crustacean beasts return.¡±


    ¡°B-but how about air?¡±


    [Don¡¯t worry, just hold your breath long enough and swim fast enough. Hup!] Then he jumped.


    Waaaait! Without a second thought, I tightened up the pouch¡¯s string then dived.


    It¡¯s good that I grew up near a harbor so I at least know the basics of swimming. When I dipped into the water. This is unbearably cold!


    Afraid of being left behind, I follow closely behind Garfin that kept swimming downwards. Fortunately, my build is more suited for swimming compared to the dwarfs, reducing the difficulty in catching up. Soon enough, my lungs started to ache.


    A-are we there yet? Nervously, I thought as I stomach the extreme cold that slowly sapped my strength. Oh, they¡¯re changing direction! Just a little more!


    Following dwarfs, we swam diagonally upwards into a large crevice.


    Finally! I thought as the dwarfs surfaced just above me.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah...¡± I breathed heavily. I moved my sights around and noticed that there''s no path leading to anywhere. It¡¯s just a huge dome filled with nothing but air.


    [I¡¯m done taking a breather!] A dwarf shouted then he began to swim again.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    [It¡¯s an air pocket,] Garfin said before diving once again.


    Oh god¡­


    After two more air pockets, we finally reached our destination.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s¡­ c-c-cold¡­¡± I muttered, with my teeth clattering. Reaching for a shard inside the pouch, I took one out and poured mana into it. Immediately, a fireball manifested in front of me.


    ¡°I-I n-never¡­ k-knew I¡¯d¡­ u-use it¡­ l-like this...¡± I muttered as I took in the heat from the fireball, careful not to touch it.


    I¡¯m definitely getting a cold after this¡­


    Looking around, I found that the other dwarfs are covering themselves with the robe after drying themselves with their own fireballs. Noticing something odd, I untied the robe from my waist and checked it.


    It¡¯s dry¡­


    I checked the robe once, twice, before confirming that it was indeed dry.


    A waterproof clothing? I thought.


    ¡°G-garfin,¡± I called as I slowly regain my body heat. ¡°H-how did you... make this waterproof?¡±


    [Oh, t-that.] He muttered as he kept on drying himself. [The Elves said they used beeswax for that. They¡¯ve been doing that for centuries they say.]


    Beeswax huh¡­ I thought. Another thing I could use in the future.


    ¡°T-thanks.¡±


    After drying ourselves, we restarted our journey, following the trail of glow moss until we reached a huge chamber filled with blue crystals sprouting like weeds of different sizes. They emitted a glow reminiscent of a sapphire, powerful enough to paint the chamber in a gentle blue hue.


    ¡°Is this the Sapphire Domain?¡± I asked.


    [Yes,] Garfin confirmed. [Welcome to one of the domains in Alabaster, the Sapphire Domain.]

 Chapter 27: Alabaster Caves 2

    The sound of shattering glass howled in the surroundings, the barrier broke.


    [Thanks!] A Dwarf said followed by a light ground shake after a giant tail smashed the ground, crushing the nearby stones.


    [Cut it!] Garfin shouted. Following his command, the Dwarfs swung their axes on the colorless tail of the Rikea, a salamander.


    Lopping of its tail, the Rikea squealed in pain. It trashed around smashing the blue crystals. While it repeatedly ravaged the surroundings, the Dwarfs moved away with their shields raised at front.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to hold it down,¡± I said behind the Dwarfs. For a few seconds, I waited for a chance before manifesting two earthen spikes that pierced its torso. ¡°Now!¡±


    It¡¯s bad to use earth magic excessively, but I guess this much is fine...


    After my command, the Dwarfs moved forward and brought down their hammers and axes on its limbs, crushing its bones and disabling it in the process. After disabling it, one Dwarf approached its head and, [Take this!] swung his hammer down, denting the skull then crushing its head, felling the Rikea.


    [Check it for minerals!] Garfin ordered.


    After arriving at the Sapphire Domain, we kept on proceeding downwards, but before that, the Dwarfs recovered their weapons from a sack beside the entrance. Also, from the baggage they brought, they took out balls made of wing membranes filled with air, a support to reduce the difficulty in swimming. They then left them in place of the weapons to increase the capacity of their sacks.


    Afterward, we followed the Dasbalite covered path, the blue colored crystals. After an hour or so, the Dwarfs, experts in exploring the caves, halted their advance wary of the surroundings. Locating the anomaly, they prepared their shields along with their hammers or axes. They then threw a shard with an incomplete basic magic circle to wake the Rikea, camouflaging itself among the limestone with its colorless skin filled with Dasbalite jutting out. It then immediately shifted into a battle.


    ¡°Do you mean those crystals at its back are minerals?¡± I asked, standing beside Garfin, watching the Dwarfs climb the 4-feet tall and 8-feet long Rikea.


    Garfin shook his head. [No,] He answered, [not the crystals, those are ordinary Dasbalite, but there¡¯s a chance that sapphire would be mixed in it, rarely mithril too.]


    ¡°But how could it grow minerals on its back?¡± I asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t minerals too different from living creatures?¡±


    [Hrmm...] For a while, Garfin thought for an answer. [The Rikeas are different. They probably adapted by using the Dasbalites as another source of energy. Rather than growing it, it''s more like they placed it at their backs.]


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    [You see,] He approached the nearest Dasbalite, large enough to tower over him, then pressed his hand on its surface. Not too long after, the intensity of the glow it emitted increased. [These Dasbalites here absorbs mana in the air, so if you pour mana into it, its intensity would increase.] Then he removed his hand from the Dasbalite.


    ¡°Mana in the air huh.¡± To confirm it, I coated my finger with mana and moved it around repeatedly. ¡°This place is definitely teeming with mana, but the amount is not that heavy.¡±


    It¡¯s like touching dust, but instead, it¡¯s scattered in the air¡­


    [Yes, and the Rikeas uses them to maintain themselves.] He continued. [And they probably ate gems and ores mixed with the Dasbalites, which is why there are cases that some minerals are mixed up.]


    ¡°They literally eat those?¡±


    [Yes,] He nodded. [But they store them in a separate sac beneath its throat. Look at that.] He said. [There¡¯s a small bulge under its throat right? That¡¯s where they store them before moving it to its back after attaching some nerves.]


    Soon enough, A dwarf brought a pole, lifted the Rikea by the jaw, then fitted the pole beneath it before letting it rest. The dwarf then moved to its throat, slit its neck open, and dragged out a sac from inside. Letting the sac hang on its throat, The Dwarf took out a bowl of mesh and placed it underneath before cutting the sac open from below.


    Quickly after the sac was slit open, a liquid oozed out with a hiss as it struck the ground. One by one, different sizes of minerals and crystals dropped from the sac and was caught by the mesh.


    ¡°Acid huh.¡±


    [It is.]


    Watching the dwarfs inspecting the Rikea¡¯s back, ¡°Garfin,¡± I called. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you took most of the Dasbalites in here?¡±


    [There are things that we shouldn¡¯t grab vehemently.] He answered. [These Dasbalites act like plants on the surface. They produce air in place of mana. So if we remove them, we won¡¯t be able to mine peacefully.]


    ¡°But have you used them for something else?¡±


    [Yes, other than using them as lamps as we get deeper underground,] He answered. [we also brought some above, but the glow they emitted is not as good the dim glow these already have. Other than that, we haven¡¯t used it for anything else.]


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    ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I take some?¡± I asked.


    [Feel free to do so, getting a small amount isn¡¯t that detrimental to this place.]


    ¡°Thanks, grandpa Fin.¡± I smiled. Gathering enough materials to work with Dasbalites, I placed them in an extra sack I borrowed from a Dwarf. I also asked if they could give me some nerves attached at the Dasbalites from the Rikea¡¯s back.


    Absorbing mana huh, I have a lot of ideas for that. Mischievously, I giggled. But I wonder how am I supposed to study the nerves. I¡¯m not even well versed in studying the very specifics of animals and beasts...


    After taking some minerals from the dead Rikea, they dragged it to the side and use the earth to cover its body. After that, we continued our journey deeper into the Sapphire Domain.


    Now and then, we encountered animals unique only to caves such as millipedes, centipedes, large spiders, and more. One surprising trait common among them is that every single one of them is blind and colorless, but despite that, they are sensitive to sound and movement, and most of them have antennas for navigation.


    Apparently, the places filled with Dasbalites are few, and the rest of the holes and passages we passed through is filled with nothing but darkness. Some even lead to the nests of the beasts or animals living in this caves.


    ¡°Garfin,¡± I called while I slowly placed one foot after another on the rocks. ¡°How did you prepare the weapons you placed at the entrance of the Sapphire Domain?¡±


    [Oh, that.] He replied. [There¡¯s another entrance to the Sapphire Domain, but it¡¯ll take two days before we reach the entrance of that cave. We brought the weapons from there and placed them here, a shortcut.]


    ¡°I see,¡± I answered. ¡°But why do you have to rush in and help Arkand and Dresbon? What were they mining anyway?¡±


    [Arkand and Dresbon were supposed to return yesterday, but what returned was another Dwarf asking for help. Badly enough, it seemed that their supply ran low while the return path was filled with beasts for an unknown reason. Guessing the reason, I think it''s because of the earth drakes climbing into the cave system, forcing the beasts to escape and end up clogging the passages.]


    I guess that¡¯s the only logical explanation other than a breeding season. But do they even have a breeding season here underneath the earth?


    ¡°Then the vein?¡±


    [Orichalcum,] He grinned. [We finally found an Orichalcum vein.]


    Surprised, I asked. ¡°Y-you mean that mythical metal?¡±


    [Yes, but the vein is only enough for half an ingot.] Nevertheless, he wore a fearless smile. [But it¡¯s fine, we can mix it with other metals to make an alloy of it. I can¡¯t wait.]


    ¡°...¡± Silently, I gazed at his intrepid demeanor.


    That¡¯s a true blacksmith for you.


    Moving forward, we took our time to rest based on the Dwarfs judgment of the time. To them, it seems like six hours has already passed since we entered the cave. Contrary to that, I already lost track of the time for being too dependent on the sun¡¯s position in the sky.


    We all sat in a circle while they passed pieces of dried jerky around along with a wooden cup and filled it with water using a shard. Quietly on the side, I watched the Dwarf¡¯s banter with each other as I listened for any form of trivial information. Most of what they talked about pertained to smithing, a topic I¡¯m not well versed in. Nevertheless, I enjoy the extra information which gave me more knowledge on the subject.


    Resting for an hour, we restarted our journey, but this time we were faced with a problem.


    [So this is why they weren¡¯t able to return?] Garfin said, combing his beard, looking down at another hole large enough for one Dwarf to pass through. As opposed to the previous holes, it was slanted and filled with the echoes of footsteps coming from below.


    ¡°What are those?¡± I muttered, peeking at the hole, looking at the dark figures shadowed by the dim glow the Dasbalites emitted. Trying to make out their silhouette, I found out that they were standing on two legs.


    [Those are the main inhabitants of this domain,] Garfin answered. [They¡¯re humanoid Rikeas. They almost look like a race, but they¡¯re still beasts.]


    </a> From time to time, they emitted a short squeaking voice while they moved their reddish gill-like ears, imitating a bat''s echolocation. Unlike the previous Rikea, the humanoid ones were smaller but stood at 6-feet tall. In addition, they had sharp talons on their webbed arms and legs. Overall, they¡¯re similar to the ordinary Rikeas, bearing minerals at their backs with the same pigment less skin.


    ¡°How do we deal with them?¡± I asked.


    This hole is enough to fit one person at a time, but that¡¯ll leave the first one to go down to be vulnerable from attacks. And from this height, it¡¯ll be necessary to redirect the force by rolling. It¡¯ll be good if we can drop above and crush them, but that wouldn¡¯t be possible for all nine of us. Thinking for a solution, I thought.


    Besides, light and dark magic is useless here, for water, there¡¯s barely any water around to work with the mana consumption efficiently, for earth, it¡¯s too dangerous to use them excessively, it¡¯s also dangerous to use fire since there¡¯s too much air build up here, the best bet is wind but¡­


    [We¡¯ll use this.] Then Garfin brought out a shard.


    ¡°Ah,¡± I exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯ll startle them with sound, right?¡±


    [Yes, I¡¯ll be using ones with a basic magic circle, using an intermediate or advance might make a part of this cave collapse.] Then he reached a shard for each one of us. [Throw this in different directions when I give the signal. After that drop one by one and start the hunt.]


    We all nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll provide more light once we get down,¡± I said before we executed the plan.


    After preparing ourselves, we threw our shards into the hole. Following momentarily, numerous small explosions reverberated in the surroundings at small intervals, startling the Rikeas to a halt. Without wasting a second, Garfin slid himself into the hole followed by the Dwarfs who immediately sprang from their feet upon landing. Following them, I slid down the hole holding a shard on my left. Upon landing, I bent my knees and rolled. I then quickly drew my rapier while pouring mana into the shard to produce a large ball of light to illuminate the battlefield.


    The Dwarfs, given the proper sight in the darkness, started hacking and smashing the startled Rikeas. On the other hand, I started sprinting to the nearest Rikea and stabbed it in the chest.


    Slitting them on their throat or beheading them is dangerous.


    Knowing about their acidic sacs, I avoided slashing at the heads of the tall Rikeas.


    After a short while, the Rikeas started to increase the frequency of the sound they emitted while bobbing their heads from side to side, figuring out the situation. Unfortunately, they were not given the chance to peacefully assess the situation as one by one, their fellow Rikeas fell.


    I moved from one Rikea to another cutting their arms or stabbing at their chests while the Dwarfs slashed with their axes while the hammer-wielding Dwarfs crushed the Rikea¡¯s chests.


    Soon enough, the Rikeas noticed that they were being attacked and started their retaliation. Even though a number of them had fallen, more than half of them remained standing.


    Dodging a tail swung at me, I jumped backward, placing my back against the Dwarfs forming a circle facing different directions.


    [The party is getting started.] A Dwarf grinned, holding his axe above his shield.


    ¡°Seems like it.¡± I returned a reply.


    [Thanks for the light.] Another dwarf muttered. [This will be a lot easier.]


    [Get ready!] Garfin shouted as the Rikeas surrounded us in every direction. [Now!] He shouted as he swung down his free arm.

 Chapter 28: Alabaster Caves 3

    Ducking, I swung the rapier and dismembered the Rikea¡¯s arm. Not giving it time to squeal, I kicked it on its chest, powered by reinforcement, creating a crisp sound of its ribs snapping. Unable to stand the kick, it fell down dragging a fellow Rikea at its back. Then I tucked the shard in-between my fingers.


    Grabbing the dismembered arm in mid-air, I threw it at a Rikea with an opened mouth. Just in time before it spat its acid covered minerals, the arm stuck itself in its throat, scraping it with the talons in the process. Vehemently, it tried to swallow it, before it thought of spitting it out along with the acid from its sac.


    Jumping to dodge the tail swung at me, I drew my dagger from my right then threw it aiming for the Rikea¡¯s thigh. Successfully, it forced the Rikea to halt and fall on its knee. Soon enough, the Rikea flew momentarily and rolled on the ground after a Dwarf smashed it with his hammer.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered before moving to the next.


    About every 20 seconds, Garfin, with his free hand, threw shards that continuously stunned the Rikeas, giving us time to take them down easily.


    In a contest of speed, the Rikeas were slow, enabling me to dodge with ease. In-between the Rikeas, I moved while slashing at their thighs, felling them to their knees while another Dwarf finishes them off. Twisting to my left, I swung the rapier after I dodged a claw swipe from a Rikea, slashing at its open side, then kicked it to worsen the status of its wound.


    Really, slashing at the limb muscles never fails no matter what the beast is. Cutting through the soft bulging parts on its limbs, I thought.


    Moving to the next, the Rikeas suddenly halted, not from the shards thrown by Garfin, but because of a long yet low continuous growling sound. Then they bobbed their heads in confusion and panic.


    Suddenly, Garfin shouted an order. [Re-group! We¡¯re getting out of here!]


    Moving past the Rikeas that forced themselves to stand with their damaged thighs, they crawled in desperation while continuously emitting a short squeaking sound.


    [Move! Quick!] Garfin bellowed yet again.


    Following his lead, we moved towards the passage. Leaving the Rikeas behind, I moved the ball of light into the passage lacking in Dasbalites. After a while of traveling into the passage, he ordered me to cut-off the magic, which I obeyed.


    [We¡¯ll go through here.] Garfin said pointing at a hole leading to a passage half-filled with water, ushering with the resin torch he brought out as we moved. [That beast won¡¯t be able to follow us there, now go.]


    While the squeals of the Rikeas reverberated, we moved into the hole and dropped into the water-filled passage.


    ¡°What beast was that?¡± I asked, moving through the cold and wet passage, we emitted swishing sounds in every step we took.


    [Gidra, an intermediate earth drake.] Garfin answered in a serious tone. [It seems they really have moved, but for the Gidras to move up here¡­]


    ¡°Would the other Dwarfs be fine handling a Gidra?¡±


    [As long as there¡¯s many of them, there won¡¯t be a problem, but I¡¯ll bet they avoided the Gidras. They use earth magic whenever they¡¯re cornered, sometimes resulting in a collapse. So taking them down must be done quickly.]


    ¡°Quite a problematic beast.¡±


    [They are.]


    [Chief.] A Dwarf muttered.


    [I know,] He answered, [Kill the lights.] Immediately, the light from the torches went out as they dipped them into the water, returning us into utter darkness.


    For some reason, I can see the shape of the surroundings slightly, but it¡¯s not as clear when I have my horn manifested¡­


    ¡°What do we do?¡± I asked.


    [We¡¯ll wait quietly.]


    From the distance, three twinkling dots moved as if it were playing around.


    [Ahehehe.] The giggle echoed through the passage. [Where could they be?]


    [Where could that be?] Another one said.


    Then the third followed. [Hide. Seek. Here we go!]


    Then the dots vanished as they moved upwards.


    [Devy! Come on! Come on!] The dot shouted while the other two giggled.


    Followed by the shout, a rumbling sound rocked the surroundings accompanied by a long low-pitched trill. Subsequently, something large emerged from the water in the distance, creating waves that soon reached our location.


    Damn that beast, we have to dry ourselves again!


    While I angrily thought of the problem it¡¯s going to cause us, the beast moved its finger-less limbs, clinging to the sides, crushing rocks that plopped into the water.


    We waited for about 10 minutes after the beast left before we spoke.


    [Fairies huh.] Garfin muttered. [Amelia, please give us some light, it¡¯ll take time to dry the resin.]


    ¡°Sure,¡± I answered and poured mana into the shard stuck between my fingers.


    [[Thanks.]] The Dwarfs said.


    ¡°Garfin, what do you mean by Fairies?¡± I asked, looking at the bothered expression painted on Garfin¡¯s face. ¡°I have yet to meet any Fairies, so I don¡¯t know anything about them. But the fact that I can understand their speech means they¡¯re a race too, right?¡±


    Unexpectedly, a different Dwarf answered. [Yes, they¡¯re a race too.]


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    [But Fairies should never be trusted.] Another one added.


    Moving my sight towards the Dwarfs that answered, ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, the Dwarfs sharing the same bothered expression like Garfin.


    [You haven¡¯t heard it from the history of the Elves yet?] Garfin asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy lately so I haven¡¯t asked Kanna for a continuation.¡±


    [Hrmm¡­] Garfin grunted. [Anyway, I¡¯ll explain on the way. Let¡¯s move.] Then Garfin moved towards the passage where the Fairies passed through.


    Oh, here it comes. I thought as I felt the backlash of the reinforcement. I guess it¡¯s fine, the pain is not that bothersome anymore anyway¡­


    [Fairies,] Garfin muttered. [They¡¯re the most hated race by Sylvar.]


    Placing my hands on the side of the passage as I moved for support, I said. ¡°Please continue.¡±


    [You see,] He continued. [Fairies is a race composed mostly of females. They all look innocent, cute, and charming. Their wings are also marveled as an intricate form of art.]


    [But never get fooled by their appearance.] Another Dwarf muttered.


    [Yes,] Garfin added. [Never get fooled by their appearance.] He repeated as he looked through the giant passage the beast passed through. [You¡¯ll never know if they¡¯re telling the truth or are they telling lies. They¡¯re the masters of deceit.]


    I moved the ball of light into the passage and lit up the surroundings.


    ¡°That beast sure is huge...¡± I muttered as I observed the size of the vertical passage at a size enough to fit the lodge back at the Tribe.


    [And they called it Devy,] Garfin added. [It must¡¯ve been the reason why the other beasts are running around, but the fact we didn¡¯t see it closely, nor the sound was familiar, I can¡¯t guess what beast it is.]


    [C-chief.] A Dwarf answered, visibly shaken. [I think I¡¯ve heard that sound before, but I¡¯m not sure¡­]


    [Talk.] Garfin ordered.


    [You know those small black things underneath the citadel?] He asked. [The one with a large mouth, sharp teeth, soft body, and has tentacles as limbs?]


    Citadel?


    [No,] Garfin shook his head.


    [Since the Fairies called it Devy,] The Dwarf continued. [I guess it¡¯s those Devourers, but I¡¯m not sure since I didn¡¯t see it myself¡­]


    [Wait,] Another Dwarf answered. [Those weak beasts? They can¡¯t even fight for themselves.]


    [Yes, those. They¡¯re utterly weak at the start, but I¡¯ve seen one powerful enough to eat a drake.]


    [Then the Fairies fed them?] One Dwarf suggested.


    [[¡­]] Silently, they all thought.


    [It wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Fairies.] Garfin muttered and the Dwarfs agreed by nodding. [In any case, let¡¯s move.]


    ¡°But to where?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t see any path other than diving in that dark water.¡±


    There are no Dasbalites underneath it, that¡¯s for sure¡­


    Without responding, Garfin placed his hand on the side of the passage and closed his eyes. After a minute, he opened his eyes and spoke. [We won¡¯t be diving, the weapons will only weigh us down.]


    That¡¯s reassuring...


    Then he continued. [Above us, there are passages. We¡¯ll take the one nearest to our right.]


    ¡°You mean we¡¯re going to climb?¡±


    [Yes.]


    Puzzled, I asked. ¡°But how? The surface of the walls here is smooth. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be easy. Especially that it¡¯s now wet due to that Devy.¡±


    [Not to worry,] He answered with a grin. Placing his hand on the right side of the passage, he spoke after taking out a ring made of crystal thread, encrusted with a shard. [You¡¯ll see.]


    Gradually, steps made of stone jutted from the side leading to the passage he indicated.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad to use earth magic here?¡± I asked.


    [Don¡¯t worry, that huge beast passed here, right? The fact that the walls didn¡¯t collapse meant that it¡¯s thick and powerful enough on its own.]


    ¡°But how did you know where should we pass through?¡±


    [It''s a racial ability.] He answered. [We live with the earth and forge with the fire, enabling us to feel the surrounding earth while fire lets us know the right temperature for forging.]


    ¡°That¡¯s convenient.¡±


    [But we can¡¯t use any other element other than earth and fire without shards.]


    ¡°That¡¯s not so convenient after all.¡±


    One person at a time, we scaled the steps and arrived at the passage, maintaining our only source of light until the resin torches were dry.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this, a slide?¡± I asked looking at the smooth surface of the slide before us. ¡°And isn¡¯t this a thin blanket of ice?¡± I gulped.


    Uwaah¡­ I¡¯ve had enough cold stuff for today...


    [Yes, it is. It¡¯ll be colder further down, but it¡¯ll be faster through here.] Garfin answered. [But you¡¯ll go down last since there might be stalactites hanging above the slide. We¡¯ll use the shields to break them just in case.]


    Courageously, a Dwarf jumped into the naturally made slide with his axe and shield blocking his front along with the torch. [Down I go!] Then he vanished with his fluttering robe, followed by the sound of rocks breaking apart.


    Before my turn, [Here,] Garfin gave me a pick. [Use that in case you sped too much. Be careful though, your arms might break if you don¡¯t do it properly.]


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle myself,¡± I answered with a smile.


    [Well then, I¡¯ll see you down there.] Then he vanished into the slide.


    Quietly, I manifested my horn. ¡°No one would see anyway. Better use it just in case.¡± Then slowly my sight lit up on its own. ¡°This is really convenient.¡±


    Before I slid down, I detached the rapier and the dagger from my waist, placed it inside the sack containing the Dasbalites, and placed the sack at the front, holding the pick with my right.


    Gradually, my speed picked up as I slid further, producing a skidding sound. Soon, the blanket of ice thickened, the slide became wider.


    Nervously, I thought. I hope I don¡¯t veer off¡­


    With a fork in the path, I buried the pick on my right to divert my direction towards the right passage where there are obvious skid marks on the ice. Supported by reinforcement, I held the pick¡¯s handle as my weight burdened my arm, forcing the pick to scrape off the ice as I veered towards the right.


    This would probably hurt later...


    Suddenly, a voice giggled.


    Moving my head, I looked for the source of the voice, but my time was short, as the end of the slide appeared before my eyes. Luckily, I was able to hide my horn before I emerged from the hole. Immediately, I observed the surroundings, looking for the presence of the Dwarfs.


    Whew¡­ I thought as I saw them gathering in one place. Were those Faeries?


    [Come now,] Garfin called.


    Steadily, I stood on the frozen spring and made my way slowly to the group. As we gathered, we again moved with Garfin on the lead, with a new set of resin torches.


    ¡°Garfin, why does Sylvar hate the Fairies?¡± I asked for the continuation of the story, exhalin a visible breath.


    [Hrmm¡­] He grunted. [He knew that the Elves were deceived by the Fairies into joining the racial war, but he didn¡¯t have the authority to voice himself. That led him to make his fellow Elves realize by making connections, but he was too late, the Fairies already had ties with the Elders.]


    ¡°You just said that the Fairies were a deceitful race, right? Haven¡¯t the Elders in Avalon realized that?¡±


    [According to him, the Elders thought that they were using the Fairies instead.]


    ¡°...¡±


    [To Sylvar, there are benefits in joining the Fairies, but it changed after he saw a part of the truth.]


    ¡°What did he see?¡±


    [He saw a Fairy leaking information to the Beastmen and the Humans.]


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s quite a problem.¡± I said. Leaking information to a human huh. I wonder from which kingdom were those?


    [Because of that, some Elves were captured, never to return.]


    Irritated by their lack of insight, I asked. ¡°We¡¯re the Elders blind?¡±


    [Apparently, the Elders has a plan, but Sylvar never knew anything about it. So he decided to use the connection he made and created a group of Elves to set out of Avalon to look for a place where they can peacefully preserve their race.]


    ¡°Then what about the Dwarfs? You¡¯ve met Fairies too, right?¡±


    [Yes, but we hate them.] He answered. [We hate those bugs who don''t care for our craft. They just wanted to sow conflict while waiting on the sides, watching the others burn.]


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, I thought. So I should never trust Fairies huh...


    [But mind you, sometimes they tell some truth to lure people into their plans. You could use that to your advantage, but knowing what is true and what is not requires some skill to discern.]


    ¡°Got it,¡± I replied.

 Chapter 29: Alabaster Caves 4

    Shortly after, we found a path with Dasbalites.


    [We¡¯ll sleep here.] Garfin commanded.


    Apparently, during that time, it was already night. Excluding me, they decided to take turns in twos for the night watch. They reasoned that they were more accustomed to the nature of the caves than I did, which is why it was best for me to take a rest, so I could adapt to the new environment I was in.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± In gratitude, I said.


    After taking our fill, we huddled in a corner of the passage in order to maintain our heat, but despite that, I still felt myself shivering from the cold to the point that we wanted to build a fire, but our air is limited so we refrained from doing so. Fortunately, the Dwarfs was kind enough to place me in the center of the group, making it more bearable than I thought. Not long before, I fell asleep in comfort.


    By the next day, I was shaken awake by Garfin. [It¡¯s time to eat.] He said.


    Rubbing my eyes, ¡°Unn...¡± I yawned while I stretched my body and limbs.


    Not long after that, we took our meal, eating the same jerky and water we had.


    ¡°By the way, Garfin,¡± I asked after resuming our travel through the caves. ¡°Why did Grandfather place the stash here in Alabaster? He could¡¯ve just placed it somewhere I can easily find, right?¡±


    [Probably a test?] Garfin answered, leading the group with a torch in hand. [He came down here several times with us, so he might have thought that you¡¯d need to go through what he did before you are entitled to receive what he left. He even contracted an earth spirit to seal it.]


    Confused, I said. ¡°But aren¡¯t humans not supposed to see or feel spirits?¡±


    [That¡¯s what I want to know. How did Randolf get into a contract with a spirit?] He replied. [And it¡¯s a high ranking spirit at that.]


    Grandfather sure has a lot of mysteries...


    [We should pick up the pace a bit.] Garfin said. [I¡¯m worried about the others, those Faeries might have done something.]


    ¡°I agree,¡± I replied. ¡°But Garfin, can you tell me more about the Faeries? Like, how strong they are?¡±


    [Physically, they¡¯re weak. One swing of our hammer and they could die immediately.]


    ¡°In terms of magic?¡±


    [In that regard, I haven¡¯t seen them use magic.] He answered.


    [I have seen them,] A dwarf interrupted. [Their magic is on the level of a low to intermediate spirit.]


    ¡°Err¡­ How do I make of that?¡± I asked. ¡°The only power of a spirit I knew of is the blessing of the water spirit during the ritual, and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good reference...¡±


    [The one from the ritual is a high spirit of water.] Garfin answered.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± I muttered, tilting my head. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I guess they¡¯re around the lowest to the highest of intermediate magic? Or possibly till advanced?¡±


    [Probably till advanced.] The previous Dwarf replied.


    ¡°Thanks for the answer.¡± I smiled.


    About 3 hours or so, we found a marking on the side of a passage. It was a marking in a ¡®Y¡¯ shape indicating the fork in the path before us.


    Tracing the marking, Garfin said. [This is marking is recent, we are near.] Then he took out a knife and drew a line underneath the arrowhead that indicated the direction we should go. [There, that should do it.]


    ¡°You''re indicating that someone saw the marking they left and followed it, right?¡± I asked.


    [Yes,] Garfin replied. [It¡¯s a standard for us Dwarfs.]


    ¡°How about the other side? The mark indicated small circles clustered together.¡±


    [That indicates a nest. We should avoid that if we don¡¯t want any trouble.]


    Following the indicated path, we traveled for about an hour before we reached the end of the passage. It led to a huge chamber filled with naturally formed pillars that reached to the ceiling. It was large enough to fit a 20-storey building and acres of land, dotted with waterfalls, protruding uneven boulders, Dasbalites of unimaginable sizes, springs, and lakes both frozen and running, unique luminescent plants, and a ceiling fitted with crystals.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a whole new world...¡± I muttered in pure awe.


    [Beautiful isn¡¯t it?] Garfin chuckled a grin. [It¡¯s called the Endless Chasm.]


    ¡°Endless Chasm?¡± I repeated, trying to look for the end of the slanted chasm leading further down. ¡°Then I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t found the end yet?¡±


    [We haven¡¯t.] He answered with a wry smile. [There are too many dangerous beasts the further you go, lava also starts appearing, changing the environment drastically. Anyway, let¡¯s talk while moving.]


    As ordered, we started moving.


    ¡°Garfin, those crystals above us,¡± Shifting my sight towards the countless crystals hanging above, ¡°those are Crystalline Manatite, right?¡±


    [There are Crystalline Manatite mixed in there, but there are various crystals included.]


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    ¡°I see,¡± I muttered. ¡°Then, how did they ended up there?¡±


    [They formed due to the water and lava mixing together, producing a vapor that made its way up and formed the crystals. Or possibly this place was submerged in lava once, which naturally formed those crystals as the ground eroded.]


    I see...


    Again, I shifted my sight towards the towering Dasbalites that illuminated the surroundings.¡°This is just a guess, but does the mana content in the air increases the further we go down?¡±


    [You guessed right.]


    ¡°The reason?¡±


    [We don¡¯t know.] He shook his head in response. [Maybe ask a God or a divine being?]


    ¡°¡­ I guess.¡± I muttered. Maybe I¡¯ll ask Celes next week.


    Once again, I observed the surroundings and thought quietly.


    Some pillars are stretching from both the top and the bottom, probably centuries old stalactites and stalagmites that eventually formed a pillar? But some have discolored marks, so I¡¯m guessing those are eroded ones¡­


    There are also waterfalls here and there, so does it mean all that water we encountered is destined to arrive here? And that frozen slide. I guess it¡¯ll defrost once the water level rose and eventually reached that passage?


    Continuously, I thought of possibilities to explain the scenery before me. As I imagined them, ¡°Tell me,¡± I muttered in disbelief. ¡°Is this a dream?¡±


    [Ahahaha!] Garfin laughed heartily. [To think you¡¯d ask the first question that Randolf asked upon reaching this place!]


    ¡°Ahaha. Well, I have Grandfather¡¯s blood after all.¡± I laughed wryly. ¡°¡­ Anyway, does this place have some lore or something?¡±


    [We don¡¯t have that kind of lore for this place,] Garfin answered. [But we believe that all the water running down Alabaster led to this place. Because of that, it slowly eroded the rocks that formed this chasm. We¡¯re theorizing that this further leads under the ocean southeast of Randia or maybe an underwater volcano judging from the lava present further down.]


    ¡°Then all of this is the marvel of Alabaster?¡± I asked. ¡°To think that it¡¯s hiding something like this...¡±


    There are countless things here that I have seen for the first time. To think it was just beside the kingdom of Laurel. We had no idea...


    [Yes, it is.] Garfin grinned. [The outside of Alabaster is an outright plain mountain range, but the inside is on a different scale, and I doubt that this is the only hidden gem underneath Alabaster.]


    ¡°You mean there¡¯s more?¡±


    [At least I think so, Alabaster is wide that we haven¡¯t explored all of it yet.]


    ¡°Then those beasts? The humanoid Rikeas and Gidras, did they come from here?¡±


    [Yes, they did.] Garfin answered. [The Rikeas use their talons to scale the pillars and numerous passages on the sides. They also use those to cling on the walls and act like ordinary Dasbalites, camouflaging themselves from their predators. Unlike the previous ones, this place has plenty of space for them to stand upright, allowing them to use their talons to hunt smaller beasts.]


    Then another Dwarf continued. [The Gidras hunts the Rikeas in this place, so wherever the Rikeas are, the Gidras are sure to follow.]


    ¡°But I guess we can call ourselves lucky that most of them are gone,¡± I muttered, checking the immediate surrounding for beasts. Those small unnatural looking ones are probably Rikeas camouflaging themselves.


    [Luck, huh. It¡¯s probably because of a divine beast that has visited nearby. We were blessed.] Garfin answered.


    ¡°Eh? Blessed? By which divine beast?¡±


    [I don¡¯t know,] He shook his head. [Although weak, I felt its presence for a short moment.]


    ¡°When was it?¡±


    [During the slide.]


    ¡°Oh¡­ I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡± I answered.


    [That¡¯s natural.] He replied.


    Could it be¡­ my horn? I thought. But whenever I call out to Celes, none asked nor did anyone spoke about a presence¡­ During my time with Erina too. Kanna never mentioned anything, so I guess it really wasn¡¯t me?


    Shaking my thoughts away, I asked. ¡°Garfin, where are we headed now?¡±


    [I¡¯m sorry about this, but we¡¯ll head to a post we made in this area. We¡¯ll head to the sealed area once we find the other Dwarfs.]


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± I answered. ¡°Right now, the lives of the Dwarfs is more important. I could always come down here to get the stash just in case.¡±


    [Thank you, Amelia.] He thanked.


    Then the other Dwarfs followed. [[Thank you.]]


    ¡°No problem,¡± I replied with a smile.


    Peacefully, we reached the Dwarf post after about 2 hours of travel, a result of the mass migration of the beasts.


    [Garfin!] A Dwarf ran to our direction upon seeing our group.


    Then another followed. [Garfin?!]


    [Arkand! Dresbon!] Garfin ran up to them wearing a bright smile. He then brought out his fist and bumped it against the other two. [It¡¯s nice to see you well!]


    [You finally came!] Arkand laughed.


    They both bore a brown hair that covered their face, an ordinary appearance among the Dwarfs.


    [Finally, there¡¯s a chance that we can go back!] Dresbon cheered.


    But Arkand unhappily slapped Dresbon at the back of his head! [You fool! We just need food to kill that beast!] He reprimanded. [It¡¯s not something we should fear!]


    [You¡¯re the fool!] Dresbon refuted. [You haven¡¯t seen one of those things yet!]


    [I have! I smashed them to oblivion!]


    [Those were newborns! The ones that reached past its maturity are absurd!]


    [Have some pride! We are Dwarfs! Our weapons can take care of that!]


    [I have pride! But that thing is different!]


    Quietly, we listened to their banter, gleaning information that they threw at each other until Garfin stopped both of them before they reached for their weapons.


    [Enough,] Garfin said, placing himself in-between them. [You''re disgracing yourselves in front of our new chief.]


    As they looked my way, I smiled and waved my hand. ¡°Hello,¡± I said in a childish tone.


    As expected, [Cough! You¡¯re right, we shouldn¡¯t disgrace ourselves.] Dresbon said as he reached out his hand. [The name¡¯s Dresbon.]


    Reaching to his hand for a shake, I said. ¡°Pleased to meet you, I¡¯m Amelia.¡±


    Similarly, Arkand did the same. [Name¡¯s Arkand.]


    After we gave our greetings, we proceeded to have a meeting regarding our next move. Apparently, the well-known exits were blocked by beasts, and they were hesitant in eliminating them due to their number and the consequences it will cause. They also found traces of the Fairies moving around the caves just like we did, but unexpectedly, they only found three. On the other hand, it seemed that they too encountered Devy, a Devourer as confirmed by Dresbon.


    According to Dresbon, that Devy is too powerful for us to handle. They saw it preying on two Gidras at the same time. And based on his estimation, it¡¯s powerful enough to be on the level of a mid to a high dragon.


    Contrary to that, Arkand believed that they can take care of it if we relied on the crystals embedded with incomplete magic circles while wielding their prided weapons.


    In the end, we decided not to meddle with the Fairies, and work our way up while forcing the beasts to return to their natural habitat.


    [Hey,] Dresbon said, pointing at a passage from a distance. [Isn¡¯t those Gidras returning?]


    Covered in rock-like scales, two horns pointed backward, and a form similar to a horse, they shot out from the passage as if running away from something.


    [I think it¡¯s coming¡­] Garfin muttered.


    [Chiefs!] A Dwarf shouted. [The beasts! They¡¯re returning!]


    [Gather your weapons and your sacks!] Arkand shouted an order.


    [Dwarfs!] Dresbon bellowed. [Move to the sides of the passages then form a barricade of shields!]


    [Prepare your torches! we¡¯re leaving once the beasts finished rushing back!] Garfin added.


    Immediately, the Dwarfs moved to the side of the passage beside the post. Subsequently, the Dwarfs with shields moved to the front, while another line of Dwarfs at their back placed another shield above theirs, effectively making a wall of shields. At their backs, the Dwarfs split in half, ones gathered the sacks and served as carriers, while the others picked up weapons for battle.


    Soon, the area was rocked by a continuous shake of the ground, followed by a mass of Rikeas passing through the passage that continuously emitted a squeaking sound. The Rikeas, drowned in fear, created a stampede among themselves, crushing their fellow Rikeas that fell down.


    During the stampede, numerous Rikeas kept on hitting the shields in a blind panic. Fortunately, the Dwarfs were able to withstand it until all there was no Rikeas left.


    [Move!] Garfin ordered.


    [Those with weapons at the front!] Arkand shouted. [Kill anything on the way!]


    [Carriers at the center! Shields at the back!] Dresbon added.


    For some reason, the beasts kept running.


    It¡¯s not done yet¡­ I thought.


    Meeting my expectation, a low-trill echoed throughout the chasm. Then the hideous beast, Devy, emerged from the ground, swallowing a number of Rikeas.


    At the moment I saw it, I thought. It¡¯s no use. We can¡¯t outrun that thing¡­


    [Peek!]


    [A!]


    [Boo!]


    The Fairy trio giggled.

 Chapter 30: Unnecessary

    After the ground shook, a giant beast burst through the ground, swallowing the unfortunate Rikeas in its path. Again, with a low trill, it moved its bladed tentacles and started massacring the leftover Rikeas. After confirming the annihilation, it revealed its body, covered in spikes jutting out from its thick calloused skin.


    Opening its mouth sealed by three large spiraled teeth, it revealed its throat lined with layers of serrated teeth. Moving its body from the ground, it showcased its horrid body surrounded by legs similar to a centipede, but unlike a centipede, its legs surrounded its cylindrical body without a pattern in sight.


    Then, it started sucking on the dead bodies of the Rikeas, leaving nothing but blood dripping on the ground as it sumptuously munched on its prey.


    [[Ahehehe.]] The Faeries giggled.


    [Go on! Go on!]


    [We¡¯ll give you!]


    [A head start!]


    Shouted the Faeries in-between us and the Devourer


    ¡°Garfin!¡± I shouted as the three Dwarf chiefs led the Dwarfs through the passage.


    [What is it?!] He replied, obviously shaken by the Devourer. [We have no time to dawdle! We must escape, now!]


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± I said. ¡°That thing is obviously faster than us! With that kind of body, it can easily devour us if we grouped ourselves into one!¡±


    Although the situation was dire, Garfin responded without a hint of panic. [Then do you have any ideas?!]


    ¡°You said that there¡¯s lava further down the Chasm, right?!¡± Nervously, I replied in the midst of the noise emitted by the countless boots hitting the ground. ¡°Is there any other way we could reach that place?! I don¡¯t think that thing can swim in lava unharmed!¡±


    [Impossible!] He answered, quickly. [The quickest path is through this chasm itself. We have to go through that beast if we wanted to!]


    ¡°But what do we do?! Luring that to the surface won¡¯t save us either!¡± I replied. ¡°Worst case, the Tribe falls prey to that Devourer!¡±


    [We might be able to eliminate that thing if we received help from the spirits contracted by the Elves!]


    ¡°Again! We can¡¯t outrun that thing!¡± I refuted. ¡°Our best bet is to divide ourselves and hope that some of us survives and get help from the Tribe!¡±


    [I agree with her Garfin!] Dresbon intruded. [We¡¯ll divide ourselves into two groups, and each will take a separate path to the upper ground!]


    [But!]


    [This is no time to argue Garfin!] Arkand said. [Her suggestion is the best we have right now! We just have to hope we see each other again!]


    [[Dwarfs!]] Dresbon and Arkand commanded.


    [On the first chamber above, split into two groups! Each would be led by two Chiefs! I and Arkand would lead one group, while Garfin and Amelia will lead the other!]


    [[Yes!]] The Dwarfs responded


    [Now move and pass the message to those at the front!] Arkand added.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I interrupted. ¡°Arkand and Dresbon would each lead the group of Dwarfs, while I and Garfin go to the stash left by my Grandfather!¡±


    [Amelia thi-]


    ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡± I cut off. ¡°There¡¯s a high spirit there, right?! There¡¯s a possibility that it¡¯d help me since Grandfather contracted that spirit. If we¡¯re lucky enough, we could at least delay that thing for the two groups to reach the ground!¡±


    [Yo-] Wide-eyed, Dresbon muttered.


    ¡°This! Is! Not! The! Time!¡± Angrily, I shouted. ¡°Of course I¡¯m afraid! But someone else is waiting for me up there! I won¡¯t go down that easily!¡±


    [Amelia¡­] Garfin muttered.


    [It¡¯s decided!] Arkand said.


    [For a human like you¡­] Dresbon muttered before turning his back and waved his hand. [Be sure to meet us after this, I¡¯ll treat you to some drink.]


    ¡°Ahahaha.¡± I chuckled wearing a wry smile. ¡°I¡¯m not old enough to drink...¡±


    Soon enough, the Dwarfs, along with Arkand and Dresbon, vanished into the passage.


    With only two of us left, [Amelia¡­ You¡¯re young.] Garfin said. [It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll persuade the spirit myself. Go follow Arkand and Dresbon.] Then he started walking towards the passage a short distance away from the post.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Garfin, but I won¡¯t act like your Granddaughter this time,¡± I said as I followed Garfin from behind while the Devourer raged from the distance. ¡°Although short, my time with the Tribe is precious to me.¡±


    [I sa-]


    Again, I cut him off. ¡°Just like you said, I¡¯m like Grandfather,¡± Smiling, I continued. ¡°Stubborn.¡±


    [¡­] Silently he ran to the passage while I tagged along.


    Taking a look before we entered the passage, the trio were dancing around, discussing something between them like innocent children out to play in the woods.


    They¡¯re too lax¡­


    With Garfin at the lead holding a new torch in hand, I followed behind holding my rapier, cautious of the beasts running around.


    [Amelia, we might encounter a Gidra here.]


    ¡°Its weakness?¡±


    [Its head, its lower body is covered in rock-hard scales so piercing it with your strength would be hard.]


    ¡°How tall is it?¡±


    [Around 13 feet.]


    ¡°¡­¡± Silently, I thought. I can¡¯t fly, you know? But then again, there¡¯s that method¡­


    Thinking of a method to reach 13 feet, I rummaged through my pouch.


    With a shard in hand, Here it is. I thought I hope it works... I thought, fitting it in-between my fingers.


    Remembering something, Ah, I forgot to give the Dwarfs my sack... I thought as I realized the sack hanging on my waist filled with Dasbalites. Never mind, it¡¯s not that many anyways.


    Just like Garfin anticipated, a gallop filled the chamber, followed by the figure of a Gidra. Upon sensing us, it let out a loud roar.


    [I¡¯ll distract it.] Then Garfin moved to the side, luring the Gidra to the wall.


    Noticing Garfin, the Gidra started rushing to his direction, leaving claw marks on the ground. Not long after that, the Gidra reached Garfin, but it was met with a loud crash.


    [Now!] Shouted Garfin underneath the extended wall he manifested to cushion the Gidra¡¯s charge.


    Activating reinforcement through my bracelet, I sprinted towards the Gidra. About 3 feet away from its body, I poured mana into the shard in my hand, manifesting a barrier. Jumping on the barrier I made into a foothold, I made my way up its body. Just in time, the Gidra removed its head embedded in the wall, approaching the blade of my rapier. With another foothold to support my body, I thrust the rapier into the back of its head. Piercing through its scales, I activated the magic circle in the crystal. With a crackling sound, a burnt smell followed after the Gidra fell, toasted by the lightning the rapier emitted.


    Finally, I was able to use it properly¡­


    The Gidra, falling to its knees, leaned on the wall extended by Garfin. As I took out the rapier, I went down through its back. ¡°What a waste...¡± I muttered, thinking of the possibilities I could do with its scales.


    Resuming our run, the ground started to rattle.


    It¡¯s moving¡­


    [Amelia.]


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Increasing our pace, we ran for about another 5 minutes before a sealed door with two stone statues at its side appeared.


    ¡°How do I open it?¡±


    [Those Golems at the side would recognize you,] He answered. [Probably.]


    ¡°¡­ Those sure are intricate Golems.¡±


    [It¡¯s not surprising for a high spirit.]


    With legs bent backward, an armor made of stone that looked like it came from an ancient civilization, and a dog head, the statues moved their crossed halberds to their sides, inviting us through the stone door that started moving to the sides.


    While the sound of rock grinding against rock continued, the gap between the door widened. ¡°It¡¯s good that it doesn¡¯t need anything else like a secret word or such,¡± I muttered with a chuckle.


    Without any issues, we were able to enter the sealed area. Looking around the chamber, I shouted ¡°Spirit of the earth! Please listen!¡±


    Contrary to that, Garfin was silent. [¡­]


    ¡°What wrong Garfin?¡± I asked.


    [I can no longer feel the spirit¡­] He answered.


    ¡°Wha-¡±


    Then a giggling voice echoed through the chamber. [Oh, what do we have here.]


    [Run!] Garfin shouted.


    [I¡¯m afraid no one¡¯s leaving.] The voiced giggled once again through the darkness.


    In short intervals, a heavy stomping sound emerged from the stone door.


    ¡°What?¡± Wide-eyed, I muttered.


    The statues guarding the chamber from the outside started to enter. Once both of them were inside, the door started to close.


    A trap?!


    Garfin, painted with rage said. [Damned Fairy.]


    [Hairy Dwarf.] The voice replied before revealing itself.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Glaring, I asked.


    [I¡¯m Randolf¡¯s friend.] She smiled before landing above a chest. [I¡¯ve been waiting for you, Amelia. I was tasked by Randolf to guard this place.] She smiled, taking her seat, swaying her small legs covered by a short leaf-like skirt.


    ¡°Lies,¡± I replied.


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    [Oh, that¡¯s the truth though?] She said as she combed her blonde hair. [Rand-]


    [Liar!] Garfin shouted.


    [Shut up, Dwarf.] The Fairy glared. [I¡¯m not talking to you.]


    After she said her piece, a statue swung its halberd on Garfin.


    ¡°Garfin!¡± I shouted, after the halberd¡¯s blade cracked the floor.


    Thankfully, he replied. [I¡¯m fine!]


    [Dwarf, let¡¯s make a deal.] The Fairy said. [If you keep silent, I¡¯ll halt the Devourer¡¯s advance.]


    [I wo-]


    [Whether you believe me or not, it¡¯s your choice] She smiled mischievously. [I wonder, would you forsake the Dwarfs because you refused to believe me?]


    [¡­] Quietly, Garfin gripped the torch and his hammer, gritting his teeth in frustration.


    [Doot. Doot. Looks like the Dwarf chose wisely.]


    Regardless, Garfin stayed silent. [¡­]


    We have no other choice¡­


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I asked, grasping my rapier, ready to move at any time. ¡°How did such a Fairy meet my Grandfather? And your name, you haven¡¯t told me yet.¡±


    [Oh, calling me such a Fairy even though you wouldn¡¯t be who you are if not for me.] Frowning she said. [Shouldn¡¯t you show a little more respect? After all, I birthed who you are now. Lastly, my name is not important to you.]


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± I replied. ¡°I chose this myself.¡±


    [Really?] She asked. [Even though everything seemed too perfect?]


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, I listened.


    [Why do you think your Grandfather started visiting the Tribe when you were born?]


    ¡°Coincidence.¡± Quickly, I answered.


    [Then what about the necklace Randolf gave you when you were ambushed? Why was he sure that you¡¯d be targeted?]


    ¡°He¡¯s a King, he has connections.¡±


    [Really? Then why were you ambushed towards Libet and not anywhere else? Why not during the travel to Niveria? To Brent? To Academia? Why are all the others were an easy pass compared to the one towards Libet?]


    ¡°He has competent people with him.¡±


    [Even though the assassins knew the number of knights and soldiers you brought?]


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    [Wrong.] She answered. [It¡¯s because I tricked the humans to prove my trustworthiness to Randolf, then when it came to Libet, I dropped the mask, I told Libet of the path you¡¯d be taking and the composition of the knights and soldiers.] She giggled. [Oh, that Randolf, it was so hard to gain his trust without Celestia noticing. But he believed too much in peace with the races that he blinded himself.] She laughed.


    ¡°...¡±


    [About the trade being dropped after his death, doesn¡¯t it sound weird?] She asked leaning forward. [What do you think?]


    ¡°...¡±


    [Oh, what a scary look.] She giggled. [The answer is to make you feel responsible for everyone¡¯s death, responsible to continue what he started, to take over his dream and to know the real reason behind the trade severance.]


    ¡°Impossible, such plan cannot be executed perfectly.¡±


    [Oh, it is possible with a few mishaps. With Sophia¡¯s Mirror that is, but then again, we can¡¯t use it anymore for another century.]


    ¡°What are you after?¡± Rage building inside me, I asked.


    [Isn¡¯t that obvious?] She replied. [To break you, again and again, then with your will, stand again as a proud princess you are. After that, become a newborn divine after meeting Celestia. Make you look for the stash that for some unknown reason, was hidden in this chamber.]


    [Impossible,] Garfin muttered. [We felt the spirit of the earth here.]


    [Oh, I¡¯ll forgive you for that, but there won¡¯t be a next.] She pointed at Garfin. [Haven¡¯t you asked? Why was it placed somewhere the Elves would less likely to visit?]


    Realizing the truth, [You!] Garfin replied.


    [Doot! Doot! Correct!] She answered. [If the Elves saw the fake spirit we made, it would¡¯ve been easily found out.] Then she smiled. [But since you spoke. Snap! Devy will move again!] With a snap of her little fingers, the rumbling of the earth restarted.


    [Stop!] Garfin bellowed.


    [I said quiet!] With a loud stomp, the statue tried to crush Garfin.


    Fortunately, he was able to dodge, but the incoming halberd closed on him. Unconsciously, I overloaded the shard and produced barriers over barriers, protecting Garfin.


    No!


    Even after countless barriers shattered like glass, Garfin was hit. On the bright side, the barrier reduced the force and redirected the blade a bit, making it a non-lethal hit. But sadly, he lied on the floor unconscious along with the torch.


    [That will do it.]


    I tried approaching Garfin, but a blade of a halberd suddenly block my path.


    [Nope. I won¡¯t let you wake up that noisy Dwarf.]


    ¡°You monster!¡± I bellowed, gripping my rapier till it started shaking.


    [Oh, come on.] She said. [All that 14-year plan just to reach this day. Can¡¯t I have a congratulatory gift instead of that despising rage of yours?]


    ¡°I¡¯ll never believe you!¡±


    [Not enough yet? Then what about the preparations made when you became chief? Why was it so detailed? How did Randolf predict that?]


    ¡°Everything you¡¯ve said are lies!¡±


    [Then what about this?] She said, taking out a ring. [You remember, right? It¡¯ll be sad if you don¡¯t...]


    Recognizing the ring. ¡°T-that!¡±


    That one¡¯s from the paintings at the palace! There was even a replica...


    [Oh, seems like I¡¯ve got your attention.] She giggled.


    ¡°Why do you have Grandmother¡¯s ring!?¡±


    [Have you forgotten?] She smiled. [How did it go again? Oh, right. ¡¯Your Grandmother is traveling the world with the butterflies.¡¯ You probably thought she was dead with those lines, right?]


    ¡°...¡± Silently, I thought. That¡¯s not possible, Grandmother went missing a long time ago¡­


    [You do realize, right? Where could your Grandmother be? Why did he trust a fairy like me? Is he really dead? Or maybe he¡¯s somewhere out there, with your Grandmother, the missing Queen.]


    ¡°You¡­ What are you after!?¡±


    [Ever wondered what a Devourer might become if it consumed a divine being? Normally, a Devourer isn¡¯t powerful enough to eat one, but for a newborn like you, it¡¯s possible. Other than that, what could be better if you could pull a trick on Celestia? Isn¡¯t it exciting?]


    ¡°Is that everything?!¡± Unable to take it any longer, I sprinted towards the Fairy, drawing my rapier.


    [Ahahaha.] She laughed as she took flight. [Are you not curious? What if a Devourer becomes a divine being under our control? We could stop the racial war!]


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Making a barrier as a platform, I jumped, slashing at the Fairy.


    [Oh, the racial war can be stopped, that is if we reduced every race¡¯s numbers to the bare minimum.] She giggled. [Tricking people to start a war is bound to get boring, so I thought, what if we stopped it instead?]


    ¡°By massacring millions?! You¡¯re mad!¡± Creating another barrier, I delivered another strike.


    [Aren¡¯t you mad yourself?] She said, flipping through the air, dodging my strikes. [Doing what the Gods failed to do, isn¡¯t that madness?]


    ¡°The Gods were selfish!¡± I said, landing on another barrier, then jumping towards the Fairy again.


    [But we are sure, our God wasn¡¯t.] Again, she dodged by doing acrobatic movements in the air.


    Immediately making a platform, I changed my direction to dodge the halberd swung by the statue.


    [Okay, enough with the games.] The chamber rumbled. [Devy!] Answering her call, a trill resounded. Slowly, the rumbling of the chamber increased. [It¡¯s time to finish the trick of the century!]


    [[We¡¯re coming!]] The trio Fairies¡¯ voice resounded, followed by the ceiling breaking apart, revealing the horrid mouth of the Devourer, preparing to consume me.


    Ready to trade my life, I readied myself to at least delay the Devourer for the others to reach the upper ground, but contrary to my expectations, a hole appeared in mid-air, transferring the body of the Devourer to who knows where.


    [Trick of the Century?] A voice asked after the rumbling suddenly halted. [That¡¯s quite a trick for it to fail at the last moment.]


    Unknowingly, my necklace glowed. ¡°Celes?¡± I asked, recognizing the voice.


    [[Devy!]] The Fairies called.


    ¡°Oh, you want to see that pet of yours?¡± Celes asked as her body formed from the light emitted by my necklace. ¡°Here, have a look.¡±


    As she gestured to her right, the surroundings were covered by a thick mist, revealing a different scene after it receded. Floating in the air, [Thank you for this gift Celestia.] A deep voice resounded.


    Surrounded by thick clouds in every direction, we observed the Devourer falling from the sky, desperately struggling like a worm. Nearing the water surface, a serpent shot out of the water, tearing it to pieces. Not enough for the serpent, it dived back down to the ocean, cleaning the remains above the ocean''s surface.


    ¡°How is it? Wasn¡¯t it a better Devourer than yours?¡±


    Speechless, [¡­] The Fairies shivered in fear.


    [Celestia.] The deep voice replied while its endless body revealed itself in parts, looping on top of the water surface. [Don¡¯t compare me to that measly Devourer. This one hasn¡¯t even reached the level of the ancients yet.]


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m trying to make a joke, Gandr.¡±


    [You still call me Gandr huh.]


    ¡°Then Jormugandr, is this fine now?¡±


    [You¡¯re just like always. I¡¯d be happy if you deliver me gifts now and then.]


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± She replied.


    No matter how long we stayed, the tail of Jormugandr never appeared.


    ¡°We¡¯re returning.¡± With those words, the mist covered our surroundings yet again, returning us to the previous chamber.


    ¡°Now, where were we?¡± Tilting her head as if nothing happened. ¡°Oh, yes, I have to punish Titania for breaking an unwritten rule. Or maybe the whole Fairy race? Hmm...¡±


    [D-don¡¯t!] The Fairy suddenly responded. [I-it was my plan! I only asked for her Majesty¡¯s cooperation! Me! Punish me and the three Fairies here! Our life is enough!]


    ¡°Is that so? Even though Titania allowed the use of Sophia¡¯s mirror and the Sash of Invisibility to go over my network?¡± She said smiling. ¡°Even though I¡¯ve repeated countless times to never force my kin to develop their horn? And yet here you are begging me to spare your race?¡±


    [Y-you had a hand in it!]


    ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s because of your meddling that there¡¯s no longer a possibility for Amelia to live other than developing her horn. You know this right? Titania¡¯s clairvoyance coupled with Sophia¡¯s Mirror.¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡±She exhaled a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I modified the necklace to confirm all this, but I never thought Titania would be careless. She never thought that Sophia¡¯s Mirror cannot accurately predict the actions of the divine beings.¡±


    [I-Impossible¡­]


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll visit Titania after I cool off.¡± After her words, the Fairy¡¯s right arm inflated and blew off.


    [AAAAHH!] The Fairy cried. Immediately after, her right armed pieced back itself.


    ¡°What limb should I practice restoring next?¡± Tilting her head, Celes playfully spoke. ¡°Oh, the three Fairies too.¡± Then she turned to the three remaining Fairies before her, repeating the same limb destruction and restoration.


    ¡°...¡± Silently, I observed Celes torture the Fairies, barely killing them then restoring their body repeatedly. One time, there were two black objects floating in the air, sucking the Fairies, stretching them into thin strands along with the dust and debris littered in the chamber.


    No matter what she did, she¡¯ll keep the Fairies barely living, then she¡¯ll start restoring their deformed bodies. It did not take long before the chamber filled with nothing by darkness to be filled with the pained cries of the Fairies.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to visit Titania,¡± Celes muttered. ¡°Amelia, I¡¯ll leave this Fairy here for you to judge.¡±


    [Uhhh¡­] The broken Fairy muttered.


    ¡°For the other three, killing them isn¡¯t enough so I¡¯ll seal them, never to see the light again.¡± Just like she said, the trio Fairy was grabbed by a dark hand and was dragged into an unknown place. ¡°Well, then. I¡¯ll see you later Amelia.¡±


    After Celes vanished, the last Fairy¡¯s body glowed, healing its wounds.


    [Uhhh¡­] The Fairy muttered, delirious.


    I pointed the tip of my rapier at the Fairy on the ground. ¡°Stand.¡± Coldly, I ordered. ¡°If you could defeat me or kill me, you can freely run away. So stand.¡±


    Again, the Fairy glowed in white.


    [Y-you¡­ Promise?] She said, slowly recovering herself, a probable effect that Celes had left behind.


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, I waited for the Fairy to recover while I took one shard after the other from my pouch. While the Fairy took her time to recover, I approached Garfin and chanted.


    O¡¯ ruler of light I beseech you,


    Cover mine hands with light


    Warm light the sun¡¯s might


    Wound fasten, hands light


    Manifest, Heal.


    Placing my glowing hands over Garfin, I healed him with an intermediate level light magic. As expected, Garfin¡¯s breathing started to normalize.


    It¡¯s good that I have an affinity in light¡­


    Moving the unconscious Garfin beside the Chest, I started rummaging through his pouch. Not able to wait any longer, I filled the shards with mana from the rapier and threw them below the statues. Followed by a series of explosions, the statues fell apart.


    I¡¯ve removed the nuisance.


    ¡°Are you not done yet?¡± I asked, revealing my horn as the light from the torch withered.


    [I¡¯m ready.] The Fairy grinned.


    ¡°Your name, what is it?¡± I asked.


    [Talya.] She replied.


    ¡°Amelia.¡±


    With a hint of desperation and madness, she shouted. [Y-you¡¯ll regret your decision!]


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret you lived.¡± With a head start, I immediately closed in on Talya, delivering my left fist to her body.


    [GAAH!] She flew into the air, but she managed to fix her posture with the help of her wings.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your vigor?¡± I asked. ¡°Is that everything you¡¯re willing to bet to live? Pathetic.¡±


    Without replying, she kept on silently muttering a chant. [Manifest, Whirlwind!]


    Backing away, "Know what you are using!" I threw a crystal into the whirlwind. Before it exploded, I moved towards Garfin and the chest, manifesting several layers of a barrier. After a loud explosion, another part of the chamber fell apart, filling the room with the chamber¡¯s wreckage.


    After the thin smoke subsided, Talya was unharmed. It seemed she was able to create a barrier on time.


    Revealing a grin, [T-thanks!] she flew into the hole.


    Unfortunately for her, I sealed the hole with earthen spikes.


    The mana I stored in the crystal threads is now depleted. I¡¯ll have to rely on my own pool now.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    [Tch! T-take this!] Unceremoniously, three Fireballs appeared, but their size was only half the original.


    Chant-less huh¡­


    Moving in, I dodged one fireball and blocked the other two with a barrier.


    [Not yet!] She then summoned earthen spikes, but the manifestation was slow and I was able to outrun it.


    ¡°If you keep using those chant-less magic, you will never win!¡±


    Again, making a foothold of the barrier, I jumped to reach Talya. Twisting her body, she dodged with her small body. [You won¡¯t hit me as long as I maintain this height.]


    Before I fell, I produced three wind balls while I¡¯m close to Talya, effectively hitting her unaware. While falling to the ground, I created another barrier and jumped to deliver a flying kick.


    While she rolled on the floor, I approached her limp body.


    ¡°Grandfather trusted you,¡± I said as I picked her by her arm. After dropping the rapier, I used my free hand to grab one of her wings and forcefully tore it out.


    [AAAH!] She cried in agony.


    ¡°You toyed with our lives.¡± Then I grabbed her second wing and again, tore it apart.


    In pain, she arched her body, with the whites of her eyes taking over.


    [Y-you¡¯re¡­ A monster¡­] She cried in tears.


    ¡°If I am, what are you?¡± I then drew the dagger from my waist.


    [H-have mercy¡­]


    ¡°Did you show Grandfather mercy? What about the lives that were lost due to your petty trick? Would they come back from the dead if showed you mercy? They¡¯re dead. Never to return. Burned to ashes. But don¡¯t worry.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°I will let you live.¡± Then I dismembered her arm with the dagger. ¡°Until I find a Devourer myself.¡±


    [E-end me¡­]


    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to die until I feed you to those pet of yours.¡± Then I started to chant the magic for heal and closed the wound on her bleeding arm.

 Chapter 31: Budding

    Running up the stairs in the early morning, I immediately went in front of the 2<sup>nd</sup> door to the right. Excitedly, I opened the door and greeted.


    ¡°Welcome back, Lia!¡± With a wide smile, I continued. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a whi- Eh?¡±


    Contrary to my expectation, the room was empty. The bed sheets were fixed, the pillows were arranged, the windows were closed, and a sack leaned beside the bed, but despite all that, Lia''s figure is nowhere in sight.


    Walking inside the room, I observed the surroundings. ¡°Lia?¡± I called a second time. ¡°Are you here?¡±


    Noticing a letter atop the drawer, I approached it. ¡°An open letter?¡± Reading the content of the letter with a single sentence written in it, ¡°¡¯I¡¯ll be back.¡¯¡± I muttered.


    Remembering what I heard from the Dwarfs after Lia and the others returned, my heart increased its pace. Could it be?!


    Checking for the authenticity of the letter, there was signature below it. To confirm it, I ran outside the room and leaned on the railings. ¡°Does someone here know Lia¡¯s signature?!¡± I shouted.


    [Is there a problem?] The servant named Erina asked.


    ¡°Lia¡¯s missing!¡± Running down the stairs in a hurry, I gave the letter to Erina. ¡°She only left this behind!¡±


    After looking through the letter, Erina confirmed its authenticity. [It is indeed her Highness¡¯s]


    Unable to believe the nonchalant reply of her personal maidservant, I snapped at her. ¡°Why are you so calm?! Lia¡¯s missing!¡±


    [I see that,] She replied. [But there¡¯s nothing to worry about,] She assured. [Her Highness would return.]


    ¡°How can you be so sure?!¡± Irritated, I shouted in reply. ¡°We¡¯re in Alabaster! Anything can happen!¡±


    [There was never a time that her Highness didn¡¯t return after leaving such letter,] She smiled wryly. [So please calm down.]


    Grabbing the attention of the people in the lodge, I continued disappointed. ¡°A-are you not afraid of her safety?¡±


    [What is this about?] A silver-haired man asked, emerging from one of the doors.


    [Your Highness.] Passing the letter to the prince, Argent, Erina bowed.


    [I see.] He muttered. [Please do not worry, my sister would definitely return.]


    ¡°A-are you telling me that this is just some sort of trick?¡± Unable to come to terms with the calm expression they gave, I asked. ¡°Are you not worried even for a bit?¡±


    [No, this is serious.] Expressing in a serious tone, Argent answered. [Amelia would only leave a letter like this if she doesn¡¯t want to be found. Even if we did look for her, it¡¯ll be like looking for a tree in a forest.]


    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±


    [My sister is resourceful; she even has a rare combination of affinity that lets her sneak in and out of even well-guarded places.] He added. [Her ability to hide, if she willed it, surpasses that of most assassins.]


    ¡°¡­¡± Unable to take it any longer, I silently listened.


    Three days have passed since Lia went missing, and she hasn¡¯t returned yet. Even Erina and prince Argent finally showed signs of worry.


    Leaning forward, arms clasped, and tapping his feet continuously, Argent spoke. [She¡¯ll return.]


    ¡°You kept saying that,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s been three days and the weather outside is not good.¡±


    Since Lia and the others went deep into Alabaster, the weather had turned bad. Now and then, it showered or drizzled, but the clouds above did not show any sign of fading.


    Increasingly worried, ¡°AAAAH!¡± I shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t take this anymore! She¡¯s probably out there alone!¡±


    Storming outside the lodge, I grabbed the whistle hanging from my neck and blew it despite being in the residence of the Tribe.


    ¡°Birby! Come!¡± I shouted, running towards the largest opening in this place, the square.


    Knowing what it meant, Birby hovered above the square, dangling its white tail.


    Running up the stage while taking out a rope, I jumped at the back of its tail, slowly scaling.


    ¡°Go on!¡± I said halfway up its tail.


    In response, Birby replied with a growl and started flapping its wings harder, gradually ascending to the sky.


    Whipping up the rope, I aimed for the saddle¡¯s back horn. Successfully tying the rope from the horn, I pulled it taut. Pulling myself, I unfastened my feet hugging Birby¡¯s tail and continued scaling his back, eventually reaching the saddle. Confident of my skills, I tied myself to the saddle in a minimum.


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    Pulling the reins, ¡°Birby, we¡¯re going to look for Lia.¡± I said darting my eyes, looking for any hint pointing to Lia¡¯s direction.


    Could she be affected by that? I thought, recalling the previous event. But the sending would be in three days. She should be there to send give her condolences¡­


    Recently, there was a disaster that occurred in the caves of Alabaster. Although the issue was resolved, the Dwarfs returned with five casualties. I was told that the deaths were due to the beasts running up the caves, afraid of a Devourer.


    Flying low, I searched above the Forests, while the dark clouds loomed over Alabaster. Soon enough, droplets of rain started to fall.


    ¡°Why now¡­¡± I muttered.


    Braving the rain, I continued my search until eventually; I noticed something calling for me.


    [- - -]


    ¡°A spirit?¡± Feeling a sensation that drew my mind, I pulled reins and faced southeast.


    In spite of the low visibility, I noticed the clouds swirling above the Lake leading to Aves, Elena. Approaching Lake Elena, I could feel the spirit¡¯s call getting stronger. Using my arm to shield my eyes from the rain, I neared the Lake¡¯s surface, revealing a familiar figure standing above its surface.


    ¡°Amalthea?¡± I muttered, recognizing the golden goat. ¡°What is she doing there?¡±


    Curious of the reason, I slowed down Birby and made him hover above the lake.


    ¡°Great Amalthea!¡± I shouted. ¡°I have a favor!¡±


    [I know what you¡¯re looking for.] She answered. [And I need your cooperation.]


    </a>Wide-eyed, I asked. ¡°Y-you know where Lia is?¡±


    [Scale down that wyvern and I¡¯ll lead you.] Striding, she moved away without turning back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Birby,¡± Tapping his back, I said. ¡°You can go back for now.¡±


    After descending near the edge of the lake, I ran towards her direction while wishing for Lia¡¯s safety.


    Following a distance behind her, I hesitantly asked. ¡°What happened to Lia?¡±


    No matter how long I waited, Amalthea didn¡¯t reply. Together, we traversed the forest quietly until we reached a crevice.


    ¡°In here?¡±


    Amalthea nodded. [See for yourself.]


    Trampling over the damp grass, I approached the crevice. Fitting myself sideways, I slowly made my way inside, reaching a small chamber with a small cavity, illuminating a huge crystal and drenching it with rain.


    ¡°Lia?¡± Recognizing the figure of the woman inside the crystal, I approached it in disbelief? ¡°Lia is that¡­ you?¡±


    Although I recognized her features, there was a horn, no, an antler on top of her head.


    [How is it?] Amalthea asked. [Isn¡¯t it beautiful?]


    H-how did she get inside? I thought. No, that¡¯s not important right now.


    ¡°It is, but it¡¯s sad at the same time...¡± Looking at her figure, floating in a fetal position with her hair neatly scattered as if she were submerged in water, I muttered. ¡°It would¡¯ve been perfect if she were smiling instead...¡± Despite the beauty it expressed, I felt sorrow just looking at her, like a thorn scraping my heart.


    [True.] Amalthea replied. [Which is why I called you here after noticing you from the sky.]


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Why is she even inside that?¡±


    [She isolated herself to accelerate her own growth.]


    ¡°Growth? Do you mean aging?¡±


    [No,] She shook her goat head. [She¡¯s accelerating her growth as a divine, leaving her humanity behind.]


    Surprised, I asked. ¡°D-divine? No, that doesn¡¯t matter, why is she even leaving her humanity? What happened?¡±


    [In the recent event, she felt weak. She couldn¡¯t stand being protected by Celestia again. Understa-]


    [Thank you, Amalthea.] Suddenly, another voice echoed in the small chamber. [It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll take over from here.]


    ¡°Lia?¡±


    [Then I¡¯ll take my leave.] With a short spark, Amalthea vanished.


    Without a hint of movement inside the crystal, Lia spoke. [It¡¯s been a short while Kanna.]


    Ignoring her, I said. ¡°Lia, come out there, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    [I¡¯m sorry Kanna.] She replied. [I won¡¯t return for another five days.]


    Quickly, I asked. ¡°Why? There are people worried about you.¡±


    [If it¡¯s Erina or Argent, they¡¯ll know I¡¯ll return.]


    ¡°They are worried,¡± I said.


    [I wish I could¡¯ve written how long I¡¯ll be gone, but it¡¯s impossible, I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll stay like this until I isolated myself.]


    ¡°Say, what happened?¡± I asked, worried. ¡°You could¡¯ve always talked to us if there was a problem. You could¡¯ve approached us and asked for our help. Why do you keep on trying to do things by yourself?¡±


    [¡­]


    ¡°It¡¯s been five years since I last saw you, but you¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± Gripping my fist, I said. ¡°When we met, I thought that there¡¯s something wrong. I knew it has something to do with Randolf, but I don¡¯t care I¡¯ve been trying to cheer you up, and recently you¡¯ve been smiling like you used to when you were small.¡±


    Shaking my head. ¡°Please, Lia, let¡¯s go back. Seeing you like this¡­ it pains me.¡±


    [Kanna,] She spoke in the same monotonous tone. [Could you, tell me how I was like?]


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything I knew,¡± Adamantly, I said. ¡°if you tell me the reason behind this.¡±


    [¡­ If you could promise that this will remain between us, then fine.]


    Sincerely, I nodded. ¡°Even if I get struck by a lightning bolt.¡±


    [You see¡­]


    And thus I told Kanna how my whole life was a lie, no, a staged play that failed to reach its end. From the very day I lost Grandfather and my sanity, until the day I was forced to realize that it was all but a despicable lie, I told my story. I was but a doll dancing to the tune of someone else, a doll who failed to realize the strings attached to my very own body, a doll without her own decisions.


    After narrating my story, Kanna was in deep silence. ¡°...¡±


    [I should¡¯ve heeded Celes¡¯ words.] I spoke through telepathy. [I shouldn¡¯t have blindly followed what was set for me. I should¡¯ve dreamed my own dream even if I think I¡¯m not allowed to...]


    ¡°...¡± Again, she listened quietly.


    [Say, Kanna,] I spoke. [Will help you realize my dream?]


    ¡°What dream?¡± She asked.


    [I wish to continue what Grandfather started, but I¡¯ll reduce the scale. In any case, once everything is over, will you¡­] Speaking of my plan, I waited for her response.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Extremely bothered by my plan, she asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t everyone feel bad about it?¡±


    [I¡¯m sure they will, but I believe it¡¯s the only thing I truly wanted.]


    ¡°If that would make you smile like you used to,¡± She said smiling. ¡°Then why not? But tell me one thing, what did the great Amalthea meant by growth?¡±


    [I¡­ Have the blood of the divine, but I¡¯m a newborn.] Monotonously, I said. [If I don¡¯t force myself to grow, I would only be protected.]


    Besides, Celes already knew about the play and has brought down the punishment. Just like she told me, there won¡¯t be a next time unless the Gods themselves directly meddled into my business. I thought, recalling her words. In any case, I don¡¯t want to be on the side of the protected as much as possible¡­


    ¡°...¡± Silently, she thought.


    [Kanna, please tell me about my childhood.]


    Nodding her head, she replied. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Smiling, she continued. ¡°The first time I met you, you were such a cute little girl. You were so shy that you usually hid behind Randolf¡¯s legs...¡±


    In those five days, Kanna kept on visiting and leaving on Birby to inform the others of my well-being. Every time she returned, she always had a story to tell. She kept feeding me stories of how I was, but because of her description of me being always cute, I tend to pass it off as a joke. Despite that, she joyfully narrated, sometimes happy, sometimes sad. I liked it, I loved it, her expressions seemed peaceful, yet her actions were relaxing. At times, I laughed, at times I felt sad. It was like watching the difference between the Me whom I lost, and the Me who continued being lost.


    Nevertheless, it gave me hope, hope that I could still change, or grow into someone better.


    I guess I¡¯ll be a princess for a while longer...

 Chapter 32: Arc 1 End

    ¡°I deeply apologize for causing worry.¡± Deeply, I bowed.


    After my return, I asked for forgiveness for the worry I caused. Fortunately, Kanna explained the situation during the last five days she visited me, which made things easier. Nevertheless, I asked for an escort to lead me to the grave site for the Dwarfs who passed away.


    Arriving at the grave site, I was welcomed by a flight of stairs carved into a cliff. Beneath the flight of stairs, are rectangular depressions engraved with a name and a phrase, ¡®May this body return its blessing to the earth¡¯.


    Climbing midway, I arrived at five newly engraved graves.


    As I stood before the graves, I spoke. ¡°I should¡¯ve at least known their names while they were still alive...¡±


    Solemnly, I knelt down and grasped my hands in a prayer. ¡°I, Amelia Laurel, a Princess and a Chief, recognize thine efforts to Laurel and to the Tribe. May your life serve as a light to shine the path to those of the living, and may your soul rest in an endless dream until the day of recall. With this, I give my blessing, hoping to guide your souls back to the earth¡¯s embrace. May you rest in peace.¡±


    For the next three days, As an apology, Garfin and Sylvar showed me their planned process on how they wished to build the Horn Relic from Amalthea¡¯s horn flakes. Due to the recent death of the Dwarfs, they stopped producing their craft as a sign of respect, hoping that refraining from borrowing the Earth¡¯s power, they can give time for the souls to reach their destination.


    Understanding the situation, I accepted their terms and received books detailing the processes they wished to use. Unfortunately, the books were written in the language of the Dwarfs and Elves. Taking the opportunity, I started studying the Dwarfs language under Kanna¡¯s direction. I¡¯ve set aside learning the Elven language in the meantime due to my interest gearing towards Mana Forging rather than Spirit Enchantment.


    I have to find a way to see, or at least feel the spirits before I delve into spirit enchantment. I thought.


    For another reason, the Tribe requested me to bring along two more Enarfs aside from Kanna.


    [Would you bring them?] Sylvar asked in favor. [Unfortunately, the Enarfs are the least suspicious among us when mixed with the humans.]


    ¡°The reason?¡± I asked. ¡°Aside from Kanna who¡¯ll have to teach me for quite some time, I don¡¯t see the reason to bring along two more Enarfs.¡±


    [Amelia,] He said. [We can¡¯t always rely on you for everything we wished to know about the humans. We too know how to divide the effort between us chiefs, so please consider the offer.]


    ¡°Ah,¡± Realizing their intent, I nodded. ¡°I get it now. I¡¯ll accept the offer.¡±


    [Thank you.]


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to order them around, right?¡±


    [Of course, I¡¯ll leave the decisions to you,] He smiled. [But they are ordered to return to the Tribe once a month.]


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    I¡¯ve also decided to leave the egg behind for Rick and Fae to take care of under the supervision of an Enarf.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kanna asked. ¡°It¡¯s yours, you know?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m not that selfish anyway. Besides, having to take care of an egg, a newborn wyvern even, will only hinder our movements. Aside from that, we can¡¯t always look after it at all times, so it¡¯s best to leave it behind for Rick and Fae.¡±


    ¡°Then why not bring them along instead?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± I shook my head in denial. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to bring Rick and Fae. Other than that, separating them from their mother at this age won¡¯t be beneficial at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s yours anyway,¡± She smiled.


    Under my command as a Chief and owner of the egg, Kanna asked for a fellow Enarf to guide Rick and Fae in her stead. We''ve also informed Camille of my decision, although bothered, she reluctantly agreed after Kanna narrated my story back when I was taking care of Birby.


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    While I was coached by Kanna on language lessons, I taught Fae the basics of magic. I¡¯ve also left her pointers on how she should study magic step by step. On the other hand, I trained along with Rick on my free time.


    After I spent my days leisurely, I went back to Aves along with Argent, Grandfather¡¯s stash in tow. After I returned to the palace, Father and Mother held a private celebration for my safe return. Not wanting to spoil the mood, I postponed telling them the truth regarding Grandmother.


    After the celebration, I roamed the palace, savoring the scent of my home. ¡°Nothing feels better than home...¡± I muttered. ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, I should roam the city!¡±


    And so I willfully roamed Aves along with Kanna and the two Enarfs, introducing them to my hometown. We went to the harbor, visited the orphanage under my name, visited the adventurer¡¯s guild, tasted our local specialties, and a lot more that I enjoyed doing. The only problem that occurred during the tour was that Kanna was too attached to the children from the orphanage.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± Smiling, I asked on the way back to the palace. ¡°How is it? My hometown.¡±


    ¡°Filled with cats.¡± She replied.


    Hearing her reply, I chuckled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Then I observed the surroundings.


    In almost every corner, there were Lynxes working with humans. It was a harmonious scene of two different races working together. Lynxes carried barrels supported by a human child. Human children played games with Lynxes.


    ¡°It¡¯s like the Tribe,¡± Kanna added.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, looking at the scene with warm eyes. ¡°I hope this continues.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t be long before the fires of war start to affect Laurel. I thought. I¡¯m guessing there are already refugees near the dukedom...


    Shaking my head, I thought. I should check the camps myself on the way to Academia.


    A day after, I presented Grandfather¡¯s stash to Father and Mother along with Argent, informing the three of them of the truth behind everything. Inside the said stash was the diary of Grandfather, proving that he sought to find Grandmother¡¯s whereabouts through Talya. I¡¯ve also presented Grandmother¡¯s ring to Father and Mother which made their mood turn sour. Although I have never met my Grandmother, I felt how important she is to my parents just from seeing them grieve.


    After giving Mother and Father some time alone, Argent and I discussed the effects of the recent war and the move we should take.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not a laughing matter.¡± Argent smiled wryly.


    ¡°Haha.¡± I laughed weakly. ¡°It sure is...¡±


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s talk about the racial war.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be better to do so.¡± I smiled. ¡°So? Where do we start?¡±


    ¡°Since Niveria has fallen, and Brent became a border kingdom, they¡¯re requesting for weapons or ores.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He replied. ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve just received word that Brent¡¯s 1<sup>st</sup> prince wished to have a dialogue with Laurel.¡±


    ¡°¡­ And since I¡¯m going to pass by the Dukedom, you want me to go instead?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± Placing my hand over my forehead, I exhaled a sigh. ¡°Argent,¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, I think your skull is so thick that some things haven¡¯t gone through your head.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Puzzled, he asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing weird about it, right?¡±


    For the second time, I sighed. ¡°You want me to meet the person who used to be my engagement partner? Do you even know ho- Haah¡­ Never mind. I¡¯ll do it...¡±


    ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t you close enough to be friends?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are, but that¡¯s the surface.¡±


    I have to deal with that man again¡­


    ¡°Honestly¡­ When would he give up?¡± I unconsciously muttered


    ¡°...¡± Seemingly like he finally realized, Argent stayed silent. ¡°Do you want me to go instead?¡±


    ¡°You blockhead, you just realized it now? Haah¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± Gathering the courage, I said. ¡°I just hope he understands this time. Besides, he should be engaged to the princess of Niveria right now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their second prince who¡¯s engaged to Niveria¡¯s princess.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe I should just punch him this time?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. you¡¯ll just make unnecessary rumors. Besides, why do have to act like a brute?¡±


    ¡°If acting like a brute would make him stay away, then why not?¡±


    ¡°Why are so against him anyway? Don¡¯t you want to be a queen?¡±


    ¡°Argent,¡± I answered, unsmiling. ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t have any intention of becoming a queen.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell him that you¡¯re not willing to be engaged?¡±


    Exhausted, I replied. ¡°Do really think I haven¡¯t said that?¡±


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know!¡± I shouted. ¡°I know he¡¯s a good person, but things are different now! Haah¡­ Anyway, let¡¯s end it here. We¡¯re going nowhere.¡±


    ¡°We sure are.¡±


    I¡¯ll just think about it some other time...


    Once I was done discussing the plans with Argent, I went back to the manor at night. After I was properly received by my servants, I proceeded to my room, satisfied with my meal.


    During that night, I ordered every servant to refrain from visiting my room.


    Tapping the crystal on my necklace, an object appeared before me, leisurely floating, containing a poor figure of a Fairy inside. Placing my palm underneath the cage, it gently landed.


    ¡°Say,¡± I started. ¡°Will you teach me how to cast magic chant-less?¡±


    Bearing the eyes of the dead, she shook her head in response. [No¡­]


    ¡°Why?¡±


    [End¡­ Me¡­]


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want a chance to be free?¡±


    Slowly lifting her head, she looked me in the eye. [Free?]


    ¡°I could if you tell me.¡± I smiled.


    [W-will¡­ You promise?]


    Quickly, I answered. ¡°Yes, I promise to consider it.¡±


    [R-really?]


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    [¡­] For a moment, she stayed silent. [Then¡­]


    And so the Fairy was tricked for the first time in her life.

 Intermission 1: Clipped Wings

    Within the dark woods came a figure of a girl, clutching her long skirt with her thin white fingers. Weaving through the trees, her unworldly tea-green clothes were decorated with leaves.


    Please leave me alone! The girl thought as she spurred her legs, carelessly snapping twigs and thin branches along the way.


    Closely following behind were frenzied hoof-beats carrying lights that flickered in the dark. ¡°Halt!¡± A man in armor shouted, bearing a crest of a cross turned sword. ¡°By the order of the church, halt!¡±


    Gasping for breath, she replied. ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    In response, the man leading the unit of horsemen replied. ¡°Hero Meiko! You¡¯re to return to the church and serve as our champion of light!¡±


    Unbelievably, her speed was on par with the horses galloping through the forest. As she turned around to face the unit of horsemen chasing her from behind, she replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Reading the words that floated before her eyes, she chanted. ¡°Manifest, Earth Wall!¡±


    The earth rumbled as a thick wall of dirt slowly emerged from the ground, uprooting the trees along its path, disrupting the peaceful night of the birds at rest. Out of fear of the falling trees, the horses neighed in harmony with the snapping branches. After the trunks crashed onto the ground, a man shouted. ¡°Hero Meiko!¡±


    Urging her weary legs, she began running, chanting a magic along the way as her black hair fluttered in the dark of the night. ¡°Manifest, Body Reinforcement!¡±


    I don¡¯t want this! I don¡¯t want this! She repeatedly thought. I was only making tea at home and now I¡¯m being called a Hero to slay the enemies of the humans? Where am I even! And What¡¯s wrong with those three! What¡¯s a Virtual Reality Game?!!! Is that a game card for the GBA?! I don¡¯t understand anything! And what were they smirking for! Especially those two men! They were eyeing the princess and the priestess! Can I punch them?! No, I will punch them! Those normies! No, I don¡¯t think they are even normies! But they are slowly becoming one! Go explode!


    Darting her eyes around, she continued thinking. Why am I even summoned wearing my tea making kimono! This is absurd! I just wanted to try making tea like those in the television! The next moment I¡¯m inside some great summoning hall then we were forced to meet the King and the Bishop! Wait, Why am I even thinking about all these myself?! Can¡¯t I find someone I can talk to?! I want to return!


    As she vanished deeper into the forest, Celes, with closed eyes, observing through a bird¡¯s eyes muttered with a grin. ¡°It seems like she¡¯ll be a good pair for Amelia.¡± She chuckled playfully, lifting her eyelids as she observed the heroes.


    Taking a light step one at a time, she approached the root of a tree spanning at least 10 kilometers wide. Just before its trunk, was a large white wolf curled beside a grave decorated by swords of different lengths, colors, and sizes.


    ¡°Four new heroes on the human side,¡± She muttered with a sorrowful smile. ¡°I wonder how their stories will end.¡±


    After confirming with a look, she raised the palm of her hand and muttered. ¡°Now, to observe Amelia.¡± As she muttered, the twinkling dust that emerged from the ground gathered, forming a thin oval-shaped mirror made of mana.


    Displaying a scene on its surface, it showed a cave floored by a thick layer of ice, a captivating scene of a naturally formed slide within a cave. Above the slide¡¯s surface was a woman skidding, holding a sack and a pick, with an unnatural looking horn on her head.


    As Celes smiled at the thought of Amelia willingly using her horn, her smile turned to a frown as she heard a giggling voice from the background. Thinking it through, she replayed the events recorded by the crystal.


    Going through the possibilities of the Fairies presence in the caves of Alabaster, she slowly clutched her arm into a fist. ¡°It¡¯s possible...¡± She muttered. ¡°But I have to confirm it.¡±


    Silently, Celes watched the events unfold through the mirror and as soon she confirmed it, ¡°Deplorable,¡± She muttered, glaring at the mirror as if wanting to crush it. ¡°For Titania to do such a thing, deplorable, despicable, unforgivable!¡±


    As she clenched her fist tighter, the ground rumbled.


    [Celestia, calm yourself.] The wolf muttered after lifting its head. [You¡¯ll only harm this place if you continue.]


    Gradually, the rumbling of the earth calmed. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Celes replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    [Give my condolence to Titania for me.]


    With a whisk of the air, Celes¡¯ figure vanished like mist.


    ¡°Trick of the century?¡± Celes playfully voiced through the necklace at the moment before Amelia entered the Devourer¡¯s maw. ¡°That¡¯s quite a trick for it to fail at the last moment.¡±


    Manifesting a rift in space, the Devourer vanished inside. After interrupting the plan of the Fairies, Celes toyed with their bodies out of anger.


    I should¡¯ve known. She thought as she repeatedly destroyed and healed the Fairies, slowly breaking their sanity as they wailed in the depths of agony. Their limbs burst, twisted, torn, skinned, mutilated, and forced to rot before their hollowed eyes as the scent of blood and urine wafted into the chamber.


    I slipped up. Amelia would have never gone through such madness if I had known. All these years I thought they understood the consequences of the rule I¡¯ve set, but to think that Titania would pull this in the shadows¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s time to visit Titania,¡± She muttered as she viewed the blank expression of Amelia tightly grasping her rapier. ¡°Amelia, I¡¯ll leave this Fairy here for you to judge.¡± She said, pointing at the Fairy named Talya. Slightly, Amelia¡¯s expression softened as she listened.


    Unsatisfied, Celes made it a point to not easily end the lives of the trio. Deciding on what to do next, she made use of the lingering mana in the air to manifest a hand that dragged the Fairies into the void.


    This should save Amelia some slack. She thought as she cast a recurring magic on Talya, again, making use of the mana in the surroundings. After confirming that everything is in place, Celes¡¯ figured vanished.


    Shortly after, Celes¡¯ figure reformed in an overgrown forest. Lush green patches plastered the trunks, twisted vines snaked the branches, moss painted the round stones, roots peeked through the cracks on stone lanterns, peat coated the stone stairs as roots cracked it from the side, and a temple gate standing tall, covered in a mix of vines, moss, and plants.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Unperturbed, Celes trampled on the weeds that grew on the stone pavement, approaching the long-standing temple gate. Beyond it were stairs that lead deeper into the overgrowth, but contrary to that, she halted before the gate. Raising her right arm, she placed her hand on an invisible wall. With a slight push of her palm, cracks appeared in the space, shattering a barrier into countless pieces. As the barrier dissolved into dust, the space distorted, revealing an unusual structure across the gate.


    With determined steps, Celes neared the said structure made of entangled roots and vines in a form similar to that of a twisted castle.


    ¡°Titania!¡± Celes called in front of the twisted castle, home of the Fairies. Adamantly, Celes waited, but contrary to what she expected, Fairy knights at 5 inches tall emerged from the gates wearing a complete set of engraved mithril armor that left their backs open.


    [[The Queen wishes you to leave!]] The Fairy knights, hoisting their small silver lances into the air, said with a glare.


    [Please leave.] A Fairy commander said, as her red hair peeked through her helm while her armor reflected a bluish silver hue. [We do not want any trouble.]


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Playfully, she placed her had over her lips, acting surprised. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry, no one is leaving this place.¡± With a snap of her fingers, a barrier formed with a white glint, encompassing the twisted castle and its vicinity.


    ¡°I tried to play nice Titania,¡± Irked by Titania¡¯s response, she said playing with ends of hair. ¡°But this cowardly attempt threw your chance away.¡±


    Realizing the situation, the Fairy commander ordered, raising the tip of her lance on Celes. [Stop he-!] Abruptly, the commander stopped speaking. Her head leaned to a bow as the light in her eyes vanished. Subsequently, her colorful wings dulled as it grounded to a halt. With a soft thud, her body left a depression on the overgrowth along with the Fairy knights that met the same end.


    Standing before the castle, a flickering white flame hovered beside Celes.


    ¡°Titania, the longer you cowardly hide, the more souls I¡¯ll collect.¡±


    For every second that passed, the flame grew as white mist-like flow gathered underneath the flame.


    After 11 seconds, a woman bearing a long golden hair tied to french braid appeared from the balcony. With determined blue eyes and a motherly face, she looked down on Celes before she flew down from the balcony. Wearing a shoulder-less white gown laced with mithril, she asserted her ample chest by crossing her arms.


    [I¡¯m here Celestia.] Said Titania, fluttering her transparent patterned wings that gleamed in a rainbow hue, hovering before Celes. [Now, return the souls of my Fairies.]


    Unsmiling, Celes gathered the flame on the palm of her hand. ¡°These souls are already lost Titania,¡± Celes said as she grasped the flame, turning it into a clear marble. ¡°This is repayment for your impolite greeting.¡±


    Titania, unable to move, clenched her fist and gritted her teeth in anger.


    ¡°I gave you an option, and this is what you chose.¡±


    [you¡¯re misusing your power.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you who broke the only rule I¡¯ve set as the guardian of this world.¡±


    [What made you think that it¡¯s right for you to set a rule?] She continued. [We have every right to do what we wanted in this world. You were never supposed to intervene.]


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be happy that I''ve set a single yet simple rule? It only indicated that forcing my children to develop their horn is unforgivable. All this time, you¡¯re the only one who finds it hard to obey such rule. For a Queen of the Fairies blessed by their God, such a pitiable insect you are.¡±


    [We¡¯ll see who¡¯s pitiable.] She smirked as she brought out a black sash and vanished.


    ¡°Indeed we will.¡± Opening a rift above the castle, molten magma started pouring in, burning down everything it touched. ¡°I wonder how long it¡¯ll take before this sealed space is filled with magma.¡±


    Bursting from the ground surrounding the twisted castle, three woodland dragons emerged. Coated with bark-like scales covered in moss, the dragons roared as it displayed its majestic tree-like horns, raising the ground to contain the flowing magma.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve never considered that Titania?¡±


    Peeking its large diabolic head covered with thick rugged scales, a molten dragon roared, eyeing the woodland dragons as prey. Entering from the rift, the molten dragon revealed its jet black body patterned with the pulsing red lines underneath its scales. With a deafening roar, the molten dragon raised geysers of magma, gradually breaking the woodland dragon¡¯s containment.


    ¡°I wonder who¡¯ll win? Three high dragons and the Fairies or one ancient dragon?¡± Molding the earth beneath her, Celes took a seat, waiting for the battle to unfold.


    The molten dragon, more than twice the size of one woodland dragon, leaned its neck and opened its jaw, gathering a mass of red light. The Fairies, donning their complete set of armor, helped the woodland dragons by chanting a ceremonial magic. The woodland dragons, realizing the next move of the molten dragon, raised several layers of earthen walls to defend.


    True to its name, the molten dragon vigorously flapped its wings, forming a wave of magma that tore down the earthen wall before unleashing its breath. At the same time, the Fairies finished their ceremonial magic and manifested a thick beam of water that tried to oppose the molten dragon¡¯s breath. As the water beam and breath met, it created a huge amount of steam that immediately shrouded the surroundings.


    The dragons, not wanting to lose against each other, voiced their thunderous roars, blasting the steam away, and forcing the poor Fairies to cup their tiny ears.


    ¡°Such a premature show, the molten dragon just began to warm up,¡± Celes muttered, crossing her legs in wait.


    As the amount of magma increased, the molten dragon¡¯s red pulse gradually turned white. Moving first, the woodland dragons manifested towering earthen spikes that succeeded in bashing the molten dragon. Irritated, the molten dragon once again erupted the magma, randomly taking down Fairies whose unluckily hit by the splash.


    Taking flight, the molten dragon flew high before diving into the center of the pool of magma, creating an eruption that ravaged the entire area. The woodland dragons wailed as they tried to shake off the magma that stuck on their bodies. Quick as a bird of prey, the molten dragon whipped its searing tail against a woodland dragon before rushing to another one with open jaws. Catching the next dragon by the neck, the molten dragon crunched it and hoisted its dead body over the magma pool.


    [P-please stop.] Titania voiced.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Celes muttered as she shifted her legs in boredom. ¡°The show''s about to end.¡±


    [You have to stop this, our home, the eggs.]


    ¡°Why bother? There¡¯s still a lot of Fairies roaming around the world uninfluenced by your rule.¡± Celes said without glancing on Titania who dropped the Sash of Invisibility. ¡°In fact, the Fairies would be better without you. I could always nurture a befitting Fairy to be a queen. Maybe, that way, the image of the Fairies would turn for the better.¡±


    Surprised, Titania quickly replied. [Impossible! You¡¯re not a God!]


    ¡°I did say that I¡¯m not a God, but I didn¡¯t say that I am not capable of feats only known to Gods.¡± Nonchalantly, Celes said. ¡°This is one of the reasons I refused to intervene in this world, but the consequences before you is the punishment for that single rule that I¡¯ve set. So take a seat and wallow in despair.¡±


    [The system! You should¡¯ve been held down by the Gods orders!]


    ¡°How long did you think have I lived to not try meddling with the system? Aside from that, I''m still doing what I''m ordered to do. Apart from that, eliminating a number of a race does not constitute this world''s destruction.¡±


    [I-impossible¡­]


    While they conversed, the molten dragon finished off the last woodland dragon, tearing its wings and digging into its exposed back with white-hot claws while holding its head down with its jaw.


    ¡°I¡¯m done recording.¡± Celes playfully said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure to let you watch it for at least a decade.¡±


    With a thunderous roar, the molten dragon rejoiced over its victory, dragging the three woodland dragons into the pool of magma. Closing the previous rift, a new one appeared below the pool of magma, transferring the molten dragon and its prey.


    ¡°And the show has officially closed,¡± Celes announced as she stood from her seat with a smile. ¡°And now for the prize.¡±


    Similar to the trio of Fairies, Celes dragged Titania into the void.


    During the battle between the dragons, Celes collected the Fairy eggs and Sophia¡¯s Mirror. ¡°Unborn beings are innocent.¡± Little by little, the eggs appeared on the surrounding overgrowth. ¡°That should do it. I¡¯ll just hope they turn out different.¡±


    Afterward, Celes returned to the chamber within Alabaster to meet Amelia.


    When Celes arrived, Amelia was holding down the unconscious Fairy on the damp ground, with a quivering dagger raised above the Fairies neck.


    ¡°Are you hesitating?¡± Celes asked, but Amelia did not respond. ¡°Will it satisfy you when you end that Fairy¡¯s life at this moment?¡±


    With a sniff, Amelia raised the dagger and quickly brought it down. ¡°I Don¡¯t know...¡± Missing her mark, she muttered shaking her head, facing the ground. ¡°I want to prolong her suffering, but something inside me cannot forgive what she¡¯d done...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a natural response.¡±


    ¡°Celes,¡± She cried. ¡°Was my whole life a lie?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡±


    ¡°Aha¡­ Ahaha...¡± She laughed weakly. ¡°This pain, would it leave me if I end my life here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the pain blind you.¡± Celes consoled. ¡°Think, what would the others feel when you¡¯re gone?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Amelia, you''re still alive. And while you''re still alive, you could turn that lie into a story that drove you to live, a life beyond lies.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°So, Amelia, would you like to try to live once more? To continue the story that¡¯s supposed to end?¡±


    ¡°...¡± After a minute of silence, ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll try.¡± She replied.


    Smiling at her response, ¡°Then...¡± Celes continued.

 Intermission 2: Taboo 1

    Gawking at rugged roots unblinking, the man¡¯s cheek caressed the crimson-coated weeds. Laden with a gray helm decorated with silver wings and twisted horns, his long black hair peeked between his neck and the helm.


    ¡°J-john?¡± Called a woman. ¡°John!¡± She shouted, stroking the man¡¯s exposed back with trembling hands. ¡°John, wake up!¡± Nudging the man awake, the pupil of her eyes shrank and her skin dulled.


    ¡°Mary!¡± She snapped to her side. ¡°H-heal John! I, no, we can¡¯t lose him!¡±


    Long she waited in silence, but only the rustling of leaves ascertained her call. ¡°Mary?¡± Yet again, she called. ¡°Ahaha¡­ Stop with the tricks.¡± Chuckling with trembling lips, she cranked her head, trying to inspect the condition of her comrade.


    But long before her eyes met her comrade''s priestly white robe, her head hanged loose, gradually, her body leaned over a glimmering steel, trickling droplets into an unsightly gash.


    Neither smiling nor frowning, a fair woman stood before the desolate bodies, dressed in a white backless one-piece, silver threads flowed emitting a divine grace. Crossing around her neck in a tidy ribbon, the strap held her dress in place, proud of her round and ample chest peeking underneath the seams.


    ¡°...¡± In silence, the weeds bent upon meeting her feet covered in a laced shoe. Glancing around, her clear blue eyes remained unchanging as the sharp black objects jabbed behind the bodies dispersed into tiny particles.


    At the palm of her hands sat two marbles, a small and clear one trickled with black, and a slightly larger one in black. Glancing at the marbles, the bodies sank into the ground, gradually eaten by rifts beneath their bodies. As the wind whisked, everything reverted to its original state, a calming forest dawn.


    <hr>


    There was a time when Gods were born out of nothing. They did not know who birthed them, created them, or for what purpose were they given life and the power to create. Nevertheless, the Gods conversed for countless millenniums before they decided.


    We should create a world where we all could contribute our own efforts!


    Nothing disagreeable about the suggestion, they all started working on their craft to create a world that they¡¯d proudly call a work between the Gods.


    Using the power of creation, the Gods made stars, molded planets, sculpted them into shape, and gave them life. Once Origin was completed, the Gods, proud of their contribution, rejoiced.


    In Origin, the very first world, islands swam the skies, mountains chiseled the land uneven, caverns hollowed underground, trenches covered the deep, and magma flowed far underneath.


    Despite their efforts, the Gods thought. Something¡¯s lacking¡­


    And so they made animals, hence the fishes swam, the birds flew, rabbits jumped around, and a lot more were born in Origin. Then again, the animals were not enough, and so they made beasts. Although the beasts were far more intelligent than the usual animals, again, the Gods thought it was still lacking.


    Maybe we should create an intelligent being?


    This time around, some Gods refrained. Unmoved by the other Gods¡¯ decision, the remaining Gods proceeded to create the races, beings with a high level of intelligence. Based on their ideal image and likeness, different races were born; Some bore horns, some were covered in scales, some had tails, some large, some small, some with wings, and more defining qualities.


    After the races were born, the Gods were content. Hoping to watch over their creation, they observed from the sidelines, until it happened.


    The races weren''t able to communicate with each other, giving birth to misunderstandings. To remedy the case, the Gods gave all intelligent beings with the ability to passively communicate through telepathy, in turn, creating the possibility for dialogue.


    It did not end there. The races who knew their own culture, viewed the others as barbaric, treating their own as the correct path despite the ability to communicate.


    The Gods, thinking of how they¡¯d communicate with the races, decided to do so through oracles. Through these oracles, they conveyed that they wished for the races to make peace with the others, but instead, the races misinterpreted the oracles, devolving the situation into a racial war.


    Due to every Gods¡¯ influence that lingered in Origin, it caused the message sent through oracles to become a broken mess of images.


    Then the Gods thought. We should descend.


    Unfortunately, the Gods refused to descend. Thinking that a small mishap and the others influence lingering in origin may affect their bodies, causing their divinity to dwindle.


    Thinking of a solution, a God suggested. Why don¡¯t we create a being to do our bidding instead? Agreeing with the suggestion, the Gods created beings to do their bidding.


    When the beings were born, another set of problem occurred. There were beings secretly influenced by the Gods'' bias for the race they created, creating a massacre of the other races, and incurring the wrath of the other Gods. The Gods, though beings of unimaginable power, were influenced by the fallacy of emotions.


    The remaining Gods, who sought to resolve the issue between the Gods had thought differently, but they too created beings, but these beings, different from the other divines, were the so-called divines with true purposes or True Divines.


    The first, Jormugandr, a serpent of enough length cover half the circumference of Origin, was tasked to split the land into continents using his serpentine body.


    The second, Amalthea, a golden goat stationed on the mountain range of Alabaster, the ruler of storms, tasked to seal Jormugandr in an endless sea of clouds after he finishes his task.


    Their creations were supposed to end there, but they thought that the problems would never cease, and so they made more for a different purpose, the so-called reset.


    The third and fourth, Leviathan twins, sea serpents that roamed the oceans and seas of Origin, rulers of the seas. Once the hourglass of souls is filled due to the blood spilled by the war between races, the twins would emerge and sink Origin underneath the seas.


    The fifth, Cocytus, a dragon centaur covered in a never-melting armor of ice. After the water resides, Cocytus would coat Origin in a heavy snowstorm, introducing the age of ice.


    The sixth, Legethon, a formless being of magma, usually in a shape of a small fish. Tasked to erupt every single volcano in Origin, reforming land and melting the ice.


    The seventh to tenth, Siarys, Pietys, Rystys, and Vakaris, four feathered dragons with two pairs of wings, representing north, south, east, and west. Tasked to disperse and level down the ashes from the volcanoes while cleansing the air.


    The eleventh and twelfth, Cybele and Demeter, dryad mothers of Origin, encourages the growth of animals and plants to cater life in Origin once again after Jormugandr was resealed by Amalthea to divide the lands once again.


    The thirteenth, Charon, a large skeletal torch behind the hourglass of souls. Soul keeper of those who perished during the reset. Tasked to release the souls to be reborn anew in Origin after the reset.


    Upon completion of the reset system made by the meddling Gods, the race creator Gods were irritated. Expecting that they would try to demolish the system or the world itself, the meddling Gods made one last True Divine.


    The youngest and the fourteenth, Celestia. Using their divinity to their utmost abilities, sacrificing most Gods'' divinity even, they created Celestia as a being of the moon, to serve the world as its guardian to counter whatever schemes the other Gods hoped to achieve. To fulfill their wish to see the very first world they created to last eternally and to keep everything else in place.


    Despite not being able to do anything against Celestia, the Gods refused to cooperate with other Gods. Deciding that there¡¯s nothing left to do, the Gods gave up on Origin after leaving behind their final blessing.


    <hr>


    [Thousands of millenniums have passed and your expressions remains the same.]


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± With a chuck, the dirt split apart, embedding another sword similar to the several thousands of others that stood like needles of different shapes and sizes.


    [How many has it been now?] Asked the voice.


    Staring at the make-shift grave I made, I replied. ¡°The number is unimportant.¡±


    [Hmm¡­] Wagging his furry white tail, [I can only pity these poor lads.]


    ¡°They chose this.¡± With a glance, the dirt beside me began uprooting itself, forming a rectangular pit of enough length to fit an adult human male.


    Above the pit came a crack in space, expanding gradually, it revealed a body of a girl. The girl, dressed in priestly white clothes, slowly sank into the hollow pit. When the girl''s body reached the bottom, dirt started rushing in, filling the cavity to the brim.


    [It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re giving them a proper burial.]


    Monotonously, I replied. ¡°They¡¯re victims.¡±


    Raising my right, a steel rod with a rounded ring head settled on my palm. With the bangles loosely ringing, I arrived at the head of the grave. On its final ring, its pole end dug deep into the ground.


    [Even though you used to burn them into ashes instead?]


    ¡°...¡± Recalling the first time I slew the heroes, ¡°Yes.¡± I answered in the same monotonous manner.


    [It seems you¡¯re changing.]


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    [Celestia let me ask one thing.]


    Turning to my left, a white wolf lying above green pasture entered my sight, sizable enough to have limbs as thick as a tree trunk. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    [I¡¯ve been wanting to ask this for centuries now.] He voiced, licking his nose. [Why have you been using Origin¡¯s mana instead of using your own?]


    ¡°Using Aether and Erebus in Origin has consequences,¡± I explained. ¡°At most my mixed divinity, or the Gods divinities used to make me, will affect Origin.¡±


    [And that effect is?]


    ¡°The forced reset decades ago, Origin¡¯s poles shifted and caused a massacre of every being in this world.¡±


    [You mean your battle with the manifested God Metis?]


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°But using Origin¡¯s mana, though several levels weaker, is enough to eliminate the vessels.¡±


    [Then why have you been using rifts to summon beings to do your bidding?]


    ¡°Rifts are enough to minimize the usage of Origin''s mana.¡±


    [You say that even though Origin¡¯s mana is endless.]


    ¡°It is not.¡± Slightly shaking my head sideways, I replied. ¡°Since the Tree of Origin took root, the amount has been reduced by a fourth.¡±


    [What¡¯s the purpose of that tree?]


    ¡°It was left by my creators, but I wasn¡¯t given an order, nor was I informed.¡±


    [Neither were the other True Divines informed?]


    ¡°No.¡±


    [That¡¯s troubling¡­]


    After a moment of silence, ¡°Fenrir,¡± I called.


    [What is it?]


    ¡°What is it like to be a mother?¡±


    [¡­] With a twitch of his ears, he replied. [You''re asking a male wolf Celestia.]


    ¡°Right.¡±


    [¡­ What made you curious?]


    ¡°The civilizations that rose, if not the sun, most of them call me a mother even though I never had a child.¡±


    [Ah, yes, the moon¡­]


    ¡°I am the moon.¡±


    [Why not ask Cybele, Demeter, or Amalthea instead?]


    ¡°I will.¡±


    <hr>


    Unfortunately, Cybele and Demeter have no idea, despite them being mothers of nature, and thus I arrived in Alabaster, where Amalthea resides.


    ¡°Amalthea,¡± I called.


    [Celestia?] Covered in threads of gold, Amalthea raised his head, chewing on some weed. [What took you here?]


    ¡°What is it like to be a mother?¡± Cutting to the chase, I asked.


    [I¡¯m sorry Celestia, but I too don¡¯t know.]


    ¡°...¡±


    [How about observing the races? There are humans living in Alabaster, maybe try looking after them?]


    ¡°True.¡±


    <hr>


    Ever since the day I was born, I was but a being protecting Origin. I¡¯m a guardian, this world¡¯s guardian, but all I ever did was kill, and so I thought, ¡®is this everything I could do?¡¯. Years went by, civilizations rose, civilizations fell, but what I did was still the same. I hunted down the so-called heroes, again and again. But then I thought, ¡®did the so-called heroes want it?¡¯. Searching for an answer, I observed the heroes. What I found was a horrid truth, they are victims, victims who were forced to bear the seed of the Gods under the disguise of a blessing. The more they use the Gods blessing, the more their souls will rot, and the more they become a fitting vessel for the Gods. Once, I tried telling them to refrain from using their blessings, but only a few dared to listen, the same is true for those who thought of the reason behind their summoning, and the rest were too blinded by the feeling of superiority, the joy of power, and the image of a hero.


    Then I thought of observing the civilizations, to find an answer as to why they needed the power of the heroes, but my thoughts diverted.


    What is it like to be a Mother? I thought as I observe civilizations who called or praised me as their mother or Origin¡¯s mother itself.


    As the birds flew, perching from one branch to another, I observed a small village near a small lake at the east of Alabaster for days, months, and years out of curiosity.


    It was a village of humans, and similarly, they thought of the moon as their mother. Someone who¡¯d shine above them at their darkest hours. Every time they¡¯d hunt at night, they¡¯d praise the moon, asking for guidance and luck.


    Nevertheless, there were a few things I found out. To become a mother, a union between man and woman is needed. I thought as I observe a similar pattern between the males and females of the said village.


    Slipping my hands from my stomach to my between my thighs, I thought. Could a divine being like me share a similar fashion of reproduction?


    ¡°Ah...¡± I muttered as I recalled what I am. ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    I could shape myself to default image I was given, but my physical body still remains as the moon¡­


    What is this feeling? I asked myself, as a weight started pulling on my chest.


    The more I observe, the more I got conscious of the weight slowly piling on my chest. Could this be a feeling of longing?


    Even if the weight in my chest kept increasing, and the more my lips curved downwards, I remained watching. It was like a poison, no, an addictive drug. A drug that kept me thinking to myself. A drug that slowly drew the emotion of sadness.


    So I questioned my existence. Are emotions necessary for a being like me? Why was I given free will? The God¡¯s could¡¯ve made me like Origin, a non-sentient entity, but then why was I not made like Origin?


    I thought of the reason repeatedly, but the answer was nowhere in sight. Then it''s okay, right? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m disobeying orders¡­


    Little by little, I grew fond of observing the small village, although not that peaceful, they were thriving. But it all ended in just one night. An attack by several migrating beasts.


    Seeing them suffer I moved a step forward, but all I did was again, observe as I thought, This is but a natural occurrence in this world¡­


    As I observe from afar, my lips tightened, and my fist clenched, in anticipation of their victory. But my expectation was betrayed, the men fell as they risked their lives to buy time for the women and children to flee. Without anyone to defend them, the woman and children were helplessly hunted down by the beasts. That was the time that I felt a stake driving through my chest. It was painful, and I abhorred it, but there was still a chance, for there was one woman who succeeded to flee safely.


    For days, the woman traversed the forests on her own, cautiously avoiding any sign of beasts. It was supposed to go well, but the woman¡¯s skin quickly dulled, and her body continued sweating as she gasped for breath, she was sick.


    Despite her sickness, she fought, but it was still in vain. If not for the amount of food she needed, she could''ve been fine on her own.


    Then the day came where her body became stiff as a rock. She tried lifting her upper body, ¡°Urgh..! Urgh..!¡± But her body refused to move. ¡°Hhaah... Hhaah...¡± Rough breaths escaped her mouth as her eyelids quivered. Clenching her fist and gritting her teeth, she crawled.


    Despite the difficulty in moving her body, the light in her eyes never went out. Repeatedly, she crawled again and again, until her hands grasped thin strips of green. Lifting her head, the corners of her lips slowly rose as the light of moon lit up her dull white skin. ¡°Oh, mother...¡± From the dark of the cave, she called in between breaths. ¡°Please... Give my child... A chance...¡±


    Trickling beneath her chin, tears leaked from the lid of her eyes. ¡°I want my child... To see the world...¡± Trembling, she reached for the moon, hoping to grasp it, but before she was able to stretch her arm, it fell to the ground.


    Like a candle burning out its last, the white flame burning inside her was snuffed.


    Is it fine? I asked myself. But to fulfill her final wish, I¡¯d need to desecrate her body, to commit taboo. To take over her body by placing a part of my soul.


    While I argued what is right from what is wrong, the small flickering flame inside her womb started to fade. There''s no time to think.


    Without knowing the consequences, I inserted myself into the woman¡¯s body, to save the soul, no, the child within her womb. As I took over her body, her heart restarted its beat, and her memories cam in a series of broken images.


    Is this¡­ Her memory? I thought as I blinked my eyes.


    This... Is this the feeling of embracing a man? Is this how a woman felt for her man? It''s strange. I kept on thinking as my heart raced.


    Ah, I¡¯ve done it¡­ I thought as blood streamed through my veins. There¡¯s no turning back.


    Manipulating the mana from the surroundings, I covered my body with light, gradually exposing myself to a warm and comfortable sensation.


    After the sensation receded, I tried opening and closing my fingers. Moving just fine, I propped my body that laid atop the dirt. Producing light scratches, I stood at the entrance of the cave. Shifting my sight downwards, my hands caressed my stomach.


    It''s not mine, but can I call it my own? I thought. These rough clothes are on the way.


    Taking a quick work of the rough leather clothes, I manifested my usual dress and began circling the palm of my hands on my stomach.


    <hr>


    Returning to Amalthea¡¯s side, I called. ¡°Amalthea.¡±


    Again, chewing on some weeds, she raised her goat head. [Who?] Trampling over the grass, her figure grew larger. [Celestia?] She asked sniffing on my dress.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered.


    [That voice, and that body¡­] She bobbed her head up and down. [What have you done?]


    Shifting my sight towards the ground, I said. ¡°I... desecrated the dead...¡±


    Moving a few step backward, Amalthea then spoke. [I see¡­ So you¡¯ve interfered with the natural order.]


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    [We can no longer do anything about it,] She said digging the ground with her front hoof. [It has already happened¡­]


    ¡°I¡¯m also pregnant with a human child.¡± Although slightly, the corners of lips raised.


    [¡­] Again, Amalthea¡¯s figure shrank. [I told you to try observing human mothers to know what¡¯s it like to be a mother, and yet here you are pregnant with a human child?!]


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    [Celestia, have you gone mad?!]


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    [Haah¡­] She hanged her head. [This is the first time. What¡¯s happening to you? It¡¯s not like you to go to this extent.]


    ¡°Emotions.¡±


    [What?]


    ¡°Emotions, I think I¡¯m gaining emotions...¡±


    [Well¡­] Digging with her hooves, she said. [That¡¯s good, I think.]


    ¡°It¡¯s foreign to me, but I think it¡¯s fine.¡±


    [Anyway, have you thought about childbirth?]


    ¡°Ah...¡± Facing Amalthea, I shook my head. ¡°No.¡±


    [Since the reset was done just recently then I guess it¡¯s fine¡­]


    ¡°I¡¯ll eliminate the threats.¡± Siphoning a large amount of mana from the surroundings and condensing it into a ball of light.


    [Wait! Celestia!]


    With my arm raised into the air, a barrel of amplification magic circles manifested upon opening the palm of my hand.


    [Sto-!]


    Ignoring her cry, I pressed the ball of light against the end of the barrel. After exiting the barrel, a blinding flash of light painted Alabaster in white. With a gale of wind, the surrounding grass was forcefully bent; the trees swayed, the ground cracked, and the temperature rose. Shortly after, the beam of light vanished into the sky, piercing through clouds unchallenged. Upon reaching its peak, it became a rain of light that fell all over Alabaster and the surrounding sea.


    [Ah¡­] She muttered, staring the lights showering from the sky. [You¡¯ve done it, now I have nothing to do for at least a century¡­]


    <hr>


    Munching, I remained seated on a wooden chair, holding a round red fruit. Before me is a figure of a woman bearing a golden hair. As I carefully chew on the fruit, the woman, wearing a similar dress as mine but more modest ¡ª slightly lacking on the chest ¡ª leaned forward, observing my actions.


    ¡°Do you even need to eat?¡± Perplexed, she asked.


    After swallowing, I replied. ¡°Human women mostly eat fruits when they are pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I know, but as divines aren¡¯t we always healthy?¡±


    Taking another bite, I activated telepathy to reply as I munch yet again. [Then why are you eating weeds?]


    ¡°...¡± For a second, she froze. ¡°I¡¯m a goat¡­ So I¡¯m copying them...¡±


    [But you¡¯re a golden goat.]


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± Leaning her back to the chair, ¡°You sure have changed in the strangest direction.¡± She said.


    Swallowing, ¡°Have I?¡± I replied slightly tilting my head.


    ¡°Both physically and mentally, yes.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Physically, you should look in a mirror.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Shifting my sights to the ceiling I searched my memories, then with a snap of my fingers, a soft thud resounded, then came an odd shaped mirror.


    ¡°...¡± With a straight face, she spoke. ¡°You¡¯re using Jormugandr¡¯s scale as a mirror?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re complaining that I made this house out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°A normal human could never complete this level of structure!¡± She snapped. ¡°Besides, this is not a house, but a mansion! You¡¯re having a single child yet you built constructed this mansion in a single day!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not utilizing magic too well.¡±


    She stood from her seat and replied. ¡°You¡¯re magic utilization is on the level of the Gods!¡±


    ¡°I need the perfect conditions to rear the child.¡±


    ¡°This is way too perfect!¡± She walked around pulling her hair from its base. ¡°This house, no, mansion! You slew an Ancient Treant just to get its wood! You took the core of a Molten Golem just to level the temperature and to make the stone base! You took the heart of one of the Leviathan¡¯s pet whale to produce the finest of water! And now you¡¯re eating Fruits that can be used to make Elixirs!¡±


    ¡°I need the perfect co-¡±


    ¡°Since when did you started thinking like that?!¡±


    Tilting my head to the side, I replied. ¡°About two months ago?¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± She breathed a sigh, after tapping sounds halted. ¡°That thing, it¡¯s already 6 months old right?¡±


    Slightly gritting my teeth, I glared. ¡°It¡¯s not a thing, it¡¯s my child.¡±


    Smiling wryly, her face dampened. ¡°Ahaha.¡± She chuckled a laugh. ¡°You sure are overprotective even at the slightest of things.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡±


    ¡°For you, I guess, but can you blame me? Your soul restructured the body of that woman and returned to the ideal image the Gods gave you. Thinking about it, then the child should¡¯ve been affected as well. So it might not be an ordinary human being once it''s born.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Placing my hands over my grown stomach, I continued. ¡°Whatever it becomes, it¡¯ll still be my child.¡±


    I¡¯ll be waiting for you patiently. So take your time and sleep. As my lips rose into a gentle smile, I thought.


    ¡°...¡± Silently, Amalthea looked at my figure with a smile plastered on her face.

 Intermission 3: Taboo 2

    Ring. Ring. A set of bells rang.


    ¡°Thea...¡± I lisped, blinking my eyes as a familiar pattern of brown entered my sights. Shuffling to a walk, I tumbled beside a smooth brown wall.


    Ring. Ring. The mansion trembled.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ T-thea!¡± I called as I grasped a wooden rail, propping myself up as I supported my round stomach with my other.


    Ring. Then the trembling stopped.


    ¡°T-thea..! Augh¡­¡± In short breaths, I rasped my teeth, clenching the rails till it creaked.


    Sustaining my support, I leaned on the wall, skidding down till I sat on my knees. ¡°Thea...¡± Again, I called as the familiar hallway became vivid by the second. ¡°Hhaah...¡± I breathed, resting the side of my head beside the wall. As I waited, my heart thumped faster by the second while a sharp pain streaked throughout my body.


    ¡°Thea...¡± Feeling a warm and damp sensation, I felt something leaking between my thighs, drenching my feet and my dress as it sipped in between the wooden edges. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Gritting my teeth, I arched my back to endure, unconsciously grabbing the rail, slightly lifting my body. With a splash, I fell back on the wet floor panting. "Hhagh... Hah... Hhah..."


    It hurts, It hurts, It hurts¡­ For the first time in my life, I felt physical pain.


    With my trembling hand, I reached for the rail once again, propping myself up, forcing my quivering legs to stand. With a dull thud, I leaned on the side of the walls. One step at a time, I teetered along the hallway cautiously. Unexpectedly I crossed my feet and tripped, forward first.


    Unfurling my eyelids, I forced the last bit of my capabilities to reduce my fall by manipulating the gravity. Steadily, I laid on the floor breathing roughly in relief.


    S-safe¡­ I thought.


    In a series of thuds came a voice. ¡°Celestia!¡± Quickly turning to the hallway, ¡°What are you doing here!¡± She shouted panting as her hair glowed in a reminiscent gold.


    Placing her arms underneath my thighs and shoulder, ¡°Thea...¡± I muttered as view shifted to her chin and the ceiling. ¡°It hurts...¡±


    Repeatedly turning her neck she muttered. ¡°Oh, no...¡± As I stared at the ceiling, I felt my body shaking.


    Why does this have to happen¡­ I thought as my view shrank.


    ¡°Celestia, don¡¯t lose consciousness!¡± Staring with her quivering golden eyes, I fought against the pain and maintained my eyelids open.


    As the ceiling brown ceiling turned to white, I felt my body sinking into a soft white object.


    ¡°Ah, it already broke...¡± Digging underneath my waist, I felt Thea¡¯s fingers gliding over my skin, removing a white cloth with a rustling sound. Although slight, I felt a shiver down my spine from being exposed while damp underneath. Taking a quick look, Thea spread my legs wide.


    Against my thighs, Thea pressed her fingers coated in white light. When her fingers met the surface of my skin, the light expanded and enveloped my body. Gradually, a pleasant and tender sensation emerged from within me, helping me stabilize my breathing.


    ¡°Celestia, I¡¯ve already healed and purified you, but the pain from the labor, I can only reduce it to some extent.¡± Passing the back of her hand over her forehead, she continued. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m just copying how the humans did it, so please bear with it.¡±


    In response, I nodded.


    Moving to my sides, she wrapped my hands with a white cloth. ¡°Grab on those later.¡± Using her fingers, she pried my mouth open from my chin. ¡°Bite on this cloth.¡± Unable to reply, I bit on the cloth.


    Blinking several times, ¡°Celestia,¡± she placed a hand over my stomach. ¡°I know you¡¯re like a human right now, but try to push the child slowly.¡± Gulping, I nodded repeatedly. ¡°Now, slowly, use your muscles to push it.¡±


    Slightly contracting my muscles on my abdomen, I unintentionally arched my body. ¡°Urr!!¡±


    ¡°Does it hurt that much?¡± Painted with a frown and breaking a sweat, she asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°How about right now?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It hurts when you try to push?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Haah...¡± She sighed. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If we only knew you¡¯d slowly lose your abilities the longer you reject the rest of your soul just to maintain that body, it would¡¯ve been easier...¡±


    Impossible, I¡¯m the first divine to do such an act, none of us would know the consequences¡­


    ¡°Anyway, try again.¡±


    With a tug, I pulled the cloth wrapped around hands taut as I bent myself forward, with nothing to see. Clenching my teeth as I breathe, ¡°Fuu! Fuu!¡± My cheeks inflated, fighting against the twisting pain. With a soft thud, I leaned my back against the bed, breathing roughly through the cloth. ¡°Fhuuu¡­ Fhuuu...¡±


    Wearing a worried expression, ¡°Celestia, why not let go of it? You can always adopt an abandoned child somewhere.¡±


    With my heaving chest into view, I mustered a glare towards Thea. An adopted child is not the same! I wouldn''t have gone to such lengths if I thought like that!


    Seeming to know what I meant, ¡°Celestia, you¡¯re so weak now that even I can kill you right now.¡± She said. ¡°Charon transferred this mansion to a different dimension inside the Sea of Clouds. Cybele and Demeter raised a barrier to protect the entrance to this dimension. Just below this dimension, Jormugandr is preparing to retaliate against anyone who crosses the Sea of Clouds. Outside the Sea of Clouds, The Leviathan twins, Legethon, Cocytus, Siarys, Pietys, Rystys, and Vakaris, they are all intercepting those who wished to enter and eliminate you while you''re at your weakest.¡±


    Unable to mutter a reply, I stared at Thea. This is a first, to be the one protected instead.


    ¡°Celestia, promise me, this is the last time you''ll do this.¡± Unsmiling, she said. ¡°And remember, you owe everyone for this trouble you caused.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Silently I returned a nod. I¡¯m sorry, but I would¡¯ve done everything myself if I knew this would happen¡­


    ¡°Take this as a sign that we are not supposed to give birth.¡±


    With a nod, I endured another round of excoriating pain. I sweated as continued to clench on the cloth. I heaved, and heaved, as I played a tug of war with my insides as the rope. ¡°Ffuu¡­ Ffuu...¡± I breathed in the slight relief every time I surrender to the pain.


    Covered in beads of sweat, the lids of my eyes quivered. I feel light...


    ¡°Celestia!¡± She snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t lose consciousness now! Else everything will be for naught!¡± Worried, she reached out her hand and touched my cheeks. ¡°Just a bit longer, okay? You can do that without passing out, right?¡±


    Weakly, I nodded.


    Skimming her fingers from my nose down to my cheeks, she said. ¡°You used to be the strongest guardian, and you will still be after you regain everything, right?¡±


    After confirming my nod, she moved again to my rear.


    Digging my fingers into the cloth, I felt a searing pain running through my spine accompanied by the region between my thighs ripping apart. ¡°Ffuuu... Ffuuu...¡±


    ¡°Keep going, the head is out, just a little more.¡±


    ¡°Hfngh!!¡± I pushed, feeling my hips ripping apart.


    ¡°More!¡±


    ¡°Hfngh!!¡± Tears streamed from my eyes.


    ¡°Go on!¡±


    Mustering everything I have left, ¡°Hfngh!!¡± I pushed arching my body forward. When I lost my strength, I fell back to the bed, powerless.


    ¡°...¡± Silently I waited for Thea¡¯s voice, but what I heard was a cry, ¡°Uwaaah! Uwaaah!¡±


    ¡°Celestia, wake up, It¡¯s a girl,¡± Thea said, placing my child over my chest, covered with a cloth.


    Feeling her weight, and hearing her cry, a tender warmth filled my lifeless body. Gently, I raised the lids blocking my eyes. As soon as I opened my eyes, my sights were immediately absorbed by the child before me.


    Lifting my hand, I gently held my child, allowing her to grasp my fingers with her cute and tiny hands.


    ¡°This is my child...¡± Smiling, I weakly muttered. ¡°My very own... Child...¡±


    Silver hair, she bore the same silver hair as I. I thought as the last drops of tears emerged from eyes. It is truly mine.


    Satisfied, I surrendered my body.


    I shall name her after that woman...


    <hr>


    ¡°Ele-na, Ele-na,¡± Cradling Elena in my hands, I sang her a lullaby. ¡°Sleep my sweet Ele-na.¡±


    No matter what, Elena is so cute! Forming a deep smile, I carried Elena in my arms as I caressed her against my chest.


    Sitting beside me, ¡°C-celestia,¡± Thea called wearing a worried expression. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you fully accept the rest of your soul now?¡±


    Shifting my sights to Thea, ¡°Please give me a month or two so I could savor being a human mother.¡±


    ¡°But everyo-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything in return, but please, at least keep the situation outside stale for at least two months,¡± I said, slightly bowing my head. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything afterward. I just want to retain this human body longer so I can feed her like this.¡±


    ¡°The rest of your soul, wouldn¡¯t it be in danger if you reject it any longer than this?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine,¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s probably something that the Gods placed inside me to not veer off from what I am ordered to do.¡±


    ¡°Then, that means that you being a mother is not something that¡¯s supposed to happen?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± Wryly, I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s probably because of my instincts shifting into protecting Elena instead of Origin.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± she replied. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that be resolved if you change back your priorities?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answered. ¡°The rest of my soul, which I returned to the moon, is trying to dilute the soul I have now which is affected by my motherly instincts.¡±


    ¡°That...¡± She frowned.


    ¡°So please, give me at least two months to try modifying this soul.¡± Again, I bowed my head. ¡°I don''t want the moments I shared with Elena to be just a simple memory...¡± Then I shifted my sights back to Elena peacefully feeding herself through my chest.


    I won¡¯t let it happen. I can live without losing either Origin or Elena.


    As the days passed, I spent my time around Elena.


    ¡°Ungaa! Ungaa!¡±


    ¡°There there.¡± Sliding my fingers underneath the back of her head and hips, I lifted her into a cradle. Moving the strap of my dress aside, I fed her again.


    Such a glutton. Smiling, I thought. But go ahead and grow up Elena, mama will need your help soon.


    Singing her a lullaby, I repeated her name again and again till she falls asleep. Remaining close, I slept beside her, making a pillow of my crossed arms placed atop the bed.


    One day you¡¯ll be able to hold my hand instead of a single finger. I thought as I stared at her sleeping while grasping my finger.


    Every time she wakes up, she¡¯ll cry, a signal for me to wake up alongside her; I¡¯ll cradle her, feed her, play with her small fingers, caress her springy cheeks, press my nose against hers, kiss her, all I did is spend my time with her. Moments that I wished that''d last forever; a time when I felt an endless warmth.


    It didn¡¯t matter whether what I was doing was the same every day. It was a fleeting moment just for me and Elena, a treasure I could call mine and mine alone.


    Each time she laughed, I¡¯d always return a smile. Each time she cried, I¡¯d hold her dear. Each time she slept, I¡¯d warmly gaze at her till I fall asleep. Words cannot describe it, that is, being a mother myself, a being who''s not supposed to be a mother of one, but a mother of all.


    <hr>


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Anxious, Thea asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Brushing past Elena¡¯s lovely silver hair, I nodded. ¡°Elena, mama will be out for a bit.¡±


    Elena... As if holding me dear, she reached for my finger and grasped it. No, I mustn''t...


    ¡°Elena,¡± Expressing a lonely smile, I used my hands to grasp her hands. ¡°I''m sorry Elena, but mama needs to go. I promise mama will return.¡±


    Contorting her face, ¡°Ngh.¡± Elena began crying. ¡°Ngah! Ngah!¡±


    ¡°Elena, please, not now.¡± A drop fell on my arms as I brush my fingers on her cheeks. ¡°Your aunt Thea is here for you so don''t cry...¡±


    ¡°Celestia...¡±


    Releasing my hands, I slowly turned my back against the crying Elena.


    ¡°Celestia, we can still hold it for a few more days.¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°Thea, please tempt me no more.¡± I shed another tear. ¡°Please take care of Elena for a bit.¡±


    Digging my fingers into my palms, I took one step and another.


    I''ll take some time till I see this patterned floor again¡­


    Facing the familiar hallway, my lips quivered.


    Two months should be enough¡­


    Then I took another step.


    <hr>


    A week has passed since Celestia left, and still, Elena has been somewhat down. ¡°Ungah! Ungah!¡±


    Feeding Elena is a task. Frowning, I thought.


    ¡°Elena...¡± Although she drank from the bottle I gave her, the amount is incomparable when she usually drank through Celestia''s chest. ¡°Come now, just a little more.¡±


    Celestia, please return quickly¡­


    Abruptly, Elena¡¯s cries softened when steps resounded from the hallway. Celestia? I thought. Carefully placing my hands underneath her, I carried her and walked towards the hallway.


    ¡°C-celestia?¡± From the hallway came the figure of a familiar woman who bore antler-like horns. But unlike her previous demeanor, her motherly smile is missing. ¡°Are you okay Celestia?¡±


    This¡­ feels wrong¡­ Conflicted, I thought.


    Halting a step away, Celestia looked me in the eye. ¡°Amalthea,¡± She called as my eye widened in surprise. ¡°Is this, my child?¡± She asked, shifting her eyes to Elena as Elena returned a stare.


    ¡°C-celestia...¡± I stuttered. ¡°Do you remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She answered with a slight nod.


    ¡°Then, you should be back to normal, right?¡±


    ¡°I am, but my curiosity remains.¡±


    There¡¯s still a chance.


    ¡°Celestia, won¡¯t you take Elena?¡± I said. ¡°She¡¯s been crying non-stop, she probably missed you.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± She replied while staring back at Elena.


    Passing Elena to her, Elena began tried to reach out to her. ¡°Mmuuu. Mmuuu.¡± Elena tried to speak.


    ¡°See?¡± I said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you greet her back since you¡¯ve returned?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± She muttered. ¡°Elena, your mo-...¡± Suddenly, halting her speech.


    ¡°Something¡­ Feels wrong...¡± She continued as she stared at Elena trying to reach her face.


    ¡°Mmuuu. Mmuuu.¡±


    Unable to take it any longer, I grabbed Celestia¡¯s hand and made Elena grasp it while I supported Elena''s body with my other hand. ¡°There,¡± I said. ¡°She''s asking for your hand Celestia.¡±


    ¡°Right...¡± Slightly, her body froze for a very short moment.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you repeat it again?¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡± She blinked. ¡°Elena, your mo- no,¡± She shook her head. ¡°Mama has returned.¡± Although slight, the corner of her lips raised as Elena returned a bright smile. ¡°Mmuu!¡±


    It¡¯s still inside her. I thought with a smile. Now they only need time.

 Intermission 4: Fae and Elaine

    Inside a room within Amelia¡¯s manor in Aves, ¡°O-one.¡± Fae¡¯s arms tried to balance her herself as she took a step forward. ¡°T-two.¡± Each step she took, two books swayed atop her head. ¡°T-three.¡± On her next step, ¡°F-fo-!¡± The books fell with a thud. ¡°Auu...¡± Fae sulked.


    ¡°Once again,¡± A blonde female said, standing near a window in front of Fae¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    Collecting the books from the floor, Fae turned her back against the stone wall and placed the books atop her head.


    Then, again, Fae took her steps while balancing the books. ¡°T-three.¡± But the books fell after a knock interrupted her training.


    ¡°Yes?¡± The blonde female approached the door beside Fae and opened it. ¡°Ah, your Highness.¡± With a bow, the blonde female greeted with a bow.


    ¡°Erina,¡± Said the girl wearing a frilly blue dress. ¡°Can I play with Fae?¡± She asked looking up to Erina with her short brown hair tied in a side tail to her right.


    Showing a light smile, ¡°Yes,¡± Erina replied. ¡°of course.¡±


    Embracing the books to her chest, ¡°Eh?¡± The brown haired Fae said. ¡°Her Highness Elaine?¡±


    Peeking from the side of the door, Elaine said to Fae. ¡°Fae, I told you to call me Ely instead.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Hesitating, Fae looked to Erina.


    With a nod, Erina said. ¡°Fae, please do as her Highness wishes.¡±


    ¡°U-un. Ely.¡±


    At the same moment, Erina thought. To think that these sisters would meet each other as friends. Fate sure is unpredictable.


    ¡°Fae, you may leave the books behind.¡±


    With a smile, ¡°Un!¡± Fae happily responded and immediately went to Elaine¡¯s side.


    As Fae and Elaine left to the hallway followed by servants, one of the remaining servants asked Erina. ¡°Is this fine? Shouldn¡¯t Fae be trained as soon as possible?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erina replied. ¡°Fae and Rick will soon be leaving for the Tribe, so it¡¯s fine to give them more time to play.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Erina assured. ¡°The people who were meant to travel to the Tribe will be given a week to return to Aves once a month. Besides, the route mentioned by her Highness Amelia will reduce the travel time between Aves and the Tribe, so her Highness Elaine will be free to visit the Tribe at her free time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so her Highness has already considered Fae¡¯s and her Highness Elaine¡¯s friendship?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erina answered. Only a limited few know those two are sisters, Amelia has already considered this along with the breaks given to the servants.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Erina walked to the hallway. ¡°I¡¯ll have to inform Ark of the proceedings and the preparations we need to discuss. I¡¯ll leave the cleanup to you.¡±


    With a light bow, ¡°Yes, Head Maid.¡± The servant answered.


    Walking down the stairs, Elaine led Fae down the stairs while lifting her long skirt. ¡°Fae, is Rick around?¡±


    Following behind Elaine dressed in a black and white outfit while similarly lifting her long black skirt, Fae replied. ¡°I think Rick is hunting with Marco.¡±


    Reaching the bottom, Elaine turned to face Fae. ¡°Hunting?¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Fae nodded as they restarted walking side by side. ¡°Rick said they were ordered to look for a tall man who usually roams the city in disguise.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Realizing what it meant, Elaine said. ¡°If it¡¯s Marco, then Rick is probably hunting down Father.¡±


    ¡°The King?¡± Fae glanced at Elaine wearing a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elaine replied with a nod. ¡°Father loves to roam around, so I guess her Majesty has already specialized Marco in pinpointing Father¡¯s location in Aves.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Elaine crossed her arms in thought. ¡°Elder sister told me that Father is doing something every time he goes out to town, so I guess it¡¯s fine now and then. But I guess Father is overdoing it.¡±


    ¡°Her Highness Amelia roams Aves too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder Sister does.¡± She glanced at Fae, before returning her sight to the carriage at the gate of the Manor. ¡°But Elder Sister told me that being told and seeing the actual situation of the citizens is different.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Facing the ground, Fae thought with her finger placed above her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think I get it.¡±


    ¡°Elder Sister told me that it¡¯s a matter of perspective, but I do get it a little.¡±


    Arriving at the carriage, a servant opened the door and lead Elaine by the hand. After taking their seat, they restarted their talk.


    ¡°Does her Highness teach you a lot?¡±


    Enthusiastically, ¡°Yes!¡± Elaine answered. ¡°But Elder Sister has been busy lately, so I haven¡¯t heard any stories or lessons this year...¡± Then she immediately frowned.


    ¡°This year?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fae nodded along with the neigh of the horses, then the rumble started. ¡°Every year, Elder Sister returns from Academia during the months of spring. And during those times, Sister usually spends her time helping in the palace, taking visits to the Guilds, and playing with me.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Then Ely looks up her Highness?¡±


    With a smile, ¡°Yep,¡± Elaine responded. ¡°Elder Sister is amazing, you know? At age nine, sister took the responsibility left by Grandfather, but since it''s too dangerous the King and Queen refused by setting conditions, but sister broke through those conditions and earned the right to travel to Academia.¡±


    ¡°Why did the King and Queen refused?¡±


    ¡°I heard Sister was sick back then, but I was not allowed to see her until she recovered. But I heard that the King and Queen placed conditions to restrict sister from leaving Aves. I also tried asking Sister about it, but she always told me not to mind it.¡±


    ¡°Then why not ask the King and Queen?¡±


    In reply, Elaine shook her head. ¡°They also told me not to mind it.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Ely, where are we going?¡± Changing the topic, Fae asked.


    ¡°To the Harbor for a quick inspection.¡±


    After a few more minutes, the carriage halted nearby a guard post filled by Knights bearing the crest of the Royal Guards. When the door of the carriage opened, Fae and Elaine alighted.


    The moment Fae set foot, ¡°Ooohh!¡± Her eyes sparkled at the number of Knights surrounding her wearing an armor gleaming in the sunlight. ¡°Amazing!¡±


    Unperturbed, Elaine called Fae. ¡°Come on Fae, we need to go.¡±


    ¡°Ah, un, yes.¡± Shortly, Fae followed a step behind Elaine.


    Near the docks, towering brown pillars attached to numerous threads littered the surrounding.


    ¡°Uwaa!¡± Fae muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Galleons this close!¡±


    Near their location, Caravels, Carracks, and Galleons dotted the docks. Men, along with conspicuous cats, pushed and pulled on large wooden boxes and barrels into the ship through platforms operated by pulleys.


    Everywhere they looked, men shouting in a rhythmic tune were heaving ropes thick enough to fit the arms of Fae and Elaine. In particular, most of the men were tanned and exposed their bulky muscles as they left their tops exposed.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Grabbing the attention of Fae, she asked Elaine. ¡°Ely, what are those piles of rocks for?¡±


    Shifting her sight towards the barrels filled with sharpened oval rocks, Elaine smiled. ¡°Oh, those are rock bullets!¡± She proudly exclaimed. ¡°They are used as weapons against beasts from the sea.¡±


    Then she added, ¡°I was told that those bullets are saved up to hunt down beasts from the sea since it''s more effective to use earth magic against surfacing beasts rather than water which they are resistant to.¡± Raising a finger from her hand, Elaine continued. ¡°But since you cannot mold earthen bullets while in the sea, they load them into the ships while docked in ports or harbors.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Fae tried to imagine a large fish being shot by rock bullets while sailing the seas. ¡°But why don¡¯t they carry earth instead of bullets?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Pondering for a bit while scratching her head, Elaine answered. ¡°Because molding bullets consume mana, so firing molded ones makes it more efficient and easier. I think the same thing applies to water. I think it''s producing water and using the available ones?¡±


    Facing downwards, Fae tried to think. ¡°I guess?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you studied magic?¡±


    Shaking her head, ¡°No.¡± Fae answered. ¡°Mama said that there are requirements for children to learn magic, and I think I haven¡¯t met those?¡±


    ¡°I think Fae is already okay?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll try asking Head Maid?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Elaine agreed. ¡°Erina will probably teach you.¡±


    Afterward, Fae and Elaine toured the harbor. They found fishes of different sizes, squids, octopuses, shrimps, scallops, woodworms and more. They also checked the warehouses that contained the trades materials coming from Brent through the trade ships that arrived.


    As they went from one place to another, surprised expressions painted Fae¡¯s reaction while Elaine proudly explained based on what she knew.


    At the same time, I feel like an older sister! Elaine thought happily.


    <hr>


    Later that day in the manor, ¡°Suu¡­ Suu¡­¡±


    It seems the sisters were exhausted from their tour. Beside the door, sitting on a chair, Erina allowed both Fae and Elaine to sleep inside Amelia¡¯s bedroom.


    Watching over the two girls facing each other as they slept, Erina¡¯s lips curved into a gentle smile. Quietly, Erina began to stand and moved towards the desk.


    I better start writing the letters. Erina thought, bringing out a feather pen and a paper from the drawer.


    <hr>


    Inside the library of the manor, Fae and Elaine searched for a book they wanted to read.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± At the aisle between the shelves, Fae¡¯s eyes darted from the left and right. ¡°Ely, what book do you want to read?¡±


    On the other side, Elaine replied. ¡°Maybe a book with drawings on it? ¡±


    ¡°Then storybooks?¡± Asked Fae.


    ¡°Oh, maybe those stories about Heroes!¡± With a bright smile, Elaine passed through the aisles until she arrived at the corner where a small shelf stood.


    ¡°Ely?¡± Following shortly, Fae called. ¡°What¡¯s this shelf for?¡±


    The small shelf held a fewer number of books, but Elaine smiled still. ¡°It¡¯s Sister¡¯s shelf. She leaves the books she recently read here.¡± Glancing at the spines of the books, Elaine noticed a book slightly extended among the rest. ¡°What''s this?¡± Reaching out her hand, Elaine grabbed the book and pulled it down.


    Checking the title of the front of the brown leather cover, Fae and Elaine muttered. ¡°¡°''Diaries of the Heroes Comrades''?¡±¡±


    ¡°Ely, want to try reading it?¡± Fae asked curious of the book.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the comrades of the Heroes so I want to know too.¡±


    Carrying the book to the table near the door, Fae and Elaine sat down side by side and opened the book.


    ¡°Ely, it says recommended for ages 14 and above.¡± Pointing at the words written in the book¡¯s preface.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Looking at the ceiling, Elaine muttered. ¡°I¡¯m still 11 so I¡¯m not allowed to?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still 10,¡± Fae answered glancing at Elaine. ¡°So we¡¯re not allowed?¡±


    ¡°Should we return it?¡±


    ¡°Should we? But I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious too.¡±


    Meeting each other¡¯s eye as they faced each other, Fae and Elaine nodded and smiled playfully. ¡°¡°Then, it¡¯s our secret.¡±¡±


    Flipping through the pages, Fae and Elaine read the book expressing wonder.


    ¡°Fae, what¡¯s ¡®Slime Play¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It says here that it¡¯s used by the Noble¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about it though, but have you seen a slime?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Fae answered. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you could play with them?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re round and a bit transparent, but they don¡¯t have a face or anything, they¡¯re like a soft ball of liquid.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they throw it at people, then they pop?¡±


    After a short moment, Fae replied. ¡°Un, I think so.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should ask Mother when I return.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mama too.¡±


    Then they continued reading.


    ¡°A naked apron?¡± Fae asked. ¡°But if they¡¯re wearing an apron then doesn¡¯t that mean that they¡¯re not naked?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Imagining herself, Elaine replied. ¡°I think?¡±


    Turning to the next page, Fae asked. ¡°Ely, what¡¯s a di-¡± With a thump, Elaine forcefully closed the book after realizing the contents.


    ¡°F-fae, I don¡¯t think we should be reading this.¡± With her ears painted red, Elaine slowly dragged the book while expressing a twitching smile.


    ¡°Why?¡± Fae asked.


    ¡°L-lets just forget it,¡± Elaine replied as she slowly returned the book to the shelf.


    ¡°But what¡¯s a d-¡±


    ¡°Not!¡± Elaine interrupted. ¡°W-we should forget about it. Okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡±


    ¡°Uwaaah...¡± Elaine muttered while covering her face.


    ¡°Ely are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, but¡­ Uwaaah¡­¡± Elaine muttered as she bent her knees to a squat. ¡°H-how shameful...¡±


    Later that night after Elaine returned to the palace, Fae asked Camille. ¡°Mama, what¡¯s a ¡®Slime Play¡¯?¡±


    ¡°F-f-fae?!¡± Camille shouted in surprise.


    That night, Camille was exhausted trying to divert Fae¡¯s attention to something else.


    Somewhere in the manor, a blonde female wore a wry smile. Amelia, you forgot to return the book. I just hope you¡¯re prepared to know that you indirectly broke the innocence of your sister.


    That day, Erina found another piece of information to bla- tease Amelia.

 Chapter 33: To Fargan

    </a> Placing my hand on a hard and cold surface, I gently slid the palm of my hand to wipe off its moisture.


    ¡°So this is how she looked like in person,¡± I muttered, admiring the woman encased in ice.


    Breathing a cold mist in its surrounding, the figure of a woman frozen deep inside the ice conveyed a sad yet captivating beauty. The woman, dressed in a snug fit red gown, was endowed by a wavy brown hair topped with a golden crown crusted by precious gems. Her arms, covered in a similar rosy red evening glove, rested above her stomach.


    Forming a frown, ¡°It looks like she''s just sleeping...¡± I muttered as I took in the figure of my Grandmother as she laid asleep.


    ¡°But she¡¯s not asleep, right?¡± I asked, glancing at the silver-haired woman beside me inside a rectangular room covered in stone tiles in every direction.


    Shaking her head in response, ¡°No,¡± She answered. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    Moving my sight back to the figure of Grandmother, ¡°So this is how Grandfather was deceived huh¡­¡±


    ¡°This was stored underneath Titania¡¯s chamber.¡± The silver-haired woman added. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame Randolf for believing that Fairy.¡±


    ¡°I guess Grandfather was deeply in love with Grandmother for him to desperately believe in a Fairy.¡±


    ¡°Love is complicated Amelia, it can be your strength, but it can also be your weakness.¡±


    Letting my arm fall back to my side, ¡°Celes,¡± I asked. ¡°Have you felt love before?¡±


    Gently raising the corner of her lips, Celes turned to face me wearing a warm smile. ¡°Of course,¡± She answered as her eyes reflected a gentle light. ¡°Even if I converted the time I have lived into hours of a day, that very tiny fraction of a second I have lived with Elena was the most glorious times that I had.¡±


    ¡°Elena huh,¡± I muttered. ¡°The first silver-haired woman before Laurel became a kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± She added. ¡°I made sure her name will remain in the history of Laurel.¡±


    Expressing a light smile, ¡°That¡¯s so like you.¡± I said.


    Turning her head towards the block of ice, ¡°Do you want me to place this coffin of ice in Tercel?¡± She said.


    ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°If by chance the nobles thought that the last Queen went missing due to the machinations of another race, the achievements I regained with the Tribe will crumble. If it was only the nobles, Mother and Father could use their power as a monarch, but once it spreads into a rumor to the citizens, it will be impossible to stop.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯ve chosen, then it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Say, Celes,¡± I said. ¡°You said that I don¡¯t need to call you through the necklace anymore, right? Why?¡±


    ¡°It will impede your growth if you keep relying on me when you''re alone.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Silently, my sight shifted to my feet.


    ¡°I''m happy that feel lonely about it,¡± she smiled as she reached out her hands and caressed my cheeks. ¡°But Amelia, you could always speak through the necklace wherever and whenever you are. You don''t need the deal to be a reason to talk to me.¡±


    ¡°... True.¡± Leaning my head against her hands, I closed my eyes and savored the warmth. ¡°But Celes, I''d want to have more time like this.¡±


    ¡°You''ve been through a lot Amelia...¡±


    Clasping her hands with my own, ¡°Yes, I have.¡± I muttered, feeling her soft hands through my cheeks. ¡°But now, at least, I have something to work on that I can call my own.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time to keep on breaking down; the war won¡¯t wait for me¡­


    ¡°Celes,¡± I asked as I lifted my eyelids and looked up to her. ¡°Can you train me like we used to? Once a week is enough.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forcing yourself?¡± She asked. ¡°I won¡¯t lend you my stamina and mana on the next.¡±


    Chuckling, ¡°Celes, I¡¯m already broken, battering myself makes no difference.¡± I replied. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t want to get used to having an indefinite amount of mana.¡±


    ¡°A broken person can still be fixed.¡±


    Returning a smile, ¡°My past will always be a part of me,¡± I said. ¡°No matter how harsh it was.¡±


    ¡°I will train you, but I won¡¯t be teaching you things you have yet to know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡±


    Removing her hands from my cheek, ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± Celes smiled. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we start now?¡± Then she shifted back to her usual playful smile.


    <hr>


    Inside the rattling carriage on the day after. ¡°Uuhh¡­¡± Amelia muttered as she slept on Erina¡¯s lap ¡°N-not that¡­¡±


    It seems that her Highness is up to something again¡­ Erina thought as she brushed Amelia¡¯s hair.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Is Lia having nightmares?¡± On the other side of the seat, Kanna asked.


    ¡°I believe not,¡± Erina replied. ¡°It¡¯s a byproduct of a recent event, probably during the night.¡±


    Looking up to the ceiling of the coffee-brown ceiling of the carriage, Kanna muttered in thought. ¡°What would Lia do at night?¡±


    In reply, Erina expressed a mischievous grin. ¡°A rendezvous with a man.¡±


    ¡°W-what?!¡± Shouted Kanna in surprise. ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Then why not listen to her mumbles?¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re right.¡± Coming down from her seat to the floor of the carriage, Kanna placed her right ear near Amelia¡¯s lips and listened.


    ¡°N-not... That agai- Auu...¡± Amelia mumbled in her sleep.


    Paling, Kanna cranked her head to face the sleeping Amelia. ¡°L-lia, it''s not true, r-right?¡± Kanna asked with trembling lips while Erina placed a hand over hers.


    ¡°Worry not,¡± Erina masked her giggled with the rattle of the carriage. ¡°Her Highness will only allow a fitting man.¡±


    ¡°What ar-¡± Immediately before Kanna finished her shout, Erina placed a hand over Kanna''s mouth.


    ¡°Mmnn...¡± Amelia mumbled.


    ¡°Please voice your concerns once her Highness is awake.¡±


    Nodding in reply, Kanna returned to her seat. Crossing her arms, Kanna repeatedly tapped her elbow with her finger.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± Unsmiling, Erina asked.


    Surprised by the sudden call, ¡°Err¡­ What is it?¡± Kanna said.


    ¡°Her Highness has been up to something recently hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Widening her eyes, Kanna asked. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°Her Highness had always been like this,¡± Erina moved her sight to her lap. ¡°She''d always force herself to do more when she has a goal in mind. At those times, someone has to force her to take a rest.¡±


    Returning her sight to Kanna, ¡°Please do me a favor,¡± asked Erina with a light bow. ¡°I¡¯m not always by her Highness¡¯s side, so please tell her to take a rest once you think she¡¯s overdoing it.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    At the time Amelia woke up, ¡°A man?¡± she dubiously expressed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Leaning forward filled with concern, Kanna asked. ¡°Y-you mean, you have no memory of sleeping with a man yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea of what you are talking about.¡± Moving her sights towards Erina, ¡°Ah, I think I get it now.¡±


    Smiling as if nothing happened, ¡°Is anything of the matter, your Highness?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± Amelia breathed a sigh. ¡°Listen, Kanna¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Mmmph!¡± Raising my arms, I stretched my back after alighting the carriage. ¡°Erina, where should we eat this time?¡± Facing the brown-haired woman, I asked.


    ¡°Why not the usual diner?¡± She replied.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Kanna said pointing to a nearby food stall that offered wooden seats. ¡°Li- I mean Mia, wanna try that one?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Moving closer to get a better view of the stall, ¡°Fried rice with eggs huh.¡±


    Recalling the food I ate at the Tribe, Rice is quite rare in the Tribe.


    Turning back to Kanna and Erina, ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡± I said.


    ¡°So do I,¡± Erina replied.


    Deciding by ourselves, we moved to take a seat and ordered our meals. Each of us ordered the same salted fried rice with eggs mixed with leeks and fried garlic placed in a wooden bowl.


    After eating our meal, we went back into the carriage with a different set of horses. Taking our respective seats, the rattling of the carriage restarted after a few minutes.


    ¡°That rice is not bad, but Amelia, you¡¯re a princess, right?¡± Kanna asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite late of you to ask,¡± I grinned.


    ¡°I just realized it after knowing the difference between the meals given to you in Tercel and the manor, but what we¡¯ve been giving you is¡­¡±


    ¡°It''s okay,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, if there¡¯s anything that tastes bad, like really bad, it''s the mana herb.¡± Shifting my sight to Erina beside me, ¡°The two herbs from Argent are still fine, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s within the carriage¡¯s baggage,¡± Erina smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it at another time.¡±


    As the scenery through the window changed from the wooden houses with a touch of stone and cement to a thick layer of concrete then to a sea of plants, Kanna asked. ¡°We¡¯ve been in this carriage for quite a while now, but most of the things I saw outside are farms.¡±


    ¡°That is the natural landscape here in Laurel,¡± Erina said.


    ¡°Yes, just like Erina said,¡± I added. ¡°But there¡¯s a reason for that.¡±


    Tilting my head, ¡°Where should I start? Ah, you see,¡± I said. ¡°Most of Laurel''s land is sandwiched by the sea of Formos and the forests at the foot of Alabaster. Because we can''t build the farms near the forests and the coasts due to occasional attacks from beasts, the farmlands were built a distance from both, which results to the endless sea of farmlands.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t there too many towns and villages around here?¡± She moved her sight from the window back to me and Erina.


    ¡°True,¡± I answered. ¡°But those towns and villages are essential. They serve as relays for carriages, posts for Soldiers, Knights, Messengers, and sometimes Adventurers. There are also towns and villages on the other ends of this sea of farmlands. Those towns and villages are the ones actively giving out quests to adventurers. They also serve as training grounds for the Armies at certain times.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kanna muttered. ¡°That seems a bit complex, or not, but how will Laurel¡¯s armies pass through these farmlands?¡±


    ¡°I guess you could call that as one of the problems of Laurel,¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°Although there are spaces between the lands near this road, it will make the formation of the armies sparse, but since the history of Laurel lacked large scale wars, especially that we are far from the center, Laurel focused more on production rather than the military aspects.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Kanna nodded. ¡°But Lia sure has a lot of knowledge¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s necessary,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯d be a shame as a Royal if I don''t know at least this much.¡±


    ¡°Now if only his Highness Mark will feel the same,¡± Erina added.


    ¡°True¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°Anyway, the towns and villages are mostly owned by the Knights, but since the Knights need to serve the military of Laurel, they usually leave magistrates in their stead to rule their fief. On the other hand, some Nobles, like those who are staying in Aves, do the same while serving the palace, but there are also those who rule their fief directly.¡±


    ¡°The way human society works is quite complicated huh.¡±


    ¡°Our difference in population is one of the reasons.¡±


    Scratching her head, ¡°I guess that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Kanna smiled wryly. ¡°Anyway, why are we heading to Fargan?¡±


    ¡°We could have taken Birby,¡± I used my hand to knock on the wooden board at my back. ¡°But the baggage I brought along is too much for him; there''s also the issue with my Personal Guards waiting for me there.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Kanna muttered in surprise. ¡°The Guards a distance ahead and behind us are not yours?¡±


    Glancing at Erina¡¯s direction, I answered with a smile. ¡°Yes, those aren¡¯t mine. Those are the Royal Guards themselves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s weird, why haven¡¯t you used your own?¡±


    ¡°Because the Royal Guards are enough to defend me when I¡¯m deep within Laurel.¡±


    ¡°Because her Highness made them do questionable things while she''s away.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha, right.¡± Strained, I smiled.


    Stitching her eyebrows, ¡°Questionable things?¡± Kanna asked, dubious.


    ¡°Kind of,¡±


    ¡°It''s not ''kind of'' your Highness, turning your some of your Guards into adventurers, that is indeed questionable.¡±


    ¡°I can justify that,¡± I said with a smile. ¡°Using adventurers to hunt Bandits hiding between the border of Academia and Laurel, that¡¯s the best approach with the best results.¡±


    ¡°You just wanted the bounty on their heads.¡±


    ¡°I-I need funding for my land.¡±


    ¡°You already have too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no-¡±


    ¡°You also have funds from selling these pins and clips in underground auctions.¡±


    Gulping, I spoke. ¡°But I ne-¡±


    ¡°You also have funds from selling those despicable fertilizers.¡±


    ¡°¡­ They¡¯re just slime fertilizers¡­¡± I muttered in a low voice while fiddling with the ends of my hair.


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± Erina sighed. ¡°You say that they¡¯re just slime fertilizers, but the image of a princess owning slime pits is not a good one.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s why I placed someone else as a head of the production of those fertilizers¡­¡±


    ¡°But it is still inside your land and you allowed it.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± After a listening to our exchange, Kanna muttered. ¡°Slime pit? Wait, Lia owns a land?¡±


    Noticing the oblivious Kanna, ¡°Ah,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, I have. Once Argent ascends to the throne, I¡¯ll lose my status as a princess and become a duchess to rule over a land. I''ll also have to change my last name into something else as acceptance of losing the right to the throne. But since I¡¯ve been working at it early and the fact that I¡¯ve been achieving a lot lately, my land has been expanding for quite some time now.¡±


    ¡°Then those Guards you¡¯re speaking of?¡±


    Smiling, ¡°They¡¯re more of a small personal army rather.¡±

 Chapter 34: Making a Move

    Turning to a halt, the horses snorted in unison with the metallic clanks.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± I called.


    After a knock came from outside, the door was opened, revealing a set of half-plate armor sets lined to create a path towards a luxurious carriage painted in black.


    Alighting first, Kanna waited beside the carriage''s door followed by Erina who offered her hand to me. Placing my hand over Erina''s, I alighted the carriage.


    In the middle of the aisle formed by the armored men, ¡°It''s been a while, your Highness.¡± A medium built man kneeled.


    Approaching before the man, ¡°Yes, it has been, Captain Maize.¡±


    Gallantly standing from his position, his swept-back dull crimson hair streaked with a few strands of white was revealed. His brown face, slightly wrinkled, expressed a gentle burning determination through his dark brown eyes.


    ¡°The proceedings?¡± Without turning my eyes away from his, I asked.


    From the looks of it, I won''t be able to see the condition of Fargan myself.


    Producing a parchment from his side, ¡°Brent''s first prince wishes to meet halfway towards Tervin''s dukedom.¡±


    Nodding, ¡°The preparations I asked?¡± I said after receiving the parchment.


    ¡°It is done.¡± He replied with a light bow.


    Shifting my sight towards Erina, I confirmed the proceedings with a nod. Turning back to Maize, ¡°Lead the way,¡± I commanded.


    Instead of heading towards the black carriage, we were led by Maize around it and into a small vacant house. Inside it, I, Erina, and Kanna went into a room where a wardrobe sat at the side.


    ¡°We''ll be taking a short rest here,¡± I said. ¡°Kanna, you can rest first on the bed.¡±


    Turning around to meet me, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She pouted. ¡°It should be we.¡±


    Smiling from the side, ¡°Your Highness,¡± Erina added. ¡°Please take a rest.¡±


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± I replied. ¡°I''m used to riding carriages while Kanna isn¡¯t. Besides, I still have to review this parchment.¡±


    </a> Regaining her vigor in an instant, ¡°Hehehe.¡± Kanna chuckled a grin. ¡°Then why don''t we take a bath first while Erina rests?¡±


    ¡°Kanna,¡± I smiled wryly. ¡°You''re like a dirty old man.¡±


    ¡°I may be old in human years, but fortunately, I''m not a man!¡± She raised her fist into the air.


    ¡°Erina,¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe I should throw Kanna into the slime pit for once?¡±


    ¡°I believe so, your Highness.¡± Erina returned a smile. ¡°Maybe her filth will be washed along the way.¡±


    ¡°... I''m sorry.¡± Kanna apologized immediately.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ahehehe. Ahehehe.¡± Kanna laughed while drooling. ¡°A bath with Lia, Ahehehe.¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± I sighed as I looked at Kanna maniacally smiling on one end of the large tub.


    Holding a towel to cover my front, I dipped my foot into the tub. Slowly submerging my body, I removed the towel and placed it on the side.


    ¡°Huaah...¡± I muttered as I relaxed my body to the warmth.


    I want this every day¡­ I thought, raising the corner of my lips.


    Lifting my eyelids, I raised my right foot as retaliation to the approaching Kanna.


    ¡°Mmf.¡± She muttered as she buried her face onto my foot.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± Unsmiling, I said. ¡°We have a deal.¡±


    ¡°Ahe.¡±


    Before she finished her laugh, I screamed when my spine shivered. ¡°Hyaa!¡± Feeling a small and soft sensation from my feet, I kicked her away.


    Splashing, Kanna hit the other side of the tub with a thunk.


    ¡°Auu...¡± She cried. ¡°Lia, that hurts.¡±


    ¡°Licking my foot,¡± I disdained. ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± She smiled. ¡°Lia has grown so much. You have a slim but curvy figure now; a supple white skin without a single scar or blemish, a silky long silver hair, a round growing che-¡±


    ¡°Kanna,¡± I interrupted as I covered my submerged body with my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to describe my body in detail.¡±


    ¡°Hwaaa!¡± She shouted with sparkling eyes. ¡°A shy Lia is a great Lia too!¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± I sighed. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have considered taking a bath with you.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­ But Lia¡¯s body is really good, no, it¡¯s divine, a body of a Goddess!¡± She declared with open arms. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine what will happen if we sleep together!¡±


    It¡¯s my blood that¡¯s divine and If there¡¯s someone who looks like a Goddess, it¡¯s Celes.


    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± Monotonously, I said. ¡°And you may not know what will, but I do. You¡¯ll be a few feet deep underground.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious though?¡± She frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t even see a single scar anywhere even though you always fought all the time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I never had a scar,¡± I said. ¡°I have to maintain the image of a princess, so I use ointments and light magic to remove them. If I didn¡¯t,¡± Recalling an event, I placed a hand over my stomach and rubbed it gently. ¡°I¡¯d have a lot by now.¡±


    Now that I think about it, that time was fatal. If my horn wasn¡¯t there, It could¡¯ve ended my life.


    Smiling, ¡°Nihehe.¡± She laughed lightly. ¡°Lia, this time around, I¡¯ll be with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not reassuring.¡± I returned a smile.


    Sinking herself up to her chin, ¡°Booo.¡± She said. ¡°That¡¯s no good Lia.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s no good.¡± Lifting the palm of my hand, water flowed back into the tub. ¡°But Kanna,¡± I called. ¡°This time won¡¯t be similar to the Tribe.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± She said as she closed in and grasped my hand. ¡°You won¡¯t be here with me if you hesitated.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s no room for hesitation. It¡¯s either your blood or your enemy¡¯s will spill.¡±


    ¡°Lia,¡± She smiled. ¡°Remember? I decided to see where your dream will lead you and I wo-¡±


    Placing a finger on her lips, ¡°it might end badly if you continue,¡± I said.


    ¡°I guess,¡± She grinned. ¡°But I¡¯ll continue this!¡± Producing splashes, she jumped to embrace me.


    Feeling a hand snaking at my back, I raised my knee before the embrace was completed. ¡°Buoo!¡± She squealed. ¡°T-that. Seriously. Hurts¡­¡± She muttered while she sank.


    ¡°Next time, a knee won''t be the only thing you''ll get.¡± Leaving the tub, water trickled down my body.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s okay. I was able to touch. Heaven¡­¡± She continued even after sinking in the tub.


    Grabbing the towel,¡°It¡¯s a dumb way to die by drowning in a bathtub.¡± I said as I washed myself.


    <hr>


    Taking a step, my armor produced a light clanking sound.


    Swaying my arms, ¡°It¡¯s lighter than it used to.¡± I muttered. ¡°Even my old sword felt lighter.¡±


    ¡°Maybe her Highness has gained some muscles?¡± Erina said playfully.


    ¡°Erina,¡± I glared. ¡°You know that¡¯s untrue.¡±


    ¡°Ara? Maybe there is? Kanna would be happy to check.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer!¡± Kanna raised her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll smack you instead so you can check my strength.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Erina said. ¡°Maybe try that instead?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± Hurriedly, Kanna protested. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s the effect of your horn?¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s not the only effect it has, but it¡¯s up to me to find out.¡±


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve found something?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m still unused to it, and the difficulty is hard but,¡± Raising my hand, I¡¯ve let my mana flow, restricted it, and shaped it into a magic circle. Shortly, a ball of light manifested. ¡°I learned this.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Kanna blinked repeatedly. ¡°Magic shards?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t use any shard or crystal.¡±


    ¡°T-then Chant-less?¡±


    Smiling, I nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How?!¡± Kanna shouted, approaching in hurried steps.


    ¡°How to say this, it¡¯s actually simple than anyone probably thought,¡± I explained. ¡°The only problem is the ability.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Shifting my sight to Erina, ¡°I know, I can use it as a card for negotiations.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, the idea is simple,¡± I said, halting the supply of mana into the ball of light. ¡°Back then, we used to draw magic circles on paper using crushed Crystalline Manatite, but now, we draw them inside the crystals themselves. Now for chanting, it has been used since time immemorial, but all we know is that if we chant, the magic will automatically manifest.¡±


    Moving to the bed, I took a seat. ¡°The difference between chanted magic and magic produced through shards? The answer is the location where the circle is drawn.¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I don¡¯t get it?¡± Puzzled, Kanna asked.


    ¡°Basically, every time we chant, the magic circle is automatically drawn within our body.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°I have no idea. I can only argue that there¡¯s some sort of system in place.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then you¡¯re saying that we¡¯ve been blind all this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°We are. But the difficulty is high if you¡¯ll form the circle yourself.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± She asked. ¡°We can draw magic circles with the help of stabilizers.¡±


    Disagreeing, ¡°That¡¯s too wishful.¡± I said. ¡°Drawing using a string of mana to function as a pen is easy compared to drawing one within your body.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Kanna,¡± I said. ¡°Can you draw a magic circle without seeing it?¡±


    Realizing what I meant, ¡°Ah...¡± She lost her vigor.


    ¡°See? Everyone is considered a blind artist. The only good thing about it is that the mana will disperse rather than explode if you fail. On the bright side, if you¡¯re near the actual circle, the magic will manifest, but on a lower level.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t the previous light ball at the size of an ordinary one?¡± She asked while trying to shape the size of the ball with her arms.


    ¡°For a light ball manifested through shards, yes, but for me who has an affinity in light, no.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so the affinity affects Chant-less too...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a given,¡± I nodded. ¡°It was formed within the body.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you do it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Illusions are my specialty, and it needs a high level of visualization.¡±


    ¡°Then a good image will serve as a guide?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied. ¡°But imagining it and forming it while imagining it is different. It requires greater focus compared to chanted magic.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s worse than chanting huh.¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± I said. ¡°It can change the tides if used properly.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± She said, taking a seat beside me.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days since I¡¯ve been practicing but I can only produce a light ball.¡±


    It feels lacking. I thought. If this is everything about chant-less magic, then why did Celes taught me to control mana on the outside?


    ¡°Maybe I''m thinking too much into it?¡± I unconsciously muttered.


    Or maybe I should stop using Celes as a reference instead...


    ¡°Is something the matter, your Highness?¡± Erina asked.


    Shaking my head, ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Please inform Maize of our departure.¡±


    In reply, ¡°Yes,¡± Erina bowed before leaving.


    ¡°Say, Lia.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do with two swords?¡± She asked, pointing to my old sword.


    ¡°Ah, that,¡± I said. ¡°This rapier specializes in taking down large beasts due to its nature to act as a needle and inject lightning. Using that against humans is too much of an overkill.¡±


    ¡°Why not embed a magic in the rapier instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning on doing that, but I¡¯ll have the rapier specialize in taking down beasts, and my old sword on something else.¡±


    ¡°Then dual wielding?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°Of course not,¡± I said. ¡°My style requires me to have another hand free for my dagger or shards.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re bringing both?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded.


    Coming from the door, a knock came. ¡°Your Highness, the preparations for the departure are done.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shifting my sight to Kanna, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Fixing my right foot on the stirrup, I lifted my body onto the saddle. ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while since I last rode a horse,¡± I muttered.


    Clopping its hooves, Maize, riding a horse, came to my side. ¡°How is it, your Highness?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good horse,¡± I said, rubbing the horse¡¯s mane.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you liked it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± I replied. ¡°Maize, we have a lot to discuss so let us depart.¡±


    ¡°By your will.¡±


    <hr>


    Surrounded by the clopping of hooves and the rattling of the carriage behind me, I held the reins of my horse as I spoke with Maize.


    ¡°Maize,¡± I called. ¡°The duchy?¡±


    ¡°Everything is normal your Highness.¡±


    ¡°The number of attacks?¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been reduced by a lot huh.¡±


    Despite me spitting at their faces directly this time, they reduced their visits.


    ¡°The Heroes?¡±


    ¡°Hero Meiko, a woman with a long black hair had escaped towards the south.¡±


    ¡°Brent¡¯s action?¡±


    ¡°The Royalty, the Nobility, and the Church are contesting each other on who gets her first.¡±


    ¡°Last location?¡±


    ¡°Eight kilometers north of the twin peaks from five days ago.¡±


    ¡°Maize,¡± I smiled. ¡°Advance six men to do an advanced inspection of the refugees. Along the way, have the towns and villages relax on their patrol on the west, then do the opposite on the east.¡±


    Grinning brightly, ¡°Truly, your Highness is a gem.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m still in the rough Maize,¡± I replied. ¡°As always, you¡¯re free to add orders.¡±


    ¡°What do you wish to do to the Hero?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll decide after meeting her myself, but I have no intention of relying on a Hero.¡±


    ¡°The-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t attack or threaten her. Similar actions to what Brent and Libet took is also forbidden.¡± I commanded. ¡°Upon contact, drop your weapons and opt for a dialogue.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Maize, I know you¡¯re itching for an opponent, but it¡¯s best we avoid antagonizing the Heroes,¡± I said. ¡°Also, it¡¯s been quite a while Master,¡± I turned my head to Maize. ¡°I¡¯ll be your opponent once we¡¯re back in the duchy.¡±


    Snorting a grin, ¡°I¡¯ll have you show me how far you¡¯ve improved, Apprentice.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Enough, tell me more of the condition of the Heroes.¡±


    ¡°I believe his Highness will be more suited.¡± Then he started giving out orders to the men.


    So they¡¯re already here. I thought as Brent¡¯s banner waved from the hills in the distance.

 Chapter 35: Lingering Feelings

    About five years ago.


    ¡°My engagement?¡± Looking up to my Father, I asked. ¡°To whom?¡±


    ¡°Amelia Laurel,¡± Smiling, he said. ¡°You¡¯ll meet her soon.¡± Placing his hand over my hair, he ruffledit and said. ¡°She¡¯ll be a fine lady like your Mother so treat her well.¡±


    Leaving those words behind, he turned his back and walked on the opposite end of the hallway.


    As I watched his back recede from the stone-slabbed hallway, I thought. Laurel¡¯s first princess huh. Though Mother and Father were engaged similarly, they lived happily like an ordinary couple.


    Lifting my feet, I turned around and took a step in the opposite direction. It doesn¡¯t matter. I thought. It¡¯s my duty as a prince, no matter where it leads, I have to live up to it.


    As Brent¡¯s first prince, I''ve met numerous women of varying statuses. Nevertheless, it was my duty as the next King to please the Nobility for me to create a stable foothold before ascending to the throne.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Beside a large wooden double door, a man in a black tailcoat bowed. ¡°Your guests are waiting inside.¡±


    ¡°Lester.¡± Shifting my sight to my right, ¡°When was this arranged?¡± I stood upright over a red carpet and asked.


    ¡°The talks have been going on for two years,¡± Unblinking, he said. ¡°Does his Highness have any qualms?¡±


    Casting a shadow over the carpet and the marble floor, the round portion shook. ¡°No,¡± I answered. ¡°Most of our mineral resources came from Laurel, and for years, we have been indebted to them.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± He answered as his eyelids fell over his eyes. ¡°Well then,¡± Turning to face the door, Lester knocked and announced. ¡°His Highness has arrived.¡±


    From the other side of the door.


    You¡¯re charming as always, Amelia.


    Gradually, the clopping of the hooves diminished while a girl dressed in a gleaming silver armor reined her horse to face mine.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± The silver-haired girl smiled. ¡°Prince Maxwell.¡±


    Nodding, ¡°It has, princess Amelia.¡± I returned a smile.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± She asked, turning her horse to her left.


    In response, I grabbed the rein of my horse and led it to my right. Facing each other, we both nodded and started reining our horse forward till we were side by side.


    When she advanced a bit further, ¡°Advance!¡± Maize commanded.


    In unison, ¡°Depart!¡± Lester, my butler, and guard commanded.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been doing this for a few times now,¡± I started while our Guards spread side by side.


    ¡°We have,¡± Facing forward, she replied. ¡°We don¡¯t even have to remind them of the protocol.¡±


    In the distance, A walled city started to emerge.


    ¡°Should we raise the pace?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Fine with me,¡± I answered.


    Not long before the clopping of hooves and the rattle of the carriage increased in frequency.


    As her silver swayed like unhindered threads, I looked at her from the side.


    Back then, I was the one leading you¡­


    Trampling the grass, ¡°Come on!¡± Wearing a wide smile, I enthusiastically called. ¡°Come on Lia! I¡¯ll show you something!¡±


    ¡°M-max!¡± She panted, trying to catch up. ¡°Wait up Max!¡±


    Scratching my head, I ran up to her and offered my hand. ¡°Here,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Placing her hand over mine, I grasped it and thought. It¡¯s warm and soft.


    ¡°Max?¡± She asked as she looked up at me with a tilted head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    What is this? I thought. She¡¯s different.


    ¡°Max?¡± Again, she asked, leaning closer and closer.


    Realizing that she¡¯d been staring at me for a while, ¡°N-nothing.¡± I said as I turned my head to the side.


    This is bad. Placing my left hand on my chest, I thought. I can''t keep my calm.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Worried, she circled to my side and asked.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine!¡± Pulling her hand, I started walking. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go!¡±


    By the hand, I lead her from one place to another: around the garden, through the hallways, inside the library, to the kitchen, down the abbeys, and up to the throne.


    We played like children, told stories of our own, argued over games, and made peace. It was the most memorable 5 days of my life.


    Maybe it was because that I knew she''d be my Queen or was it her bright smile and gentle blue eye? Could it be due to our equal status that we could see eye to eye that I warmed up to her? I didn''t know. It didn''t matter.


    I shouldn''t have let her hand go. I should¡¯ve kept her close. I shouldn¡¯t have thought that a year of waiting is nothing but a dime compared to the rest of the time I¡¯d spend with her.


    20 days after they left, we received information that they¡¯d soon return from Niveria back to Brent then onward to Libet. Thinking that we should escort our soon to be family, we set out from the capital, expecting that''d we arrive earlier.


    Contrary, we arrived two days late. It was all due to unexpected villages burning down as we advanced.


    At the time when we arrived at a town bordering Niveria, it was silent, dead silent.


    ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± A horseman shouted. ¡°The town! N-nothing is left but corpses!¡±


    Spurred by the unexpected news, we rushed inside the town. From the gates to the houses, bodies littered the streets; children or adult, nothing was left behind.


    ¡°Search everywhere!¡± I shouted. ¡°Find the cause! Look for any trace of Laurel¡¯s Royals!¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Before Father gave an order, I commanded the Knights and Soldiers on my own. Whipping the rein of my horse, ¡°Father I¡¯ll join the search!¡±


    Urging my horse, its hoof-beats clopped louder at each passing second.


    Darting my eyes around, I caught sight of something unusual. Immediately, I jumped down my horse and approached the corpse of a fat-bellied priest.


    Kneeling before the body, I thought. A stab wound?


    Dubious, I scanned the vicinity. Although faint, I found a fading depression on the ground.


    This is!


    Grabbing a pile of dirt on the ground, I caught sight of a silver strand in the mix, causing my heart to race uncontrollably in an instant.


    Hurriedly, I climbed my horse and urged it to run as fast as it could.


    Amelia! My thoughts shouted repeatedly.


    Roaming around for a few minutes, ¡°Your Highness!¡± A soldier called. ¡°We¡¯ve found the princess and her attendant!¡±


    In a reckless attempt, I reined the horse to an abrupt stop and risked myself from being thrown off the horse. Fixing my posture, I shouted. ¡°Are they safe?!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The soldier replied. ¡°This way!¡±


    Arriving at the mansion, Amelia stuck up to my feet and begged. ¡°Max!¡± She cried. ¡°Max, please! Please bring me back to the forest! Grandpa, Ria, Mia, and everyone else! Please!¡±


    Never have I thought, that the woman that¡¯d be my Queen would wail and beg in front of me just to see the corpses.


    Answering her wishes, we went to the forest, but when we arrived, Amelia broke.


    ¡°Amelia!¡± I shouted. ¡°Stop!¡±


    Trying to stop her from digging the ground like a madman, I embraced her at the front.


    ¡°Nooooo!¡± She cried. ¡°Grandpa! Ria! Mira!¡±


    Although weak, she struggled from my embrace and tried to run towards the ashen forest.


    ¡°Amelia...¡±


    Her struggle did not hurt one bit, but each of her wail and cries scraped me from inside.


    Why does this have to happen? I thought. The next King, tasked to protect the citizens, failed to protect a few.


    ¡°Ma-¡±


    ¡°Max.¡±


    ¡°Max!¡±


    Feeling a hard object on my cheeks, I tried turning to my left, but a finger held my head in place.


    ¡°Max,¡± Amelia said. ¡°What are you spacing out for?¡± Then asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been speaking for a while now, and you¡¯re not even listening. Since when did you grow up this rude?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± I chuckled a laugh. ¡°Sorry, I was reminiscing a past event.¡±


    ¡°Past huh.¡± Shifting her sight downwards for a moment, she turned her face forward once again. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re almost at the gates so fix up that face of yours.¡± Then she moved ahead once again.


    Releasing my hand from the reins, I reached out to Amelia''s shoulder, but midway, I stopped.


    You¡¯re so near, yet so far at the same time. I thought as I grabbed the reins.


    Shaking my head, I held the reins tightly and thought. It doesn¡¯t matter. No matter how far you go, I¡¯ll chase after you, Amelia.


    Before we entered the gates, ¡°Amelia,¡± I called.


    Turning her face around, ¡°What?¡±


    Smiling, ¡°I love you.¡± I said.


    Twitching for a moment, ¡°Haah¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°Your words are cheap.¡±


    ¡°Cheap it may be, but those are words that I¡¯ll only utter to you.¡±


    For a second time, she placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. ¡°Haah¡­ Whatever should I do to you.¡±


    ¡°Marry me, and I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    ¡°How about marry someone else and stop?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll never give up.¡±


    ¡°And I keep telling you, give up.¡±


    After a short moment of silence.


    ¡°¡°Ahahaha.¡±¡± We both laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re the same as always Max.¡±


    ¡°And you haven¡¯t changed a bit since we went to Academia.¡±


    ¡°Have I?¡± Glancing, she asked.


    ¡°At least to me, you haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I wonder.¡± She said. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time for the usual parade. Show your best smile and shoot down the ladies.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s up to you to cull the men like always huh.¡±


    ¡°Want to charm the men for a change?¡± Turning a glance, she tilted her head wearing a smile.


    In return, ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not into men.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never know.¡±


    Passing the gates, we proceeded with the usual parade. Men, women, children, adult, and elderly, they all waved from their wooden framed windows, and stone-paved streets and alleys dotted with a mix of wooden and concrete structures.


    We kept waving and smiling to the citizens of Laurel up until we arrived at the Tervin¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± I called after we went down our horses.


    ¡°I know,¡± Rubbing the horse, she replied. ¡°Two days from now, the meeting will be held.¡±


    ¡°Then.¡±


    ¡°Max,¡± She turned around and said. ¡°Let me rest for today.¡±


    ¡°Then tomo-¡±


    ¡°Max, don¡¯t be childish.¡± She said. ¡°You¡¯re four years older than me.¡±


    ¡°A few hours is enough,¡± I said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be around the city. Anywhere is fine as long as we can talk.¡±


    ¡°Then tomorrow, three hours after dinner at the garden.¡±


    Puzzled, ¡°Why at night?¡± I asked.


    In response, ¡°So you could cry yourself to sleep.¡± She said smiling. ¡°Well then, I''ll see you tomorrow.¡± Then she waved goodbye.


    <hr>


    Inside a bed-chamber at the left wing of Tervin¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Lia!¡± Kanna, trying to rip a cloth apart, shouted. ¡°Who¡¯s that pesky man! I¡¯ll beat him! I¡¯ll beat him to death and feed him to Birby!¡±


    Smiling, ¡°Kanna,¡± I said. ¡°If someone else hears you, you might be executed for treason.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± She slammed the cloth to the floor. ¡°I was first! First I say! Lia is mine and mine alone!¡±


    Picking up the cloth, she tried to rip it apart again. ¡°Wait here, Lia! I¡¯ll beat some sense into him!¡±


    The cloth is extending.


    Standing from my seat, ¡°Kanna.¡± I called as I approach from behind.


    Turning around, ¡°Yes?¡± She asked.


    Activating reinforcement, I brought down my fist on her head. ¡°Buu!¡± Then she fell to her knees, then to the floor with a thud.


    ¡°That¡¯ll keep her quiet for a while.¡± Lifting Kanna, I said.


    Sitting on a chair beside a drawer, ¡°Is she dead?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°The whites of her eyes are showing, but I think not.¡±


    ¡°You should heal her even for a bit to make sure.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± After placing her on the bed, I chanted Heal and placed my fingers on her forehead. ¡°I guess this is enough.¡±


    Falling on the bed beside Kanna, ¡°Haah...¡± I sighed. ¡°Wearing an armor in broad daylight is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°The season will turn to fall soon.¡±


    Turning to my side, I faced Kanna¡¯s direction. ¡°We rushed to Tervin¡¯s dukedom and arrived a day earlier, so it¡¯s three days more before the months of summer starts.¡±


    ¡°It is, but at this course, you¡¯ll be late for the start of the Academy.¡±


    Closing my eyes, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I said. ¡°Academia cares about results anyway, so attendance isn¡¯t a must. Besides, I have to stay at the duchy to drag Mola and Glasses to Academia.¡±


    ¡°And what for?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the issue with the Dasbalites, the seeds from the Tree Mimic, the Horn Shedding from Amalthea, Mother¡¯s request, and of course the Labyrinth itself. But it may change depending on when I¡¯ll meet the runaway Hero.¡±


    ¡°What about the prince?¡±


    ¡°...¡± In silence, I thought. That¡¯s what I want to know.


    ¡°Are you prepared for the meeting the day after?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be acting as a representative diplomat this time, but I¡¯m sure that the prices for the weapons they asked will jump due to the incoming war. At a minimum, at least a ten percent increase will be observed.¡±


    ¡°Your decision?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m planning to let Laurel cover at most sixty percent of the cost to aid the rescue operations and reclamation of Niveria, but that¡¯s something I should discuss with Uncle tomorrow since the matter of the Refugees is also present.¡±


    ¡°Then perhaps you¡¯d want me to prepare a bath after your nap?¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± I answered.


    With a short rattle, ¡°Before I go, Amelia.¡± Erina said. ¡°What do you plan to do with Maxwell.¡±


    ¡°¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t know.¡± I answered. ¡°Our engagement was long broken, and even if it was forced now, it won¡¯t end as good as it was before.¡±


    ¡°What do you feel?¡±


    Lifting my eyelids, ¡°Like I said.¡± I answered. ¡°I¡­¡± For a moment, I paused.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Erina,¡± I said. ¡°Even if I did answer his feelings, it¡¯s impossible for us.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you have a lingering feeling?¡±


    ¡°You could say that...¡±


    ¡°Then excuse me, your Highness.¡± With those words, Erina left quietly.


    What do I feel huh? Again, I closed my eyes and recalled. That dream, wait, was it really a dream? It felt too real.


    A time when everything went well and I ended up with Max. A time when I bore a child named Lara and pregnant with another. During those times, I can''t deny that I was satisfied and happy.


    Besides, why did I even named her Lara? Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t met Elaine¡¯s mother for a while now. I wouldn''t have minded it if it was Liz, but I don''t have any problems with Elaine''s mother.


    ¡°Haah...¡± Clutching the necklace, I sighed. Celes, it would¡¯ve been easier for me to keep denying Max, but because you showed me that possibility, I can¡¯t say that I still feel the same¡­

 Chapter 36: Make Me

    Within a visiting room at the left wing of Duke Tervin¡¯s mansion, ¡°come on Amelia.¡± A brown-haired man, dressed in a simple suit of white, said, ¡°It¡¯ll be quick.¡±


    Sitting upright, I crossed my legs and placed my hands on my thighs. ¡°Lord Tervin, no, Hans, please leave me this instance.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Clasping his hands, he said in front of me, standing. ¡°We¡¯re cousins, you know? We should enjoy our time.¡±


    ¡°Indeed we are cousins,¡± Raising my chin slightly, I returned a frown. ¡°I¡¯d be happy to enjoy our time together as cousins if not for your debt.¡±


    Smiling wryly, his figure came close. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that.¡± Wryly, he said. ¡°It¡¯s but a small amount.¡±


    ¡°Small?¡± Squinting, ¡°since when did fifty large golds became a small amount? That¡¯s equivalent to five-hundred-thousand coppers mind you. And wasn¡¯t it the reason why we haven¡¯t met for two years?¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± Shaking his clasped hands, he said. ¡°We¡¯re cousins.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the second son of the previous prince,¡± I said, ¡°have some shame.¡±


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± He chuckled.


    Clacking, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Footsteps came from the side. ¡°Hans,¡± Monotonously, ¡°leave this instant.¡± A man said. ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with you later.¡±


    Releasing his clasped hands, ¡°B-but Father!¡± Hans replied.


    Pointing at the door he came from, ¡°Leave!¡± The man bellowed.


    Taking a step back, ¡°Y-yes.¡± Hans scrambled out of the room.


    Approaching from the side, the silver-haired man stood across the brown coffee table and said. ¡°My apologies Amelia.¡±


    Relieving my crossed legs, ¡°It¡¯s fine Uncle.¡± I replied with a smile.


    Taking a seat on the red couch behind him, ¡°It seems my son has quite a debt.¡± He placed his left arm on the armrest.


    Leaning backward, my back laid against a soft surface. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s your son¡¯s debt.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Scratching the side of his straight hair in a faux-cut, ¡°but this time, I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± Relaxing my shoulders, I sighed. ¡°This is why I don¡¯t want to inform you of the matter,¡± I muttered. ¡°Anyway, Uncle, please use it to fund the needs of the refugees.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need it for something else?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Besides, if the refugees from Niveria knew that they received support from the very person that re-established the trade with the Tribe, at the least, they might doubt my actions and stance regarding the war.¡±


    ¡°Doubt huh,¡± He muttered. ¡°You¡¯re taking this opportunity to shake their beliefs before the Lynxes arrive at their settlement, is it?¡±


    Nodding, ¡°Yes,¡± I replied.


    Peering, ¡°Amelia, your visit to the settlement, it won¡¯t be a pleasing one.¡±


    Gripping my hands, I said. ¡°I¡¯m prepared.¡±


    Sighing, he said. ¡°If only they¡¯d recognize that not all races are the same demons that the church claims.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a lot easier to make peace.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Reaching for the papers stacked on the table, ¡°Have you read the contents?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Five-thousand spears, three-thousand spear-heads, two-thousand longswords and broadswords, seven-thousand sets of armor including shields, both leather, and plate. Eight-thousand bows and crossbows with eighty-thousand bolts and arrows. There¡¯s also a request for pig-iron, wrought-iron, iron ingots, copper, tin, bronze, coals, and leather. Lastly, food supplies, preferably those with long shelf-life.¡±


    Expressing a wry smile, ¡°That makes things easier.¡± Then he returned the papers back to the table.


    ¡°As Laurel stands, we can supply half of their requested military supplies immediately, but the rest is to be produced through the rest of the following year.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not everything, is it?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nodded. ¡°A third or a fourth?¡±


    ¡°Release a fourth for now.¡±


    ¡°Then the rest will be released incessantly to expedite the trade between Laurel and Brent for at least the incoming six months or so.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Expressing a wide grin, he answered. ¡°For the transportation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave that to you,¡± I said. ¡°I believe Uncle is more fit to handle the trade between Laurel and Brent.¡±


    ¡°A favor is it?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°No, I¡¯m giving you the opportunity. As it stands, you¡¯ll make use of the transportation to introduce commodities to Brent. The fact that there will be a rise in prices, I doubt Uncle won¡¯t take it.¡±


    Slapping his legs, ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Heartily, he laughed. ¡°You¡¯ve been colluding with merchants as of late haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it,¡± I replied. ¡°To be honest, I severely lack connections with the Nobility.¡±


    ¡°Instead you made one with the merchants.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s quite a deadlock. Since I¡¯ve been offering cheaper commodities and services that their land needs, the Nobles couldn¡¯t threaten mine freely. But I won¡¯t deny that there were attempts.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡± He nodded repeatedly, then with a clap, he said. ¡°That got out of hand.¡±


    ¡°It has.¡±


    ¡°Then for the amount to donate. Have you thought of something for now?¡±


    ¡°Depending on how the talk will proceed, I¡¯ll set the donation at sixty percent maximum of the estimated price of their request.¡±


    ¡°Estimated price huh.¡± He chuckled a grin. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Since Laurel has the upper hand in the negotiation, once they fail to give anything beneficial to Laurel, then twenty percent will be the minimum.¡±


    ¡°Beneficial offer huh.¡± Leaning back to the couch, he muttered. ¡°Fishing rights, trade ships, a trade contract between Brent and Laurel, I wonder which will be best.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s for them to suggest we can only try to veer off the discussion.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°In any case, Uncle, will you be my Adviser for the meeting tomorrow? I¡¯ll have Kanna be my Adviser from the Tribe.¡±


    But I doubt Kanna will be helpful.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t any reason for me to refuse, or is there?¡±


    Lifting myself from the couch, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be expecting your help tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°One more thing.¡± He said as he stood from his seat. ¡°Brent brought a priest as an adviser to the dialogue.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I believe Brent brought that priest to calm the church.¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± He replied. ¡°But it¡¯s best to be careful.¡±


    Taking a step towards the door, ¡°I will.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    <hr>


    Walking through the hallway, I reunited with Erina.


    ¡°How is it, your Highness?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to discuss,¡± I said. ¡°In the first place, it was a request for supplies and support for the war. As to where Laurel stands, it¡¯s obvious that we¡¯d help them retain the borders, at best, reclaim Niveria.¡±


    ¡°Then your meal? Won¡¯t you have it with everyone else?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it in the room,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Are you avoiding him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best if I meet him later.¡± Balling my hand into a fist. ¡°I don¡¯t want my decision to waver.¡±


    ¡°...¡± In response, Erina remained silent.


    Glancing at Erina, ¡°Anyway, where is Kanna?¡± I asked.


    Meanwhile, ¡°Mnnn! Mnnn!¡± A white worm wriggled inside a particular bedchamber on the left wing.


    <hr>


    On the balcony beside my room, I placed my hands on the railing, taking the lively view of the Dukedom.


    It¡¯s lively as ever.


    The streets were bustling, on the sides of the buildings of mixed wood and concrete, stall owners raised their arms, calling for whoever might want their wares. Carriages passed through the center, slowed by the people crossing the street. Carrying bags and baskets of various bread and fruits, Children ran from one alley to another.


    As expected of the trade city between Academia, Laurel, and Brent, the volume of people is overwhelming.


    ¡°Haah...¡± Clutching the stone railing, I sighed. ¡°Unless everything calms down after the dialogue, I won¡¯t be able to roam free...¡±


    [Cluck says Argent the chicken.]


    Receiving a message, I leaned my arms on the railing and replied with Wind Whisper. [What is it, Maize?]


    I can¡¯t get enough of that passphrase. I chuckled.


    [We have confirmed the presence of the Hero in the settlement.]


    [Any casualties on our side?] I asked.


    [None.] He answered. [But it seems that observers have tailed the Hero.]


    [Their number?]


    [Unconfirmed.]


    For a moment, I thought in silence.


    [For now, make a perimeter around the settlement. Preferably, a distance that won¡¯t catch the attention of the observers.]


    [Anything else?]


    [Have two or three men blend with the refugees to check the condition of the food and water. For the rest, stay put and observe.]


    Recalling something, [Another thing,] I asked. [Why did the Hero remain in the settlement?]


    [I believe the border Guards of Laurel had impeded most of the men chasing the Hero.]


    Turning my back against the railing, I asked. [Is there anything else?]


    [We have yet to confirm if there is.]


    [Inform me of any changes.]


    [Will do.]


    Before the night came, I went back to the room and continued my study of the Dwarf¡¯s language. I¡¯ve also asked Kanna on the possible stance of the Tribe.


    ¡°Our stance?¡± She said. ¡°Hmm¡­ As long as we have no actual participation in the war, then I guess we wouldn¡¯t mind. After all, the Tribe strives for peace. But in case the Tribe is threatened to the point that our lives are in danger, then we''d resort to force.¡±


    After the dinner, I was left inside the bedchamber with Erina.


    ¡°Erina,¡± I called. ¡°I don¡¯t get the reason why I should be presentable for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Combing my hair from the back, she giggled. ¡°Something might happen.¡±


    ¡°No, Erina,¡± I said. ¡°I tell you, that something your expecting won¡¯t happen. It won¡¯t, I tell you. Not. Never.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you give him the chance? Even for tonight?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± I protested. ¡°It¡¯d be a huge issue!¡±


    Stopping for a moment, ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d jump to that immediately. Really, her Highness is bold.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to expect from you?!¡±


    Giggling, she replied. ¡°I was only referring to a hug, you know?¡±


    ¡°For someone like Erina, I think that¡¯s too subtle,¡± I said. ¡°Please come back.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Feeling a hand over my shoulders, I felt Erina''s breath through my ears. ¡°Why not try the wrapping I tried on Kanna? It¡¯d be a nice present for his Highness.¡± She whispered.


    Shivering down my spine, ¡°I-I guess a subtle Erina is fine too.¡±


    <hr>


    Singing as it swayed, the grass moved like a rippling wave.


    ¡°Fuu...¡± Rubbing my arms, I breathed. ¡°Why am I even wearing a one-piece dress...¡± I muttered.


    From behind, a series of clacking sounds came. Turning around, I leaned against the wooden post of a gazebo.


    Recognizing the man carrying a lamp, ¡°So you came huh¡± I smiled.


    Walking to the opposite side, Max hanged his lamp on a hook stuck to the post. ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡± He replied.


    ¡°I always am, and will always be,¡± I said. ¡°At least, to you.¡±


    As another breeze passed through, Max¡¯s semi-spiky swept-back blonde hair swayed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you are referring to, but I am both.¡±


    Removing his black coat, ¡°Then.¡± he took a step into the moonlight.


    ¡°Stay,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t come close.¡±


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you cold?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been into places far colder than this.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Silently, he balled the coat, ¡°catch!¡± and threw it.


    Reflexively, I reached out my arms and caught it. ¡°If you¡¯re that adamant about it, then I won¡¯t return this.¡±


    Smiling, ¡°Fine by me.¡±


    ¡°Before anything,¡± Inserting my arms into the coat, I said. ¡°Max, you should¡¯ve gotten hold of the Hero haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± He laughed. ¡°It was a mess.¡±


    Scratching his head, he leaned his back against the post. ¡°Whoever gets near the Hero, any other party would make a Ruckus.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s like some wild goose chase.¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°It was!¡± Taking a step forward, he said. ¡°When our Guards approaches, the paladins of the church will yell from the distance to disrupt any form of dialogue. The same is true with the Nobility. We also tried setting up a perimeter around the cities, but the Hero knew advanced magic that enabled her to escape.¡±


    ¡°Advanced magic huh,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Yes, for a month old Hero, that¡¯s already an achievement.¡±


    ¡°She has access to magic of any level as a blessing?¡±


    ¡°The possibility is high, but we can¡¯t confirm if that is everything.¡±


    ¡°Then how come no one is chasing her anymore?¡±


    Scratching the back of his head, ¡°We lost her.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Surprised, I asked. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°She used concealment.¡±


    Placing a palm on my forehead, ¡°Figured.¡±


    To use concealment long enough to get away, that¡¯s quite a mana pool she has.


    ¡°Say, Amelia.¡± Changing his tone, Max said. ¡°Enough about the Heroes, I can give you a copy of the report later.¡±


    Shifting my sight to the side, ¡°Max,¡± I said. ¡°I appreciate the report, but regarding us...¡± I returned my sight back to him and said. ¡°My answer won¡¯t change. Give up.¡±


    ¡°Like I said,¡± looking down for a moment, ¡°I won¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°Max, please, we both know that it¡¯s hard for both of us,¡± I said. ¡°I appreciate the times we¡¯ve been through in Academia, the times we paraded to show that Brent and Laurel¡¯s ties remain strong, and even the time we beat up priests in Academia. I enjoyed it, not as lovers, but as close friends.¡±


    Clenching his fist, ¡°I enjoyed every second that I¡¯ve been with you, and I won¡¯t throw away my chance to be by your side.¡±


    ¡°Max!¡± I shouted. ¡°You¡¯re the next King, soon, you¡¯ll need an heir once you ascend the throne, and I doubt that your mother and father haven¡¯t talked about your engagement yet.¡±


    Taking a step forward, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve been reserving that seat for you.¡± he said.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Max...¡± Hunching, I said. ¡°You know it¡¯s over for us. I¡¯ll never be your Queen. It¡¯s like placing a lamb within a den of wolves.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a wolf in a sheepskin, Amelia.¡± Taking one step and another, he added. ¡°No matter what happens in Brent, I¡¯ll make sure the church won¡¯t touch you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the thought,¡± Leaning my back against a post, I said. ¡°But you know it¡¯s impossible unless the church and the believers itself are dead. But in that case, that¡¯s genocide.¡±


    In a single generation at least.


    Closing in, he placed his hand over the railings beside me, locking me in place.


    Looking up at his green irises, ¡°Max,¡± glaring, I said. ¡°Another move and I won¡¯t hesitate to beat you up.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, please trust me.¡± Feeling his warm breath, he said. ¡°If it¡¯s the church, I¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t reassure me one bit.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then tell me,¡± Frowning, he said. ¡°What do you want me to do for you to accept me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, Max, nothing.¡± In a low tone, I replied. ¡°Give up,¡± Smiling, I placed my hand on his cheeks. ¡°Give the seat to someone else, to someone that will answer your feelings.¡±


    ¡°Amelia...¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t fight beside you,¡± Using my fingers, I caught his tears. ¡°But I can fight along with you.¡±


    ¡°Then what if we lived as-¡±


    ¡°Max!¡± I interrupted. ¡°Suggest that we throw our responsibilities as a solution and I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±


    Releasing his arms, he turned around and balled his hands into a fist. ¡°It¡¯s the church, back then and now, it¡¯s the church!¡±


    Catching his arm before he ran away, ¡°Max!¡± I shouted. ¡°Are you insane?!¡±


    Returning a glare, ¡°I¡¯ll make the church pay!¡± He shouted.


    Pulling his arms, ¡°That¡¯s!¡± I swept his front leg, ¡°My!¡± and made his body fall to the floor with a thud. ¡°Line!¡±


    ¡°Uuughh...¡± He moaned.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lending him a hand, I said. ¡°But you have to calm down.¡±


    Moments after he got back up, he stood, blankly looking at the floor. ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± I sighed.


    What am I? I thought. A mother consoling her child?


    Approaching from the front, I slid my arms behind him. ¡°There,¡± I said. ¡°Feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Lia¡­¡± He repeated.


    Nuzzling my head on his chest, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I muttered.


    Immediately, he embraced me tightly. ¡°Lia¡­ Won¡¯t you answer me?¡±


    Clutching his clothes, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I said.


    ¡°Why? We could have lived together...¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡°We could have¡­¡± Closing my eyes, I muttered. ¡°Say, Max, I wouldn¡¯t mind being your mistress when everything is over.¡±


    Releasing me from his embrace, he placed his hands over on my shoulders. ¡°Lia...¡±


    ¡°Max, show me.¡± Looking at him straight, a tear ran down my cheeks. ¡°Show me how great a King you can be.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Make me, Max, I beg you,¡± Grabbing his collar, I said. ¡°My decision, make me regret it. Make it so that I¡¯ll cry myself to sleep that I didn¡¯t choose to be the one sitting next to you. Make it so that I wished to be the one bearing your child. Make me fall for your grace. Make me beg for your love.¡±


    Releasing my grip, I continued. ¡°This is my challenge to you, if you can¡¯t do it, then I will never consider being your mistress.¡±


    Wiping his tears with his arms, ¡°Will you promise?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry Max, this is the only way I know to make you give up on me. I thought. I doubt that you¡¯ll still look at me after having your own family.

 Chapter 37: Dialogue

    Floating, light balls danced in the air like fireflies. They twisted, they turned, and they formed familiar shapes: cubes, cylinders, pyramids, prisms, and more.


    ¡°...¡± Flopped on a slab of stone tiles, I held my right arm into the air, manifesting another one of the said balls from the palm of my hands.


    Passively, I manipulated the balls until I lost control on all of them. Dying out like a flash of light, I stopped supplying mana. Retracting my arm, I flapped it before resting it atop my knees. Then reaching out my left, I restarted the same light ball manifestation and manipulation.


    Within the odd room slabbed with stone, ¡°It¡¯s surprising that you¡¯re here,¡± A voice echoed fragrantly.


    Recognizing the voice, ¡°You suggested that I can use this place whenever I want to grow my horn,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°You seem to have gotten used to it,¡± the voice replied.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, ¡°It¡¯s too easy to reach this place with the necklace.¡±


    ¡°Then mind guessing where you are?¡±


    ¡°Impossible,¡± I answered, ¡°I don¡¯t even recognize this type of stone¨C no, this isn''t even an ordinary stone, is it? It''s glowing.¡±


    Using my right hand, I slid my fingers on the slightly rough surface of the floor.


    Shifting my sights from left to right, ¡°This place is firmly enclosed, yet I can breathe.¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s a type of concrete mixed with crushed Dasbalites? Without failing to control the light balls, I thought.


    ¡°Anyway, Celes, please let me stay for a while longer.¡±


    Waiting for a reply, ¡°Thank you,¡± I muttered.


    Again, after reaching the limit, I exchanged my hand and repeated the process.


    Leaning my back against the wall, ¡°Haaah...¡± I breathe out a sigh from my weighted chest.


    ¡°Say, Celes,¡± I called.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°That dream, was it possible?¡± unsmiling, I asked, ¡°was it just a dream?¡±


    ¡°It happened,¡± she said, ¡°at a different time.¡±


    Balling my left, ¡°Why?¡± I asked, ¡°why do you have to show me?¡±


    ¡°It was a precarious time, Amelia,¡± She answered, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t shown you, would you have recognized that it didn¡¯t feel right?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Unable to reply, I loosened my grip.


    ¡°You were asleep for two weeks,¡± she said, ¡°you¡¯ve accomplished the goal of saving yourself and Erina, and have thought it was enough, right?¡±


    ¡°That could¡¯ve been your end,¡± she continued, ¡°you could¡¯ve stayed asleep for eternity.¡±


    Feeling my consciousness starting to lose ground, ¡°Amelia, you shouldn¡¯t waver,¡± she said, ¡°abide by your decision.¡±


    In exchange for my right, I held out my left.


    ¡°Keep at it; I¡¯ll return you to your bed.¡±


    Not long, my head became dizzy, and my sight turned fuzzy and before I lost my consciousness, Four rounds of thirty light balls¡­ Then I slumped against the wall.


    <hr>


    With her chin placed on the end of the bed, ¡°Lia, are you okay?¡± Kanna asked.


    Snorting a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered, ¡°I just need some rest.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    Shifting my body, I turned my back against Kanna.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± reaching for my necklace, I said, ¡°do you think the other two Enarfs reached the Duchy?¡±


    Amelia, you¡¯re not someone who¡¯d sulk over something like this.


    ¡°Why not?¡± she answered, ¡°the Tribe journeyed from the west of Alabaster.¡±


    Chuckling a grin, ¡°you¡¯re right.¡±


    There¡¯s no time for this.


    As I propped myself to a seat, I turned around and said, ¡°Erina, please have my dress prepared.¡±


    <hr>


    Dressed in a white gown laced in black, I strode down the hallway leading to the main building of the mansion. As I walked, several figures emerged from my sight, standing before a large oak wood double door.


    After arriving at the side of Kanna and Uncle, I took another step forward. Then from the other side, Max, wearing a black suit, the representative between him, a Noble, and a priest, took a step forward and placed a hand on his chest.


    Lifting my skirt, ¡°good day,¡± I curtsied, ¡°I¡¯m Amelia Laurel, entitled as the Silver Princess.¡±


    Bowing his head with a smile, ¡°a good day to you too,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m Maxwell Brent, Brent¡¯s heir to the throne.¡±


    Finished with our greetings, Kanna, Uncle, the Noble, and the Priest each introduced themselves.


    Led by Knights, we entered the solar purposed into a meeting room. Inside, a 14-foot long polished black trestle table stood in harmony with the red carpet underneath. Taking our designated seats, I and Max both sat center of our group. On the other end of the table, a man called Administer stated the rules for the diplomatic talk.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Then the discussion started after the Administer stated Brent''s trade request.


    Continuing from where the Administer left off, the Noble from Brent said, ¡°In compliance with the war, we ask Laurel to support our cause in maintaining the borders and in reclaiming Niveria.¡±


    Placing his clasped hands over the table, Uncle spoke, ¡°and what would Laurel gain from this?¡±


    ¡°Peace and Security of Laurel from the races.¡±


    ¡°If Laurel provides food for Brent, we might encounter a food crisis during winter.¡±


    Upright, I silently sat while observing the black-vested priest as Uncle and the Noble gave their piece.


    Pinching my thighs underneath the table, [Max, what¡¯s this priest for?] I used Wind Whisper.


    With a quick glance, [the church won¡¯t calm down if we didn¡¯t bring at least one priest.]


    ¡°Brent requires food to maintain the borders, if Brent falls, Academia and Laurel will be next.¡±


    Interrupting their argument, ¡°I beg to differ,¡± I said, ¡°I believe the accounts stated that the ones that felled Niveria were Beastmen. In that case, once winter approaches, a portion of their army will be forced to enter a partial hibernation stage.¡±


    ¡°True, your Highness,¡± the Noble replied, ¡°but replacements are possible.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that they will attack immediately?¡± squinting my eyes, ¡°maybe Brent still has Beastmen slaves?¡±


    Twitching for a slight moment, ¡°I believe Laurel is the same,¡± he replied.


    Expressing a smile, ¡°Oh, we did have,¡± I said, ¡°but if you wish, we can show you the graves of the offenders.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Pardon, but I¡¯ll have to pass.¡±


    [Amelia, you¡¯re teasing him too much,] said Max.


    ¡°In any case, an im-¡±


    Interrupted, the priest spoke, ¡°Laurel must provide war funds and supplies to stop the war against the races.¡±


    ¡°And by races you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The demons of course,¡± with a grin he glanced at Kanna and me.


    ¡°Is that what the church believes or is it Libet?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡±


    Smiling, ¡°In that case, Laurel will not hear your opinion.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    He shouted as he stood from his seat.


    With a bang, ¡°Quiet!¡± the Administer interfered, ¡°please maintain a peaceful discussion!¡±


    Reluctantly, the priest returned to his seat.


    [Why did the church send an inferior priest? Are they mocking me? Or are they too busy with their puppets running around Randia?]


    [We withheld the church,] he replied, [In case of the Heroes, you are correct. After all, they are going to use them against the Beastmen soon.]


    No wonder, I thought, expecting this priest as the culprit behind those observers is a mistake.


    ¡°In any case,¡± I continued from where I left off, ¡°this talk is between Brent and Laurel. Libet and the church have no voice here.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± said the priest, ¡°do you know what you¡¯ve said?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, yes,¡± I said, ¡°after all, this dialogue was requested by Brent.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Max added, ¡°this is a talk between Brent and Laurel. If Libet and the church wished it, then request it yourself,¡± glancing at the priest beside him, he glared and said, ¡°again, we are not your pawns.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± nodded the Noble.


    ¡°Ghh...¡± Gnashing his teeth, the priest remained silent.


    Placing his own clasped hands on the table, ¡°regarding our request,¡± Max said, ¡°we may not need it immediately, but eventually, we will.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± grunted Uncle, ¡°then I believe it is fine to provide in a manner that won¡¯t affect Laurel¡¯s state of affairs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do not wish to trouble our ally.¡±


    Grinning a smile, ¡°Ally huh,¡± Uncle scratched his thin beard.


    ¡°One thing,¡± I said, ¡°what will Laurel gain in Niveria''s reclamation? Although true that the capital has fallen, and the King and the Queen slain, the cities far from the capital remain standing, no?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an undeniable fact,¡± Max said, ¡°several cities, towns, and villages remain in Niveria, but since Niveria¡¯s princess wasn''t given enough time to create a foothold as the next Queen, Niveria¡¯s control fell into chaos.¡±


    Closing his eyes for a second, he continued, ¡°Once we reclaim Niveria, and successfully reinstate the princess as the Queen and my brother as King, Laurel, our Ally and Benefactor, will be given rights to our land.¡±


    ¡°And that land is?¡±


    Smiling, he said, ¡°It depends on how much we¡¯ll gain from Niveria, or if there will still be a kingdom called Niveria.¡±


    Left with a smile on my face, that¡¯s it, show me, grab the opportunity.


    ¡°And for the meantime?¡± I asked.


    Turning his head to the Noble beside him, they met each other¡¯s eyes and nodded.


    Returning his sights on me, he said, ¡°If Laurel agrees to provide, recognize us an ally, and avoid any form of war, then, we¡¯ll return the favor by removing the border tax collection on Laurel''s merchants.¡±


    A free trade huh, I thought, in more ways than one, that will decrease the price hike on the supplies they requested, and at the same time, let the outflow of Laurel¡¯s commodities to increase.


    [You¡¯re better at this than I thought.]


    [Do you see me in a different light now?] Max asked then continued, [wait for me Amelia, I¡¯ll make sure I grab you by the hand this time.]


    Clenching my fist, This is unfair.


    [Make sure you do,] I replied, [I¡¯ll be waiting.]


    ¡°Last,¡± I said, ¡°about Niveria¡¯s refugees, how does the princess take it?¡±


    Shaking his head, ¡°Unfortunately, the princess has yet to recover from the shock of losing her parents.¡±


    Ah, another naive princess like I used to be.


    ¡°In that case, Laurel will take care of the refugees as is and consider them as Laurel¡¯s citizens,¡± turning my head, ¡°Uncle, please have someone to announce that the refugees will be given six months to assimilate Laurel¡¯s rules and regulations.¡±


    On a sudden occasion, ¡°Haah...¡± Kanna sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t believe someone eyeing my body will keep muttering ¡®demon¡¯ through telepathy. This geezer sure is persistent,¡± glaring, Kanna said, ¡°or you''re just a pervert lusting over your deluded superiority.¡±


    Squinting my eyes with a frown, ¡°is this true?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Would you rather believe this fool?¡± replied the priest.


    [Maize, trace this priest¡¯s parish.]


    [Any other wishes?]


    [Make it natural.]


    [Understood.]


    Casting a glance, ¡°Kanna,¡± I reached for her hand and said, ¡°please refrain from giving responses unrelated to the discussion.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask,¡± Max said, ¡°what¡¯s the stance of the Tribe regarding the war? Will they join as an ally?¡±


    ¡°As a chief myself, the Tribe will only recognize those who have passed the proving.¡±


    Someone needs to share that waterfall experience.


    As settled, the discussion continued until the afternoon, but everything ended peacefully. As a result, a treaty was signed between Laurel and Brent, indicating the constructed alliance and trade agreement.


    On another matter, as proof of the alliance, an engagement was proposed. Brent''s 1st Princess, Clarissa Brent, will be wedded to Argent.


    Laughing mischievously, wait for your surprise Argent, I¡¯m sure you''ll be thanking me, I thought. Though I admire you aren''t a debauchee like Father and Mark, at least, learn how to get a woman! You¡¯re like Max! A headache!


    <hr>


    ¡°Haah...¡± falling into a fluff, my vision went dark.


    With my arm reached out, I grabbed a soft object, brought it closer, then placed my chin over it.


    Reclaiming my vision, ¡°hmm...¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Hwaah!¡± Kanna muttered, falling on the bed beside me, ¡°that was tiring!¡±


    Sliding my cheek against the pillow, I faced Kanna and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t even speak that much.¡±


    ¡°But that priest was ridiculous!¡±


    Propping myself up, ¡°Haah...¡± I sighed again.


    That¡¯s easier than what I¡¯ve been through...


    Turning my head with a smile, ¡°Erina,¡± I called, ¡°the Summer¡¯s End festival is today right?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Unmoved for a second, Erina broke into a smile, ¡°fine, but please be quick.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Maize and the others will be around.¡±


    Standing from the bed, ¡°Kanna, let¡¯s go for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± propping herself up, ¡°we¡¯re sneaking out?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, ¡°it¡¯s our last day here, although tomorrow will be the announcement of the discussion¡¯s result, we have to move to the refugee''s settlement, so it¡¯s a good time to relax and wonder about something else.¡±

 Chapter 38: Deadlock 1

    As Kanna and I toured the Dukedom during the Summer¡¯s End festival, I received a report regarding the condition of the Hero and the Observer¡¯s in the refugees'' settlement.


    Lips bit with a hand over it, not good, not good! I paced around the bed-chamber.


    ¡°Your Highness, would you like me to delay our departure?¡±


    After halting my steps, I faced Erina and said, ¡°please do.¡±


    From the side, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Lia, but I can¡¯t think of anything.¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°no, it¡¯s fine¡± I said, ¡°thinking up plans is not your specialty after all.¡±


    After the door closed shut, I approached the bed and flopped on top.


    ¡°Haah...¡±


    ¡°Lia,¡± sitting on a chair near a drawer, ¡°is there no other choice?¡±


    ¡°¡­ None, it¡¯s a deadlock. I can¡¯t move, neither the Hero nor the church can.¡±


    If only I don¡¯t need to care about the aftermath!


    Shutting my eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t move, but I have to.¡±


    Puzzled, ¡°that¡¯s contradicting.¡±


    ¡°If I delay this any longer, more of the church¡¯s personnel might arrive, however, if I move recklessly, the observers will take the refugees as hostages. On the other hand, the Hero can¡¯t move due to the observer¡¯s threat.¡±


    Clenching my head, ¡°aaaah!¡± I kneaded it and said, ¡°if only I can remove the observers without gaining the doubt of the refugees!¡±


    With a clenched fist, I pounded the mattress several times.


    Heaving a sigh, ¡°haah...¡± I fell on the bed, ¡°I need to think of something to break this deadlock.¡±


    <hr>


    With a neigh, the horse clopped its hooves as I fixed my feet on the stirrups.


    ¡°Mia,¡± glaring, Erina called, ¡°don¡¯t be reckless.¡±


    Shadowed by a hood, I returned a frown.


    ¡°I know, but please, make sure the relief, the mages, and the carriage arrive by morning.¡±


    From the other side of the mansion, a series of claps and loud cheers reverberated.


    Reining the horse towards the street, ¡°Erina, I need to go.¡±


    ¡°Haah...¡± she sighed, ¡°please be well.¡±


    Whipping the reins, ¡°I will,¡± the horse began to move.


    Urging the horse by the rein, rumbling hooves filled the streets unimpeded, one alley after the other. In the distance, a passage on the gray wall emerged. Again, with a whip, I increased the horse''s pace.


    Please bear with it.


    As I neared the passage leading outside, Guards stood nearby, however, rather than decreasing my pace, I maintained it. Passing by, they took a quick glance before returning to their post. Upon exiting the passage, a gentle breeze knocked my tattered hood, revealing my silver hair. Through the fields of green, upon noticing my figure, five horsemen moved. Heading towards their direction, we marshaled en route to the settlement.


    Riding beside me, a horseman dressed in an aged clothing said, ¡°your Highness, Captain Maize has proceeded with the instructions.¡±


    In response, I nodded.


    ¡°The status of the settlement?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no change.¡±


    With a glance, ¡°have the observers noticed?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    As we galloped in silence, ¡°your Highness,¡± the black-haired horseman called, ¡°how shall we proceed?¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± I commanded, ¡°at about a hundred meters before the settlement, we will split up and enter the settlement at different locations. Upon entering, mark all the observer¡¯s in your vicinity, but make sure to stay away from their sights. Regarding them taking action to gain the refugee''s trust, don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s impossible to take them down without involving the refugees. One last thing, don¡¯t make any move that will endanger the lives of the refugees! We don¡¯t want Laurel¡¯s image to shatter like glass!¡±


    Like I briefed, we split with each other and looked for a Guard in the vicinity. Leading the horse, I approached a Guard on standby. Descending from the saddle, the horse splattered series of breaths from it¡¯s bubbling mouth. Stroking its thick yet mellow shoulder, ¡°you can rest now.¡±


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    Turning to the Guard in wait, ¡°please take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Highness,¡± saluted the Guard.


    After receiving the Guards response, I took out a parchment and reviewed the marks written on it. Afterward, I crumpled it and said, ¡°please dispose of it.¡±


    While walking towards the settlement, I started collecting my hair from the back. Pulling it down to my shoulder, I held it down with my left as I took out a band of fabric and started tying up my hair. Then, taking out a shard from a pouch, I fitted it between my fingers.


    ¡°That should do it.¡±


    As I neared the settlement, I started chanting for Cloak of Concealment. Upon completion, I poured mana into my horn. Then, with the help of reinforcement, I sprinted, speed comparable to a horse''s gallop.


    After entering, I passed by a rough cube-like structure molded from earth. Reducing my pace, I took out a clip from my pouch while calming my breathing. Roaming my eyes around, more of the cube-like houses and wooden shacks littered the surroundings.


    What a mess.


    Looking around for an opportunity, I walked into an alley, swept my fringe and clipped it, hid my horn and fixed my hair, and cut off the mana supply on Concealment. Then upon exiting, I blended with refugees roaming around the place.


    Maintaining an indifferent expression, ¡°we need to relocate them as soon as possible,¡± I whispered to myself.


    Scanning, I failed to see a proper ditch for the wastes to flow. Scraps were scattered around. And the residents, children, adult, and elderly, though a small number, were holding down their stomachs with pained expressions.


    Inwardly, I rasped my teeth.


    Whoever you are, someday, I¡¯ll return this favor.


    The deeper I went into the settlement, the more I saw groups of people receiving reliefs from persons expressing prudent smiles.


    With clenched fists, I resisted from unsheathing the dagger from my waist.


    Weaving through the residents, I arrived at the settlement¡¯s square. Dotted with pale refugees, the sight of them coughing and wheezing drove needles into my core.


    Just a while longer, please stay strong.


    While avoiding eye contact, I roamed my eyes, searching for a street leading to a slightly larger cube structure. My attention grabbed by the disorderly line, I took the chance to approach a refugee at the end of it.


    Slightly hunching my back, ¡°H-hello...¡± I pinched the sides of my robe and said, ¡°my brother got sick¡­ and...¡±


    Returning a frown, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your brother,¡± the man shook his head in reply, ¡°but my Mother is sick and unable to stand, so I need to ask the Saint to get her cured. So I''m sorry, you have to fall in line.¡±


    ¡°But man, what¡¯s going on? We''ve been receiving relief now and then, but everything keeps going downhill. Is it because of the season changing?¡±


    ¡°I-I wonder...¡±


    Bowing, ¡°a-anyway, I have to get back to my brother soon. Thank you! ¡± then I turned around and vanished into an alley.


    Nothing goes well with the church!


    Around a few blocks, I skirted around while heading towards the start of the line. Locating the source, I casually passed by from a few meters. Unfortunately, I was unable to garner any information due to the crowd surrounding the structure.


    It¡¯s no use, I thought, I need to wait.


    Distanced from the structure, I went towards the middle of the line. Then taking a detour into an alley, I sat down on the dirt while taking note of the line¡¯s movement.


    While waiting, my stomach responded with a low growl.


    Slipping my hand into the robe, I glanced at the surroundings and muttered, ¡°not again...¡±


    Hunched in a corner while fumbling, a child sat quietly. Unable to ignore it, I stood from my seat and approached him. Ruffling his hair as I sat beside him, ¡°here,¡± I took out a jerky and offered it to the boy sulking beside me, ¡°it¡¯s not that good, but it will fill your stomach.¡±


    Meekly, the boy grabbed it and took a bite.


    ¡°T-thank you.¡±


    Smiling, ¡°you¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Barred by a moment of silence, ¡°say,¡± I broke the ice, ¡°mind telling me what happened? I¡¯m willing to listen.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Leaking tears from the corner of his eyes, he sniffled and brought his hands to his eyes.


    Stroking the boy¡¯s back, ¡°there, there,¡± I pulled the boy into an embrace, ¡°it¡¯s fine to cry.¡±


    ¡°Uwaaah!¡±


    I wonder what could¡¯ve happened if someone lent a hand back then¡­


    As time ticked, I comforted the boy and listened to his story until chatters from the direction of the line grew incessant.


    Standing from my seat, ¡°I have to go.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± With endearing eyes, he looked up to me.


    Wryly, I crouched before him and said, ¡°as long as you keep living, good things can happen.¡±


    Then with the last rustle of his hair, I quietly stood and left.


    Approaching the previous structure, I weaved through the residents spatting cries and insults as they leave.


    ¡°What about me?!¡±


    ¡°My child! Please help us!¡±


    ¡°My mother can no longer move! Please!¡±


    Then from the center of the crowd, ¡°please understand! We the Saint is too exhausted! Please return tomorrow!¡±


    As voices jeered back and forth, I moved into a corner, quietly spectating the commotion. When the crowd calmed, more and more started leaving, but several figures of men in the distance remained. Slipping back into the alley, I waited until nightfall.


    Opposite the direction of the structure, I moved while muttering a chant. With a step, I took a sudden turn, then broke into a run, careful enough to avoid emitting unnecessary noises.


    Confirming the presence of the observers, I snuck into the building. Within, a figure of a black-haired girl, breathing erratically, laid on the floor, curled like an infant. Beside her, a brown-haired girl sat while stroking her back.


    ¡°You did good today,¡± commented the girl.


    ¡°Y-yeah...¡±


    Beside the wall, I took refuge and quietly observed their figures. After a short while, I removed the clip then returned it into the pouch. Afterward, I took a step closer and drew my dagger. Annulling the cloak, I poured mana into the shard between my fingers, conjuring an illusion similar to the interior of the room and its contents.


    Wide-eyed, ¡°w-!¡±


    Right before the girl was able to shout, I cuffed her mouth and placed the dagger¡¯s blade on her neck.


    Staring at her quivering eyes, ¡°quiet,¡± I whispered, ¡°if you can promise to stay silent, I¡¯ll withdraw this dagger, if not...¡±


    In response, the girl gave a quick nod.


    While retracting the dagger, I glanced the Hero who immediately stood in a stance without relieving my hand over the girl¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± muttered the Hero dripping with sweat.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± reversing my grip on the dagger, I replied, ¡°you¡¯re the runaway Hero aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Surprised, the Hero trembled for a moment while I pushed harder on the mouth of the similarly surprised girl.


    ¡°N-not again...¡±


    Sparking a glare, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a Hero, but you¡¯re endangering the lives of the refugees.¡±


    With trembling lips, ¡°T-that...¡± her pupil shrank with a quiver.


    ¡°You know it, but you¡¯re afraid of being captured,¡± I said, ¡°but listen to me, please, surrender to the church.¡±

 Chapter 39: Deadlock 2

    ¡°N-!¡±


    Pointing the tip of the dagger to the girl¡¯s neck, ¡°You don¡¯t have to shout.¡±


    In a trembling voice, ¡°P-please, no more¡­ I don¡¯t want any of this...¡± she shed a tear.


    Releasing my hand on the girl, Irushed towards the Hero and grabbed her by the collar.


    Gazing at her eye to eye, ¡°Neither do I,¡± I activated Wind Whisper.


    Pushing her against the wall, ¡°You¡¯re a hero, but you¡¯re pathetic,¡± I spat an insult.


    ¡°W-wh-.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your opinion.¡±


    As her tears leaked like a stream, ¡°W-what are you saying...¡±


    ¡°I care more about the refugees than a Hero like you.¡±


    ¡°Why...¡±


    ¡°The refugees, they are suffering from your indecision and yet, you¡¯re saving them? Such hypocrisy.¡±


    Unable to reply, her mouth gaped and closed repeatedly.


    ¡°The solution is simple, to save them, you have to surrender.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­ my life...¡±


    ¡°Figure it out yourself,¡± I winked, ¡°you¡¯re a Hero aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Letting her go, she slid down the wall and flopped on the floor.


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, she stared at the floor, listless.


    As I turned around, I found the girl, covering her mouth on the corner. While gawking at her figure, I muttered a chant, and upon completion, I annulled the illusion then left the structure in a sprint. Manifesting my horn in the process, I weaved through the buildings. And into a random alley, I exited with a new clip on my fringe. Then again, I blended with the refugees.


    While near the settlement''s border, I manifested the cloak for the third time before leaving. Once I was far enough, I returned the clip and the shard into the pouch. Then, while treading over grass, I roamed my eyes in search of any Guard post I placed around the settlement.


    After I located one, I headed towards it and met with the Guard.


    ¡°Tell them I have safely left the settlement,¡± I commanded after the Guard saluted.


    ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡±


    When Guard left, I took another glance at the surroundings, sadly, only a field of grass and several stones cluttered my sight.


    Pulling my hood over my head, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I last slept in an open field.¡±


    It¡¯s been two months and a half since that day, I thought, reminiscing the days I traveled with Mon.


    Looking up to the east, where the moon marked the cold and silent night, I wonder how everyone in the Tribe is doing.


    Shifting my sight towards the prepared twigs and branches, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to light the fire.¡±


    <hr>


    Before dawn, my horse was brought by another Guard onto the post.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± called the Guard as climbed over the horse, ¡°The Hero, along with the Observers have left the settlement.¡±


    Reining the horse towards the Dukedom, ¡°Check the settlement for any remnants, if there are any, sweep them all at the same time once the refugees started gathering.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    With a light squeeze of my knees, I urged the horse to a walk, then adding more pressure, the horse moved to a trot.


    Rubbing the horse¡¯s mane, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be traveling lighter this time.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°You reek with the smell of nature, your Highness.¡±


    While feeling the rough surface of the warm and moist cloth sliding down my exposed back, I covered my front with another.


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡±


    Surrounded by rattling noises and clopping of hooves, ¡°Did we get enough mages?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, most of the mages were hired as healers for the war.¡±


    Said Erina while wiping my lifted arm.


    ¡°More will arrive right?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn''t it be weird if a generous request from the Princess to be ignored or turned down?¡±


    Heaving a sigh, ¡°That¡¯s reassuring,¡± I relaxed my body to a hunch.


    <hr>


    Upon arrival on the settlement, I alighted the carriage and gave out commands to the Guards.


    ¡°Organize yourselves as instructed!¡±


    As a Guard shouted, people moved in various directions, organizing into a rank where each can be distinguished based on their roles.


    ¡°Representatives, move forward!¡±


    Then from each of the organized groups, a representative came forward and surrounded me.


    With a smile, ¡°A pleasant morning to you all,¡± I greeted.


    Appropriately, they greeted back.


    ¡°First, I¡¯m sorry, but we have to cut the greetings short as the situation is dire.¡±


    In response, they returned a nod.


    ¡°Now then, I want everyone to gather all the sick into the square, preferably, start with the ones with severe cases. Oh, and please note that some can no longer move, so please have a small unit of the mages to visit one house after the other.¡±


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    From the side, a Guard came and whispered, ¡°the Prince¡¯s cavalcade is approaching.¡±


    With a nod, the Guard left.


    ¡°Anyway, I want you to dispose of any water and food remaining in the settlement then replace them with the ones we''ve brought.¡±


    Raising a hand, ¡°may I ask the reason?¡± a mage asked


    ¡°Small doses of volcanic ash were mixed with their food and water. There''s also traces of asbestos found among the scraps that littered the streets, so be sure to wear a cloth over your noses.¡±


    Surprised, the representatives muttered among themselves.


    ¡°Please listen,¡± I said. ¡°What you¡¯ve heard, if possible, I want you to spread a rumor to the refugees while you heal them.¡±


    ¡°But your Highness,¡± said a merchant, ¡°why do want us to spread it?¡±


    ¡°Along with Prince Maxwell, I intend to announce the church¡¯s ploy to the refugees, and for it to take effect, and for them to believe me and the Prince¡¯s words, I want you to garner doubt into their minds.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I do not intend to manipulate the refugees, but I want them to learn the truth. On the other hand, if we are successful, it is possible to assimilate the refugees faster than expected. To everyone, it¡¯s the best possible scenario.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, how about their homes? Do you want us to replace the shacks with molded ones?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°no,¡± I replied, ¡°I plan to mention the plans regarding their relocation so leave the houses as is. Besides, I want you to focus on treating the refugees. Their homes will be a waste if they aren¡¯t alive.¡±


    Given the information they needed, the representatives met with their group and briefed them on the operation. After raising questions and suggestions, they headed towards the settlement''s square, branching towards the alleys as they spread.


    Beside me, while observing the operation, a familiar voice asked in concern.


    ¡°How is it?¡±


    Taking a glance, a blonde-haired boy entered my sights.


    ¡°I hope it proceeds well,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Then,¡± lifting his hand, a butler came to his side, ¡°Lester, provide the relief in the name of Brent and Laurel¡¯s alliance.¡±


    ¡°As you willed,¡± bowed the butler.


    Lifting a smile, ¡°Thank you, Max.¡±


    Snorting a grin, ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask.¡±


    Along with Max, we headed towards the square. After arriving, I saw the refugees filed into groups, specifying the severity of their sickness.


    Unable to suppress my urge, I strode towards the group with the severest cases.


    Lacking the number of glares that I expected to receive, I guess they won¡¯t bother who I am in this situation, I thought.


    As I approached, I kneeled beside a wrinkled woman, lying on a cloth laid on the grown, drenched in sweat, while uttering pained groans.


    ¡°Uuu...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± looking into her eyes, I placed a hand on her cheeks and said, ¡°it¡¯ll be fine now.¡±


    ¡°Amelia,¡± commented Max, ¡°shouldn¡¯t you let the mages handle this?¡±


    ¡°Let me be Max.¡±


    ¡°Like always, you like to lend a hand,¡± he sighed a smile before committing the same actions I took.


    It¡¯s because I know the feeling of being helpless.


    Muttering a chant,


    O¡¯, ruler of light I beseech you,


    Cover mine hands with light,


    Solemn light, seek cleanse,


    Light cleanse, purged dirt,


    Manifest, Detoxify.


    As my hands glowed with a calming light, I slid my hand underneath her clothes and onto her stomach.


    The woman, twitching in response, muttered a groan.


    ¡°Uuu..!¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I muttered in a serene tone, ¡°it will only be for a while, so please endure.¡±


    One after the other, I repeated the process of detoxifying the refugees until I felt a sharp pang in my head.


    With a hand placed over my head, ¡°Uugh...¡± I groaned.


    Taking my free hand, ¡°Amelia,¡± Max said, ¡°you have to rest. You still have to announce something later, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Forced to retreat, along with Max, the guards escorted me back to the carriage, however, along the way, I caught sight of a familiar boy.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said.


    The boy, while I approached, looked around him repeatedly while muttering broken words.


    Bending my hips to a hinge with my hands behind me, ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted with a smile, ¡°may I perhaps know the reason you are here?¡±


    ¡°U-umm...¡± Fumbling his fingers, he looked towards the ground.


    ¡°Is your parents nearby?¡± I asked with a slight tilt of my head.


    ¡°Ah...¡± halting her actions, he expressed a frown.


    Straightening my back, ¡°Ah,¡± I reached out a hand and ruffled his hair, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    Looking up to me, ¡°I-it¡¯s okay...¡±


    ¡°Do you have any other relatives?¡±


    Quietly, he shook his head.


    ¡°Then,¡± offering a hand before him, ¡°would you like to come with me?¡±


    For several seconds, he looked into my eyes before shifting his sight to my hand. Reluctantly, he placed his hand over mine.


    ¡°Y-yes...¡± he replied in a subdued tone.


    Gently grasping his hand, ¡°then let¡¯s go,¡± I led him back to Max and the Guards, ¡°soon, you¡¯ll meet more children.¡±


    Upon our return, Max offered his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Unsmiling, I asked.


    ¡°A hand, what else?¡± he smiled.


    Heaving a sigh, just for now¡­


    Placing my free hand over his, ¡°What an odd child this is for it to be several years older than me,¡± I muttered as I looked towards the boy holding my right.


    With his hand grasping mine, I felt a sense of security.


    I wonder when will I be able to hold this again, or will there be?


    While walking towards the carriage, I glanced towards the northwest and thought.


    I¡¯ve set the stage Maize. It''s up to you now.


    <hr>


    Before dawn, 34 flickering lights bobbed over the whispering prairie, emitting hammering hoof-beats as the grass underneath were mercilessly crushed.


    Within the group of flickering lights, a girl held a knit-tight rein. Her brown hair swayed in the wind breezing past her body dressed in a tattered robe. Over her childish face, she snickered a laugh.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that that princess will help us instead! Ahahaha!¡±


    Behind her, a black-haired girl: gagged with a cloth, tied up with ropes, and with a neck collared by a black object. Struggled free while moaning through the damp cloth covering her mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± with a glance, ¡°it¡¯ll be over soon,¡± the horse-riding girl said.


    Along with her, men and women wore a similar robe, holding reins on their left and a torch on their right.


    ¡°Captain,¡± beside her, a horseman said, ¡°why did you not give us orders? We could¡¯ve ambushed the princess in that room.¡±


    Snorting a frown, ¡°Fool,¡± she replied, ¡°we¡¯ve been dealing with that princess for years, she knew the risk of entering that room.¡±


    ¡°Still, it was a chance!¡± he argued in a shout.


    ¡°And what? Get myself killed?¡± she glared, ¡°Besides, if I told you to move, we¡¯d give a reason for those pesky Guards to move and eliminate us.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Haughtily, ¡°What? Ran out of words?¡± she said.


    Several minutes into riding their horses, a portion of the sky was painted gradient in a tint of amber.


    ¡°Throw it!¡±


    With her command, the horsemen scattered a black liquid on their trail towards the northwest.


    ¡°Lit them up!¡±


    Again, with her command, the horsemen threw their torches behind, razing the innocent prairie behind them into a wall of flames.


    ¡°Now, keep moving!¡±


    From her order, four horsemen including the girl branched out from the group and headed towards west, moving in a broken line with enough distance to pass telepathic messages between them. A few minutes after, the girl received a telepathic message.


    [Captain, the other group, they were ambushed.]


    Snickering a grin, ¡°Jackpot,¡± she muttered.


    <hr>


    With upright banners fluttering in the wind, marked with silver leaves, a group of light-armored cavalry stood gallantly on a hill; armed with spears, bows, shields, and swords while surveying the area.


    Moments after a portion of the prairie lightning up in flames, Maize, Captain of Amelia¡¯s Guards, lifted his three-pronged steel lance laced with a whiffling red cloth and shouted a command.


    ¡°Men! Take your aim!¡±


    Knocking an arrow on their bows, they emitted a sound of strained strings. Then, angling their aim, they released a deep breath.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    Immediately after Maize¡¯s command, arrows swam into the air like a sparse school of fishes, but unfortunately only a few fell from their horses.


    ¡°Second volley!¡±


    Given another order, they adjusted their aim before another batch of arrows swam into the air and fell to the group of horsemen like a shower of needles, felling a number in an instant while halting the rest.


    </a> Then, lifting their spears, ¡°Charge!¡± Maize released an order.

 Chapter 40: Deadlock 3

    Dirt scattered in the air. Blades of grass torn asunder. Hooves trailed a battered ground. In place, shafts were locked while spearheads raised. And with a loud cry, the cavalrymendeclared their fervor. Forward they leaned and rode like heralds of death.


    Against the cavalry of twenty are thirty robed horsemen. Some with arrow-shafts stuck on their body. Some on the ground, dead. And some wheezed in pain and stretched breaths. Nevertheless, they drew their daggers with blood-shot eyes. They shouted. They retaliated. They clashed without care for their life. It was their only way out; it was their last. And yet, they were delighted. Delighted of the thought that they achieved enough merits to enter the realm of the so-called Heaven.


    In glee, the horsemen traced their daggers into the air. But before their daggers tore through flesh, spearheads found their bodies. It drove deep into them. Stabbed like meat roasted over a fire. Raised in the air like leaves from a twig. Pierced like mush. They bled with broken ribs. And Lifeless they fell in a pool of blood.


    They tried drawing shards from their pockets, but it was fruitless. A round object closed in on their faces. With a loud smash, a shield bashed them off their horses. When their bodies fell with a dull thud, a spearhead or hooves followed.


    In a desperate attempt, they reared their horses around and started chanting. While their horses trotted to a gallop, one by one, earthen spikes emerged underneath their horses. Abruptly stopping, they fell forward and unintentionally halted their chant. Then from behind them, the cavalrymen stampeded over the fallen bodies.


    It was a massacre.


    After the last horseman was taken down with a swing of a spear, the cavalrymen rejoiced their flawless victory. They raised their blood-coated spears. Spearheads met spearheads. Then gauntlets bumped into gauntlets. However, Immediately dampening their joy, Maize shouted an order.


    ¡°It has only just begun! Move back to the hill!¡±


    Graced with the light of the rising sun, they left the corpses and returned to the hill. Upon their return, they scouted numerous figures further north.


    ¡°Captain,¡± called a man, ¡°what are we to do?¡±


    ¡°We wait,¡± Unsmiling, Maize replied. ¡°They¡¯re the reinforcements meant to meet with the horsemen we took down. And possibly to stop our advance to claim the Hero.¡±


    Moments after observing the figures, Maize threw his arm beside him and shouted an order.


    ¡°Spread out and form two wings! Then prepare your bows and take out your shards!¡±


    Just as ordered, the cavalrymen stretched out, taking out their bows from their back and a shard from their pouch.


    While waiting for additional orders, the figures in the distance gradually increased in size and numbers.


    ¡°Captain,¡± worried, a man called, ¡°can we defeat them all? Unlike the previous horsemen, they''re similar to us. A cavalry.¡±


    Snickering a grin, Maize glanced at the man and said, ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± then he laughed heartily in contrast with his paling men. ¡°We might not be able to take them on by ourselves, but if we reduce their numbers, then it''s possible.¡±


    ¡°But, why aren¡¯t we moving?¡± worried he asked.


    ¡°Like I said. We are waiting, waiting for the opportunity to move.¡±


    ¡°But Captain!¡±


    In response, Maize glared and said, ¡°We. Wait.¡±


    Unable to respond, the man remained silent. Although they knew their Captain¡¯s antics, a sense of discomfort dwelt inside them. They felt uneasy.


    A few minutes later, the figures grew closer and closer. The numbers, surpassing them by more than twice, planted doubt in the men¡¯s mind. However, Maize remained composed while he watched their enemy''s approach.


    ¡°This is unexpected,¡± Maize chuckled in a mutter. ¡°It seems the church mustered more troops than we thought they would. But then again, it¡¯s for their precious little Hero.¡±


    Her Highness needs to expand her reach, Maize thought.


    With a grin, Maize said, ¡°But this fine. I like the thrill of the unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Captain...¡± the men smiled wryly.


    ¡°Men! Listen up! They may be fifty-six in numbers, but this place will not be our graves!¡± shouted Maize when he raised his spear.


    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡± replied Maize¡¯s men.


    ¡°Take heed! Raise your heads high! We are not alone!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± along with his men, Maize gazed at the sky with a beaming smile.


    From the gradient sky, two black teardrops fell. Piercing through misty clouds as it drew closer to the ground. However, these two teardrops were unusual. Its tip was white.


    The sight of the teardrops banished the haze around the men¡¯s heart. Then a boiling excitement pulsed through their veins.


    ¡°Prepare your shards! It doesn''t matter if it doesn''t hit! Make a barricade of earthen spikes in front!¡± Maize commanded.


    Above the charging cavalry, the teardrops revealed its retracted black wings. As it descended, the whistling sound it produced alarmed the unknowing enemy. Unbothered by the attention it garnered, the teardrops expanded its wings further and lashed a gale of wind.


    A number of the enemy cavalry, assaulted by the gale, was blown forth. At the same moment, earthen spikes ripped through the ground. Forming a wall of stakes that impaled the unfortunate enemy cavalrymen. It was unforgiving.


    Successful on their attempt, Maize shouted an order. ¡°Split to the sides then shoot your arrows! But don¡¯t get too close to those White-tails! They¡¯re our allies!¡±


    While Maize and his men circled the barricade, an ear-splitting roar was unleashed by a White-tail. Forced to cuff their ears, the enemy cavalrymen were stunned. Driven into madness, their horses neighed and struggled in fear. Without a mind for their riders, the horses randomly kicked until they were free.


    On the other hand, the other White-tail turned to its feet and curved its tail in the opposite direction. And with a sudden turn, it whipped its razor tail. Unimpeded, the tail sliced through both horse and men.


    And so cries of agony ensued.


    Onto the position they desired, Maize¡¯s men knocked their arrows. Aimed towards the center of the fray, they released their taut bowstrings.


    First: Arrows flew into the air, digging on the enemy cavalrymen that took shards into their hands.


    Second: The arrows weaved through the fray and struck those with muttering lips.


    Third: The arrows swam towards the horses'' hind legs.


    Within the entrapment of White-tails, an earthen barricade of stakes, and Maize¡¯s men, a full-helmed man rose to his feet with a shaft stuck to his left shoulder padded with leather. His clothes stained by his and his men''s blood.


    Raising his right arm, ¡°W-we surrender!¡± the man shouted. ¡°Spare our lives! We are no more!¡±


    Maize expressed a frown at the call for surrender before raising his fist with a shout.


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    What¡¯s this?Maize doubted.This isn¡¯t what I expected of Libet¡¯s soldiers.


    Recognizing his order, the Enarfs riding at the back of the White-tails reared their reins. With stomps, the White-tail flapped its wings a few times before retracting it.


    With a reared neck, the White-tail backed away while roaming its yellow irises. Sighting its prey, it opened its maw and dragged a dead horse. After taking distance, it started feasting. Crunching the meat and bones like branches.


    At the time the White-tails moved away, Maize and his men relieved their bowstrings while maintaining their aim.


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    Within the corpse-filled entrapment, the man grabbed the comb of his helm and lifted it.


    Throwing the helm to the ground, he lifted his right arm and said, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Along with the man are but some nine injured men. The rest are on the ground moaning in pain.


    ¡°Throw your weapons, armors, and shards away! Afterward, move out of the entrapment!¡± in a booming voice, Maize stated his demands. ¡°Try any tricks and those wyverns, our arrows, or our spears will take your life!¡±


    As ordered, they removed their armor piece by piece. However, an arrow stuck itself into the head of a man. ¡°We warned you,¡± said Maize with a glare.


    Quaking on their feet, the men broke a sweat in a hurry. A few minutes later, a naked man raised his arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m done!¡±


    With a flick of his chin, Maize pointed to the path they opened.


    One after the other, the still-able men moved out of the entrapment while surrounded by tips of spears and bows.


    ¡°You, you, and you,¡± Maize pointed with his finger. ¡°Come with me. We¡¯ll chase after the Hero.¡±


    Then turning to the rest of his men, ¡°The rest of you, tie the captives and deliver them to her Highness! Take their possessions as well! For the disabled ones, finish them off and then burn their bodies!¡± Maize commanded.


    Shifting his sight towards the wyverns, ¡°What about you?¡± Maize asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay here,¡± an Enarf replied while stroking the White-tail from its back. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we have to feed these with those horses.¡±


    Shaking his head, ¡°Take your time,¡± Maize replied.


    Tugging the reins of his horse, Maize faced west.


    That little one, we need to hurry before she takes them all by herself.


    <hr>


    About an hour earlier.


    ¡°Mihehe...¡± a playful laugh came from the orange-haired girl.


    While drooling, her hair tied into a ponytail fluttered a trail in the vast amber sky. In her hands, she held a rein far thicker than that of a horse.


    ¡°Heh, they started diving huh,¡± Kanna muttered as she caught sight of two black objects in the distance with the help of Farsight. ¡°I guess I should start too.¡±


    Leaning forward, Kanna kicked with her folded legs and said, ¡°We¡¯re going Birby.¡±


    In response, Birby gave a low growl.


    With an unwavering smile, Kanna grabbed a goggle from atop her head and fixed it on her eyes. She blinked a few times before they started their descent.


    When Birby retracted its wings, Kanna¡¯s view gradually shifted from the horizon to the prairie below. Then, with a stretch of her arms, she grabbed the iron handles strapped to the base of Birby¡¯s neck. Leaning her body closer to the saddle, she buckled her stretched legs on the stirrup.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to hunt!¡± said Kanna with a grin. Then she took a deep breath and held it.


    While descending, wind rushed on Kanna¡¯s face and drew her fringes backward. Clamped hands on the handle, chains rattled behind her while the rush of wind deafened her ears.


    Within her sight, four figures drew a line on the prairie. In their direction, twelve more figures waited. Decided on her path, Kanna pulled on the handles and directed Birby towards the four horsemen. Then her view spiraled half a circle. Closing in, Kanna pulled on the handles while spurring the stirrups forward. In response, Birby steadily shifted its body orientation and gradually stretched its shaking wing membranes.


    Then with another pull on the handles, Kanna arched her body backward as she kicked on the stirrups forward. Brewing up a gale, Birby descended at the side of the horsemen and unleashed it with a flap of its wings.


    ¡°Oops...¡± Kanna muttered upon realizing she blew the hero along with the surprised horsemen. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Immediately after Birby landed, Kanna tapped Birby¡¯s back twice then pointed to the west and said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?! And what are you doing?!¡± shouted the brown-haired girl as she propped herself on the ground, battered with bruises.


    Dressed in a fitted brown leather armor similar to that of the elves, Kanna jumped down from Birby¡¯s back and approached the Hero. While pulling the cloth gag down, she drew a dagger from her hips and started severing the ropes.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Kanna.


    The Hero, while drenched in sweat, shook its head weakly in response.


    Meanwhile, Birby charged towards west.


    Drawn with a face warped in anger, ¡°Imbecile!¡± the girl shouted while she drew her a dagger and a shard. ¡°You deserve divine punishment!¡±


    After the Hero was cut free, she slumped on the ground with an eye shut in half.


    ¡°Take your time and rest,¡± said Kanna as she shifted her sights to her enemies.


    ¡°You! Stay away from that girl!¡± demanded the girl. ¡°If you won¡¯t, we¡¯ll end her life!¡±


    ¡°Lia told me there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll kill her though?¡± replied Kanna as she reached her braced arm beside her slightly pointed ears and drew a dagger.


    In response, the girl twitched as she rasped her teeth.


    Clasped within Kanna¡¯s hand was a fang dagger with a bluish-silver blade. As its tip pointed to the ground, chains dangled at its handle, connected to the bracer on her arm. On the dagger''s guard, an unusually pointed hook stood.


    ¡°Tch!¡± the girl spat then shouted. ¡°Now!¡±


    Moving towards Kanna, the three other men drew their daggers. At the same time, the girl manifested fireballs at the back.


    ¡°Sorry, but you have to wait,¡± Kanna said with a glance on the Hero.


    With a start dash, Kanna moved towards the three.


    ¡°Die demon!¡± shouted a man with a mad smile as he thrust his dagger.


    Leaned to the left with a bent knee, Kanna dodged the dagger that glided beside her neck. At the same moment, Kanna twisted from her planted left foot and raise her right. Then with a forced cough, the man received Kanna¡¯s knee. Behind her, the dagger fell from the man''s hand as he spat the air from his lungs. Then grabbing the man with her left, Kanna kicked the man towards the incoming fireballs.


    With a jump backward, an earthen spike emerged from Kanna¡¯s original location. At the moment Kanna landed, she threw her dagger past the man holding a shard before jumping a second time. With a sudden pull of her right before landing, Kanna whipped the chains. While emitting a clanking sound, a pained shout came from a man with a slit neck.


    With another dash, earthen spikes trailed behind Kanna.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± cried the girl approaching the Hero.


    Turning towards the girl, a man closed in on Kanna. But with a sudden step forward followed by a twist, the dagger whipped around.


    Unmindful of the man screaming in pain with arms bleeding profusely, Kanna made her way to the girl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come close!¡± the girl shouted while producing more fireballs. ¡°I¡¯ll burn her alive!¡±


    In response, Kanna halted and glared at the girl that drew her dagger on the Hero¡¯s neck.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± sweating buckets, the girl said with a mad smile.


    Scratching her head, Kanna raised her finger and pointed behind the girl, then said, ¡°You forgot him.¡±


    A few seconds after, a black wing smashed the girl from the side.


    ¡°Nice work Birby!¡± smiled Kanna as she dashed towards the girl that rolled on the ground.


    As the girl stood, chains wrapped around her and a hook lobbed on her flesh.


    ¡°AAAGGHH!¡± she cried.


    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Kanna said.


    Heaving pained breaths while her skin paled, she smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± then the crystal hanging at her bracelet broke. ¡°No one gets the Hero if we don¡¯t! Ahahahaha!¡± she laughed madly.


    With a sigh, ¡°Haah...¡± Kanna drew her fist into the air and smashed it on the girl¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re too noisy.¡±


    <hr>


    As I took a step within a room lit by flickering torches, a chain rattled against the slabbed floor. Further in, a figure of a chained girl entered my sight. She had brown hair. Another step closer, she reared her neck and looked up to me. Perhaps recognizing my figure, her battered lips rose into a smile.


    ¡°You failed, demon,¡± it said followed by a laugh.


    Leaning closer to her face, I slid my fingers into her forehead and grabbed her by the fringes, ¡°Really?¡± Head tilted to the side, I asked with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°The Hero is dead,¡± she muttered as I drew her head closer.


    Tilting my head to the other side, I placed a finger on my lips. Rolled my eyes, and said, ¡°I wonder.¡±


    Shifting my sight back to her swollen face, I asked, ¡°Did you see her die? Did you hear her cry? Maybe you dreamed of her death? Or perhaps, it was just an illusion?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha,¡± she replied. ¡°The Hero is dead, demon. I already broke the crystal.¡±


    Releasing my right hand, ¡°Oh,¡± I said, brushing my fingers down her cheeks and onto her neck locked with a black collar. ¡°Perhaps you meant something like this?¡±


    Then I retracted my hand, placed it on my lips, and giggled.


    ¡°Look at this uneducated girl, no, insect. But oh, I shouldn''t expect that from an insect. Or should I?¡±


    ¡°Keep laughing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I will,¡± I waved my hand in dismissal. ¡°But you see. It¡¯s indeed laughable,¡± I said with a giggle. ¡°For a member of the church to underestimate the Hero they wanted to use, that¡¯s quite a rare sight. But I forgot. You''re no longer part of the church. You''re just a crime slave waiting for execution.¡±


    Taking a step back, ¡°But no worries, I¡¯m quite generous. So I¡¯ll give you a choice. I''ll give you the chance to arrange the sequence of your torture.¡±


    Raising a finger, ¡°One,¡± I counted. ¡°become a prostitute in a brothel for a week.¡±


    Lifting another finger, I continued, ¡°Two, get drenched in boiling water. And three, receive small doses of arsenic for an entire week.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± she muttered while a bead of sweat formed on her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t you need information?¡±


    ¡°Why would I need to hear that from you?¡± I asked while rolling my eyes. ¡°The fact that someone, your pope, saints, or apostles didn¡¯t show up meant that the runaway Hero isn''t their main priority, right?¡±


    With a clap of my hands, I said, ¡°The troops that acted as your aids, they''re from different towns and villages in Laurel, right?¡±


    Taking a step backward, I said, ¡°Although it was lackluster for Maize, have you ever thought why you didn¡¯t receive the support of Libet¡¯s army? And your pawns, their just measly observers. They aren''t those specialized assassins right?¡±


    With the last step, ¡°Oh, I forgot. Those Nobles who gave you support. They''ll be in the same seat as you. So don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t be alone on the day of your execution,¡± I said.


    I turned around, ¡°Oh, your reply. Someone else will hear it from you. I¡¯ll just fetch the unleashed dogs in the border,¡± I said.


    Shifting my sights towards the dim and narrow hallway, I heard cries from behind me.


    ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± the girl shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything! Everything!¡±


    Unbothered by her pleads, I climbed the narrow stone hallway. At the end of it, light shone through like light of the day. Upon exiting the stairway, I glanced to my side and found a man with a dull crimson hair.


    ¡°Maize,¡± I called as I roamed my eyes on the surrounding. ¡°How¡¯s the Hero?¡±


    ¡°Your friend Kanna brought her to the duchy as ordered,¡± Maize replied with a bow.


    ¡°Good. And I presume the Hero¡¯s condition is good?¡±


    ¡°Physically, yes. But mentally...¡±


    Placing a hand on my forehead, ¡°I see,¡± I replied with a sigh. ¡°But it''s fine. We''ve reduced our possible enemies by one.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, please prepare a list of the Nobles involved in the skirmish.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Maize nodded.


    How I wished it was Libet''s troops instead! It would''ve been a reason to paralyze the trade indefinitely!


    ¡°One more thing,¡± I said. ¡°Have that girl utter what she wants then severe her tongue. But I doubt we''ll get anything useful. She''s but a sacrificial pawn after all.¡±

 Chapter 41: Letter

    A girl walked through a cream painted hallway. To her right, a door stood. When her sight fell on the knob, she reached for it and opened the door.


    As soon as she entered, two figures turned their sights towards the intruder. One black-haired and the other orange, both were female. After closing the door behind her, the girl scratched her messy brown hair.


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡± she muttered with a wry smile, ¡°hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello! I¡¯m Kanna!¡± waved Kanna, the orange-haired girl in reply.


    Placing her hands on her lap, ¡°N-nice to meet you, I¡¯m Iwasaki Meiko¡­¡± the black-haired girl said with a bow.


    ¡°Oh, right. My name¡¯s Marianne Ost Leigh Albert,¡± dusting her white coat, she said. ¡°But you can call me Mola instead.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long name,¡± replied Kanna while kicking her feet playfully.


    ¡°It sure is¡­¡± said Meiko with a wry smile.


    Approaching the bed where Meiko sat, ¡°Anyway,¡± Mola turned to grab the ladder¡¯s step. One hand after the other, Mola climbed and reached the second level of the bunk bed. ¡°Her Highness wanted me to stay here for a while with you two.¡±


    Then with a flop, Mola¡¯s body fell on the bed. ¡°Huwaah¡­ Rest at last¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± muttered Kanna in surprise, ¡°Lia sent you?¡±


    ¡°Heh, you call her Lia huh. That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been calling Lia as Lia since she¡¯s seven.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s seven years now. No wonder.¡±


    Between the conversation, ¡°Eh? Eh?¡± Meiko turned her head repeatedly. ¡°Her Highness?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mei. She¡¯s the cute girl I¡¯ve been telling you about.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the silver-haired girl¡­¡±


    ¡°Cute?!¡± commented Mola as she sat up. ¡°You call her cute?! What is this?! Am I dead?!¡± then clutching her head, ¡°this can''t be happening!¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Lia is cute!¡± shouted Kanna as she stood from her chair. ¡°I¡¯ll beat anyone who doesn¡¯t agree!¡±


    Smiling wryly, Meiko remained silent.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± scratching her cheek, ¡°considering the result of her using school as an excuse to headhunt rather than study, which succeeded in attracting fools alike. Then I guess she''s cute. But that''s just one side of her. I was fooled by that innocent smile too. I thought she''s just a talented young girl. But lo and behold, we''re now inside the largest city-turned-facility in Laurel.¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Isn¡¯t that good?¡± asked Meiko.


    ¡°Of course it is!¡± with a bright smile, Mola replied. ¡°We don¡¯t have to mind our budget anymore! No need to think about food! We can just request for materials then it¡¯ll arrive! We can even acquire books only kept among royals! It¡¯s a win-win situation! We¡¯re free to research as we like! There¡¯s nowhere else as heavenly as this!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you complaining?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Meiko¡¯s right.¡±


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    ¡°Ah, no,¡± dismissed Mola as she flopped back on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m complaining about the cute word since I¡¯ve been tricked by that facade as well. It¡¯s frustrating that I wasn¡¯t able to see through such simple trick... Such a failure¡­¡±


    ¡°What a pitiful reason!¡± shouted Kanna. ¡°Lia is cute! Both now and then!¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±


    In response, Meiko giggled a laugh.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s fine now,¡± said Mola.


    ¡°Eh? Fine what?¡±


    Ignoring Kanna¡¯s reply, Mola peeked from above the bunk. ¡°Meiko, you¡¯re a Hero right?¡±


    Shifting her sigh to the ground, ¡°That¡¯s what they call me¡­¡± Meiko replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess it¡¯s obvious since, even though I can understand your speech and recognize the words you utter, the movement of your lips is different.¡±


    ¡°No one pointed that out so far¡­¡±


    ¡°It is?¡± asked Kanna as she seated, puzzled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it that much. I just wanted to confirm if the blessings were real.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, her Highness has a message for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the one I delivered?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± nodded Mola. ¡°So here¡¯s the gist of it, Meiko. What do you intend to do from here on out?¡±


    Fumbling her hands, ¡°I¡­ have no idea¡­¡± Meiko muttered. ¡°But I want to return home. I don¡¯t like it here. Everyone is chasing me wherever I go. I don¡¯t want this. I¡¯m not a Hero. I¡¯m just another ordinary girl¡­¡± then tears dripped from her eyes.


    Placing her hands over her face, ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Forced to choose between my life or the others¡¯, it¡¯s impossible¡­¡± Meiko said in a teary voice.


    While Mola retracted her head, Kanna approached Meiko. Patting Meiko¡¯s back, Kanna said, ¡°It¡¯s okay Mei. It¡¯s over now. Lia won¡¯t do the same to you.¡±


    After a few minutes of Meiko releasing her tears, the calm returned to the room.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll resume now. Okay?¡± said Mola.


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Meiko, brushing her eyelids.


    Taking out a folded letter from her pocket, ¡°Anyway,¡± Mola unfolded it and said, ¡°this is how the letter went¡­¡±


    To the ladyship, Meiko Iwasaki,


    I humbly apologize for my impolite greetings during this recent event; that, I am forced to do for I lack sufficient time in consideration of the safety of the refugees, my men, and myself. I¡¯m hoping that you understand that my lash of insults was of indeed scarring words. But I believe that such words were of importance during the said event.


    In matters of importance, I wish to hear the ladyship''s intentions. However, given that you require a proper rest, I will listen to your answer at a later time. In any case, I wish to inform you of the possible circumstances:


    One, if you wish to stay in the duchy as an ordinary human being, please consider it done. Though my authority may not permit such inappropriate action, I will see to it that none shall gain information about your true identity. So please rest assured that you now have a place to stay without worry.


    Two, if you wish to return to your world, I apologize. Such a method does not exist within our knowledge. But do not waver; it''s possible that a method exists outside the boundaries of human common sense. If you opt to choose this, then I¡¯ll help you. In return, I will require your help.


    Three, if you wish to live away from us humans, I can arrange you a citizenship to the Tribe where Elves, Dwarfs, and Enarfs lives in peace. If you require more information regarding the Tribe, please inquire it from Kanna.


    Four, if you wish to live without my help or the others, you are free to do so. But I cannot guarantee that the church will stop pursuing you. Neither will I take the time to save you again.


    Five, if you intend to oppose me or my kingdom, then a proper judgment awaits you.


    ¡°There, done,¡± I said with a sigh as I finished the letter.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Erina called from behind, ¡°don¡¯t forget about the closing lines.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right, that too,¡± then I began to write the closing lines of the letter.


    ¡°There, done,¡± I repeated while embedding the quill on a natural sponge.


    ¡°Mola will probably complain that we¡¯ll be late in attending Academia.¡±


    After confirming the contents of the letter a second time, I folded it, poured a red wax, and stamped it with my seal.


    Standing from the seat with the letter in hand, I turned to Erina and said, ¡°Please pass this to Kanna.¡±


    Erina took the letter and said, ¡°Is it fine to let Kanna stay in the duchy? Won¡¯t you require her help?¡±


    Shaking my head, ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s best if Kanna stays with the Hero for a while. Since Kanna is the actual person who saved her, then she¡¯ll feel at ease when she¡¯s around. On the other hand, she probably despises me.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one that suggested on a workaround on the slave collar?¡±


    ¡°True, but¡­ I just suggested a way, but it¡¯s possible she did it herself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Highness, what you did was enough. Her life was saved. Only an ungrateful person who does not recognize the circumstances will consider your actions as inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°No, I do know that in the background she was saved because of me, but that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± I replied. ¡°What I mean is I instructed her to overwrite the magic circle within the collar. But it''s possible that she used her blessing that manifested a magic that nullified the slave collar. So in the end, it''s highly probable that she saved herself.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll be leaving, your Highness,¡± Bowed Erina before leaving towards the door.


    As soon as she left, I sighed and said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ll be with Max for a while longer...¡±


    Turning towards the drenched window of the Tervin¡¯s mansion, ¡°I guess practicing is the only thing left for me to do.¡±

 Chapter 42: Tail

    From the roof thatched with dry sedges, rain dribbled in thin strands of streams. As they fell, the streams broke into fragments of droplets and rippled on the surface of an open canal. There, water flowed sounding harmoniously with the rain.


    Within my sight, veiled by a hood, posts glowed dimly in green, some in flickering orange. It was dark. It was still dawn. Nevertheless, my feet, fastened by thigh-high leather boots, trod lightly over puddles that pooled on the pavement laid with discolored gray bricks.


    As I breathe in mists of white, my eyes darted from left and right, sighting broken boxes and barrels on the sides of the alley. With my left hand raised to my shoulder, I paced my hand in support of the cracked wall.


    At the end of the alley, red lights blinked invitingly. As I neared the lights, voices started to filter through the rain.


    Upon exiting the alley, the voices became prominent. They were from both men and women, but dominantly women. There were giggles. There were seductive calls. But those came from women standing on a fenced platform, wearing thin clothes while waving their fans and handkerchiefs.


    While frowning, ¡°I''ll never to get to like places like this,¡± I said. ¡°I better get over this with quickly.¡±


    It was the red-light district of the dukedom. A place littered with brothels.


    With my sight turned to the street, I blended with the passers-by clothed with similar brown robes. As I weaved through the busy street, the voices started to tone down. Then, it turned into a complete silence, leaving only the sound of the rain.


    I¡¯ll never try to intercept the thoughts of these scums again, I thought, reminded of the time I checked the messages sent through telepathy.


    Past the bustle of men, I went deeper into the street and turned into an alley with a gaudy signed post hanging from a rod. Behind, as I entered, a splash of steps followed closely. Taking a glance, I saw a robed man grinning underneath his hood.


    Swine, I thought, as I poured mana into a shard I held on my right.


    As he lost his balance and tumbled forward, I twisted to my feet and delivered a roundhouse kick to his face. With a light crack, he fell unconscious on the ground, his face directed at the open canal.


    ¡°When will people learn that even the red-light district doesn''t allow sexual assault,¡± I muttered with a sigh. [Maize,] I called using Wind Whisper, [take this man away then make him choose between his arms or his manhood,] I said and turned around without waiting for a reply.


    After I reached the end of the alley, I turned right at the fork. As I strode forward, a casual splash of steps followed in a fix distance from behind. Unconcerned, I continued towards the structure painted lavishly in black and gold. At the door fixed with glasses, two large-built men stood at the sides.


    Stopped at a meter away from the two men, I raised my hand from my robe and started animating my fingers. Three-Five-Two-One-Two-Four. As soon as I finished, the men nodded and opened the door. On the other hand, the splash of steps from behind withdrew.


    Upon entering the structure, a fancy reception table welcomed me. Then beside me, a butler offered his hand. Removing my robe, I passed it to the butler and moved towards the reception table. Without uttering a single word, I took out a white card from my pocket and slid it towards the female receptionist.


    After a few seconds of inspecting the card, the receptionist stood from her seat and walked towards the door on my left. Following closely behind, I was lead to a hallway filled with doors. It was a maze of doors. One after the other, we finally reached a door marked with a silver leaf. Promptly, the receptionist stood by the door and opened it with a clack.


    Within the small room with nothing but a light ball freely floating at the ceiling, two sets of chairs, and a low table at the center, a medium built man stood. ¡°Greetings, your Highness,¡± the black-haired man said.


    Without responding, I took the seat opposite the man. Then the man followed.


    Crossing my legs, ¡°Tell me what you know,¡± I said.


    ¡°Your Highness sure is hasty,¡± the man said with an unwavering smile.


    ¡°I''m sure you knew what happened,¡± I said, ¡°There''s no point in discussing such matters. Probably, Mother had already predicted this outcome, didn''t she?¡±


    ¡°Well, her Majesty intended to relax the borders to lure the Hero, but as expected, not everything went as planned.¡±


    ¡°And you mean?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty didn''t intend to let the church blend with the refugees along with the hero, but that is fine too, you''ve already resolved it after all. In addition to that, you''ve proven the usefulness of wyverns in battles. His Majesty will surely be delighted.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I asked in surprise. ¡°Wait, you don''t mean that Father already had planned on using wyverns in battles? I''ve never heard of this. Nor was I informed of anything pertaining this.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Remember when his Majesty took the front-lines and led the wyvern subjugation three years back? Fortunately, or maybe, unfortunately? His Majesty found wyvern eggs at the nests which gave him the idea of riding wyverns.¡±


    Ah, now that he mentions it, Father did not react to the fact that I received and rode a wyvern from the Tribe. Haah... I missed something again. I thought Mother just suppressed Father''s comments regarding that matter...


    ¡°That got out of hand, but I''m sure this is something yet to be shown to the public, no?¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± tapping his fingers on the armrest, he said. ¡°However, the Order of Scales is yet to be official.¡±


    ¡°Order of Scales huh,¡± I said. ¡°Can''t Father think of a not so obvious name for the order?¡±


    ¡°Please complain directly to his Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± I said with a nod, ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°In any case, his Majesty wishes for you to attend and observe the training for the Order of Scales. Possibly, act as a temporary commander while the Knights learn to ride the wyverns.¡±


    With a sigh, I placed a hand on my forehead and said, ¡°Father should ask the Tribe instead of me. Or is he telling me to take command since I''m the only one with a direct connection with the Tribe? Well, even if that''s true, I don''t think Sylvar will mind as long as there''s a proper compensation or exchange.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please sort that out with your Father. He''ll visit the duchy a few days from now along with the Knights.¡±


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    I sighed and said, ¡°He''s too willful...¡±


    ¡°In any case,¡± I said, ¡°the nobles from the borders, you have information right?¡±


    ¡°Why of course,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Then tell me what you know,¡± I said, flicking a coin to his direction.


    The man caught the coin and said, ¡°White-Gold huh, that''s pretty generous of you, your Highness.¡± Then he inserted the coin into his breast pocket.


    ¡°Enough with the small talk,¡± I said. ¡°Tell me what Mother had prepared and the task I need to finish.¡±


    With his hands reached out from under the table, he took a stack of papers and placed on the table and said, ¡°Well, just as you thought, her Majesty had been eyeing the church for a time now. With the chance that the Hero went southwards, towards Laurel, her Majesty loosened the border patrols.¡±


    While he spoke, I took the stack of papers from the table and flipped it while listening to his explanation.


    ¡°As expected, the Nobles were either bribed or threatened into submission. With this chance, her Majesty placed investigators in advance to collate evidence before, during, and after the events happened.¡±


    My eyes moved from one line to another of the report and said, ¡°Then the evidence has already been gathered huh.¡± Halting from reading, I moved my sight towards the man and said, ¡°Tell me, which of the entire play went along with Mother''s plans? And which of it strayed from her script?¡±


    ¡°Everything went as planned except for the Hero remaining with the refugees instead of fleeing. There''s also your unexpected use of wyverns. Aside from that, the church''s activities in the forest west of here is still a mystery. There''s hardly any information to conclude what specific activities they''ve been doing there. At best, we could say that there''s a form of transportation in that area to return the Hero to Libet.¡±


    ¡°Possibly teleportation huh.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are the details included in this report?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I''ve also added some rumors circulating among the Nobles that visited the brothels. Really,¡± he said with a chuckle, ¡°those Nobles can''t help blabbering when they''re bedding another woman other than their wife.¡±


    ¡°And most of them are sons of the Nobility who can''t keep their pride of being born in a high society right? Scoundrels who aren''t fit to rule their fief.¡±


    ¡°Which is why her Majesty took this chance to cull the Nobles in the borders.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I said with a nod, ¡°I''m sure that''s what Mother intended.¡±


    Just how many birds did mother successfully hit this time with one stone? There''s also that culling to be held next year at Mark''s coming of age. I''d be second in line to the throne if it proceeds.


    ¡°Also, there''s a personal message from her Majesty.¡±


    ¡°From Mother?¡±


    ¡°She said, ''Focus on Academia, and I''ll let you handle the Hero as you wish.''¡±


    So there''s no point in hiding it from Mother huh... Well, at least I have Mother''s backing.


    ¡°Another test huh...¡±


    ¡°There''s also, ''You can stop and return whenever you give up.''¡±


    After a moment of silence, I said, ¡°... Then please pass this message to Mother, ''I won''t stay put.''¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± he said, smiling.


    ¡°Then the others?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don''t play a joke with me,¡± I said, ¡°the details about the movements in Brent, Niveria, and Libet regarding the war. You have it, don''t you?¡±


    Snickering a smile, he said, ¡°You like to cut to the chase.¡± Under the table, he took out another stack of paper and dropped it on the table with a thud. ¡°That''s everything,¡± he said.


    ¡°This will be heavy...¡± I muttered as I switch my sight between the two stacks of paper I''m supposed to read.


    <hr>


    With a slam, stacks of paper were lined up on the table. From the left side, a report of the Heroes from Max, statements of the imprisoned church girl, investigation results from the borders including rumors spreading among the Nobles, and details regarding the war. As I looked at it one after the other, my body started to feel heavy. Then with a sigh, ¡°I wonder if Fairy Tales included this reality in books, will the children still look up to us?¡± I said and pulled a seat brushed my hair towards my back.


    ¡°The children will stop dreaming of becoming prince and princesses,¡± Erina said from my side.


    ¡°Figured,¡± I replied. ¡°Erina, please tell anyone not to disturb me, and please prepare tea along the way. And biscuits, preferably sweet ones to add.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± she replied and left with light steps.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I said, stretching my arms, ¡°time for some heavy reading.¡±


    Starting with the report regarding the church girl''s statement, I flipped through the pages while noting details on another paper on my right. While reading, Erina set-up another table to my left and placed the tea and biscuits that I requested.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± she said, ¡°I''ll prepare a proper meal later, so make do with this amount.¡±


    Without moving my eyes away from the report, ¡°It''s okay,¡± I replied. ¡°And oh, regarding the orphan boy, did he reach the orphanage in the duchy?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    ¡°And oh, please inform Max that I''ll join his travel back to Brent two days from now. And one more thing, please send a message to the duchy that Father will come. For the treatment, let Father tour around the facilities, and inform him that I''ll be late.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± then again, Erina turned towards, the door.


    ¡°Last thing,¡± I called. ¡°Please get me a map of Laurel.¡±


    Pages after pages of the report, I contemplated on the information I¡¯ve read. With tea and biscuits to fuel my mind, I kept flipping on the pages with my other hand on a piece of paper scribbled with notes. As I read through the church girl''s statement and compared it to the information gathered, my expression started to scrunch in confusion.


    What? If I remember correctly, the Hero was supposed to be passed on to twelve other zealots at the west. The problem is, what are they doing there? I thought as I traced my finger on the map on my right.


    Weird, I thought, they could''ve gone east and rode an illegal shipping vessel to escape, that is, if they''re lucky to get through ours and Brent''s sea patrols. But why west?


    With my finger pointed at the forest to the left, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Maize to do a preliminary investigation on the Forest, but there wasn¡¯t any result. Perhaps, deeper into the forest? Then to the Great Volgan Lake? Or maybe to the side of Twin Peaks then to Brent? Heading to Brent is probably the best idea since the church still has some control there, but Academia -- probably not unless they''re conspiring, but that''s highly unlikable.¡±


    After all, Academia thinks on proving things rather than blindly believing that things happened due to unknown and unexplained circumstances; which leaves me to Brent. However, teleportation is still possible. But I wonder, will the evidence remain until I arrive?


    Leaning my back on the seat, ¡°This is difficult,¡± I muttered while scratching my head.


    ¡°Are you giving up?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m just starting. Besides, there¡¯s still the rumors to check. I¡¯ve only read the testimony and the results of the forest investigation.¡±


    ¡°Then what of the statement of the rasc- girl?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that,¡± I said. ¡°That girl spoke about their attempt to crush the Hero''s will to run away by using the refugees as hostages. She also stated the Nobles they managed to pull into their grasp, which further proves the result of the advanced investigation done by Mother in the borders. Aside from that, she¡¯s a pawn promised with a higher position if she succeeded. In fact, she stated that there''s someone else that''ll handle the transfer.¡±


    ¡°So we managed to grab the tail.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the beast hasn¡¯t reared its head yet.¡±


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, in a room inside the Duchy.


    ¡°Mola, what are you writing?¡± asked Kanna from below the bunk bed.


    Scratching her messy hair while sitting on a chair beside the bunk bed, Mola said, ¡°I don''t think you''ll understand.¡± Then she continued writing on a stack of paper with a shard in hand.


    ¡°That''s mean!¡± replied Kanna.


    ¡°Kanna,¡± said Meiko, while blinking her eyes with a puzzled expression, ¡°I agree with Mola. And I don''t think I''ll understand this either...¡±


    ¡°What''s it for anyway?¡±


    ¡°From what I understood, it''s an analysis report on a Dasbalite.¡±


    ¡°Oh! A Dasbalite! I know that!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so Heroes can understand our writing too. Quite a handy blessing you have.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± surprised, Meiko said in disbelief. ¡°You know what that is? And Mola, I can¡¯t read what you¡¯re writing, but when I look at it, I kind of understand the meaning of the words-- it¡¯s hard to explain.¡±


    At the same time, Kanna said, ¡°Of course! It''s a crystal that the Dwarfs back in the Tribe used to mine, but stopped.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that''s the one,¡± Mola joined. ¡°It''s quite a burden to analyze. We''ll also need specimens of those Rikeas if we want to get through this roadblock. So I''m writing a report for a request for specimens while detailing what we''ve understood so far.¡±


    ¡°... I have no idea,¡± commented Meiko on Kanna¡¯s response.


    ¡°Hey Mei!¡± shouted Kanna, ¡°I think you''re being mean too!¡±


    Meiko then looked to the side silently, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re referring to.¡±

 Chapter 43: Reminder

    ¡°Your Highness, here''s your tea,¡± said Erina as I flipped through the pages of the reports in front.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied while inserting my finger into the handle of the cup. With the cup''s tip touching my lips, I took a sip of the warm tea without removing my eyes from the paper I held. With a light clack, I returned the cup to its saucer and resumed my activity.


    The clock ticked while I munched and crunched on the biscuits I ate. Then a sip after the other, my body felt heavy, my sight hazy, my breathing long, and my mind feeble


    ¡°E-erina,¡± I called to my side, ¡°can you get me something? Something to wake me up,¡± I said while tapping my cheeks with the palm of my hands.


    ¡°Your Highness, it''s time for you to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Huh, huh? Wait, you mixed in chamomile in the tea?¡± I asked groggily. My sight was spinning. I was losing ground on myself.


    ¡°See? You''ve been too focused on your task that you didn''t notice it until now. Take a rest; it''s already an hour past midnight.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± I muttered. Then my strained eyelids fell shut.


    ¡°Really,¡± Erina said as she caught Amelia, ¡°you''re a troublesome child.¡±


    Quietly, Erina slid her arms at Amelia''s back and under her thighs. Then with a pull, Erina carried Amelia. While Amelia''s head leaned on Erina''s shoulder, Erina expressed a smile and said, ¡°Nothing good comes out if you''d keep on overworking yourself.¡±


    With a ruffle of the flimsy sheets, Erina placed Amelia''s body on her bed canopied with a blue cloth. Carefully arranging her sleeping posture, Erina moved to the wardrobe across the bed.


    ¡°Now then,¡± she said with a beaming smile, ¡°I wonder what nightwear will be good this time.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Mmnn...¡±


    It felt heavy. My body felt heavy. Throwing my free arm to the side, I grabbed a pillow and buried my face in it. ¡°Cold...¡±


    I turned to the side and grabbed another pillow to shield myself from the cold. However, something was amiss. As light filtered through my eyes, a blurry image formed. Focusing my sight, I blinked a few times and banished the haze. It was still dark. And from the window, fog covered the sheets of glass.


    Lazily, I propped myself on the bed and sat. In the process, I felt the unusual sensation a second time. ¡°Brr...¡± I muttered, rubbing my arms with the palm of my hands. Wanting to warm myself, I curled my legs closer to my body. However, the unusual sensation struck me a third time. It was moist. It was damp. No, my thighs felt wet.


    D-did I pee in bed?


    Grabbing the end of the blanket, I slowly lifted it to the side with bated breath. While the dim light from the window gradually illuminated my white nightwear, a stain of red revealed itself.


    Don''t tell me.


    Spurred by the racing beats of my heart, I threw the blanket to the side and found the bed dirtied by spots. Some still fresh in red, some dried to a reddish brown.


    Why? When? There were no signs.


    It wasn''t a new occurrence. It wasn''t foreign to me. It''s just the usual cycle of a woman like me. However, something was amiss.


    With trembling hands, I reached for the cloth underneath my chest and started crumpling it. While the ends of the skirt neared my fingers, my blood-soaked underwear revealed itself. Then locking the crumpled sloth in place, I used my left hand to put pressure on my lower abdomen.


    Why? I thought, repeatedly pressuring different parts of my lower abdomen. There¡¯s no pain.


    ¡°E-erina,¡± I called. Lifting my sight from my abdomen to my surroundings, ¡°Erina?¡± I called. Then a light pang shot through my head. ¡°Uugh...¡± I muttered with my right hand clutched on my head. After the pain vanished, I roamed my eyes to my surroundings.


    The room was silent. It was dim. The light from the windows shone a streak of moonlight on the furniture on my left. To my right, the usual double door stood imposingly as it usually did. Leaving pleats on the surface of the bedcover, I moved to the right side of the bed. Planting my feet on the wooden floor, I slid my thumbs between my hips and the fabric of my underwear.


    After a careful push on the fabric, I slid my underwear down to my feet. Balling it up with the stain hidden from the white, I stood from the bed and held the ball in-between my thighs. Towards the door, I walked with my left hand at my back, keeping the ball from falling while careful of not dropping another stain on the floor.


    In front, of the door, I banged my fist against it and said, ¡°P-please call for Erina. I need immediate assistance.¡±


    Then a sudden clutter sounded from the other side of the door.


    ¡°Y-yes!¡± a voice of a man answered. Then hurried footsteps followed.


    Ah, someone fell asleep on duty... I''ll have to report this...


    Turning my sight to the clock on my left, I thought, it''s four-thirty-seven in the morning...


    Towards the door further to the left, I sauntered. Upon reaching the door, I rotated the knob with a clack. With a push, I entered the dark room. Unmindful of the dark room, I manifested a ball of light as I made my way towards the toilet bowl on the left. After lifting the lid, I sat down the bowl and dropped my underwear into a tin pail beside me.


    Quietly, I vacantly stared at the white tiles between my feet.


    I should be happy, right? I questioned myself as a cold sweat ran down my back. There''s no pain, but this, this feels weird... It doesn''t feel right...


    With a shiver down my body, I muttered a chant and manifested a fireball beside the ball of light. Silently, I mindlessly played with the balls of fire and light.


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    I wonder what''s the result of fire and light combined?


    From the door, a clack sounded as it opened. Immediately after, Erina rushed into the room and turned her head left and right. ¡°Your Highness?¡± she called.


    ¡°Erina, I''m here,¡± I said, curling myself while seated.


    With hurried steps, Erina entered the room with a lamp dangling on her right hand. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It came...¡± I replied with a wry smile. ¡°And the bed, I''m sorry. I''ve already stained it...¡±


    ¡°So it finally came.¡±


    ¡°Yes... and I only have three hours of sleep at that.¡±


    ¡°Wait here; I''ll request another room.¡±


    ¡°Please do,¡± I said, canceling both the fireball and the light ball. As I looked at Erina¡¯s fading back, I thought, I wonder where would I be without her?


    <hr>


    It was rough, bumpy even. That''s what I felt as my fingers brushed the leather cover of the familiar brown book. It was large, a width enough to fit between my elbow and shoulder. However, it doesn''t have a title. But I knew it. It was the book that I''ve been reading with Kanna. It was the book regarding Mana Forging.


    My finger slid to the book¡¯s edge and lifted it open. As the cover fell to the side, the first few pages followed. But with my hand, I pressed the pages back in place. Using my fingers, I traced the contents to its starting point. At the upper left. While my finger pointed to an unusual character, I started reading it aloud. One after the other, as my finger traced from left to right, my lips pronounced the letters.


    I didn''t know what it meant, but I kept speaking. I kept pronouncing. Some words were familiar to me, but most were unknown. I had no way to find out what it meant. I didn''t know if I pronounced it correctly. I was alone, in a dark room, with only a light ball to light the desk.


    Upon reaching a page with roughly drawn figure, my finger stopped. The drawing was bad. It was all over the place. Smudges were here and there. Nevertheless, a smile erupted on my face. ¡°This is surely Garfin¡¯s,¡± I said. It was undeniable. However, it reminded me of my stay with the Tribe. ¡°I''ll have to make sure to return during the months of spring,¡± I said. ¡°I want to explore more of Alabaster and know more about the chasm.¡±


    With a sigh, I closed the book. But not soon after, my mind started to wander. It reminded me of the reason why I¡¯m inside this small dark room. Tapping the palm of my hands on my cheeks, I shut down my thoughts and said, ¡°Wake up. Wake up. This isn¡¯t the time.¡±


    But what am I to do¡­ I thought as I slumped on the chair.


    Refrained from doing any strenuous activities, Erina suggested me to rest in this room for a day.


    ¡°But really, I can¡¯t get used to this underwear lined with peat moss and cotton...¡± I muttered while avoiding excessive movement.


    Refusing to stand from the chair, I repeatedly opened and closed the book. ¡°I¡¯m going nowhere,¡± I said. ¡°Ah, not good, I¡¯m not used to doing nothing. Come on Amelia, think. There has to be something I can do in this room...¡±


    ¡°...¡± silence emanated inside the room. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet,¡± I muttered.


    [Maize, are you there?] I asked using Wind Whisper.


    [Yes.]


    [Is there anything new from the church girl?]


    [Unfortunately none.]


    [¡­ Then send another detachment of troops to investigate the Forest. This time, a bit deeper from the edge.]


    [Understood.]


    ¡°Haah...¡± I muttered, ¡°I want biscuits¡­ and I guess I¡¯ll just rest...¡±


    <hr>


    The day after a full rest in the indoor training ground...


    With my right hand clasped on a wooden handle, and the other at my back, I leaned forward with a step. Then with a swing, a dry sound was emitted from the pell. Unsatisfied, I turned my hand and took another swing coming from my hip. Two. Three. It didn''t matter how many hits I gave the pell. I kept swinging the wooden sword in my hand. Again, with rasped teeth, I kept at it. A step to the left, then followed by a swing. To the right, twist, then a swing. My eyes didn''t waver. My sight focused on the pell despite me moving around it. Then for a moment, I swung the sword, horn manifested and aided by reinforcement. Followed by a loud snap, the end of the wooden sword shot beside my head.


    Relaxing my stance, I exhaled and said, ¡°I kept forgetting what I am now...¡±


    Shifting my sight while calming my breathing, fibers of the wooden sword were visible. Then turning to the pell, an awkward smile emerged on my face. ¡°It''s beaten up pretty badly,¡± I said followed by a dry laugh.


    The wooden pell claimed bruises on its body. Some focused on one spot, some at random places. ¡°It''ll be bad if someone finds out,¡± I said as I poured mana into the shard clasped in my left.


    Beside the pell, three fireballs manifested. With a step backward, the fireballs closed in on the pell. A few seconds after, the fireballs vanished, but the pell remained burning.


    Without a single thought in mind, I stood watching the pell burn. The flame flickered. Black marks encroached it. It was nothing special. But the longer I stared at it, the more I felt relaxed.


    ¡°I still wonder what creature burned that forest,¡± I muttered, reminiscing the ashen forest I came to five years back. ¡°Ah,¡± recalling the wooden piece, I said.


    With a step, I turned around and roamed my eyes. But what I found was a pair of black shoes standing on the dirt ground. Lifting my face, a figure of a blonde woman dressed in a black and white maid clothes came to view.


    Recognizing the woman, ¡°Oh, Erina,¡± I said. ¡°What is it?¡±


    In reply, she shook her head while reaching out the wooden piece and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I forgot.¡±


    <hr>


    Within the rattling carriage, I sat beside the window seat while Erina sat across from me.


    ¡°It¡¯s still raining huh,¡± I muttered, gazing upon the droplets of rain that skimmed on the surface of the glass. Little by little, the droplets fused and snaked down the pane.


    ¡°It¡¯s been raining for days now,¡± I said. ¡°Do you think there''s a storm brewing?¡± I asked, turning to Erina. Then with a heave of a sigh, ¡°Really, it''s quite a troublesome one for it to appear at this time.¡±


    ¡°True, it¡¯ll delay us from reaching the borders and escorting his Highness Max.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s also a good time to continue reading the reports,¡± I said with a laugh.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t overdo yourself, only a day has passed since it came.¡±


    ¡°You worry too much. It¡¯s not a big deal now. Besides, I think I¡¯m fine to do as I please, you know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡±


    Placing a hand over my lips, I giggled and said, ¡°Erina.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, puzzled of my inappropriate call.


    Then, expressing a natural smile, ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. It was but a simple smile, yet it¡¯s a smile that I¡¯ve expressed in earnest. A smile filled with warmth. ¡°Thank you so much for being with me until today. I might¡¯ve been a different person if you weren¡¯t around. I might''ve been a corpse or a child locked up in some room crying by now if you never took my side, so thank you. Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s this for?¡± she asked, forming a light smile on her face.


    Turning my gaze to the window, I said, ¡°We¡¯ve been together all this time; just you and me. Five years, we''ve traveled back and forth in a carriage like this. It sure has been a long time, but really, it took me this long to realize. To realize the burden I''ve been giving you. And to realize that we¡¯ve been all alone all this time.¡±


    ¡°Amelia...¡± she replied. Then with a smile, she said, ¡°and you¡¯d still continue doing so, am I right?¡±


    In response, I returned my sight to Erina and said, ¡°Yes, I will. However, it won¡¯t be just you, so I guess the burden will be less than usual.¡±


    ¡°Referring to Kanna as a weight off my shoulder? Are you sure that¡¯s an appropriate judgment? More like, both of you will increase the burden on my shoulders instead.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I said followed by a laugh. ¡°Kanna might be another burden instead. In any case, things will be more bearable than it usually should. At least, with an addition of the lively yet foolish Kanna in our little circle.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± Erina shrugged as she heaved a sigh, ¡°More troublesome children to take care of.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯ve just adopted another child. But does Kanna count as a child? Sure she is childish, but she¡¯s older you in fact.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just consider how mature she is.¡±


    ¡°In that case, she is a child.¡±


    Then we both laughed like it was a long time since we did.


    ¡°Then Erina, can I read the reports now?¡±


    ¡°Did you say all those things just to ask that?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! But maybe-- I don¡¯t know, but please, even a summary of it will be fine.¡±

 Chapter 44: A Token of Promise

    Partway northwest from Tervin¡¯s Dukedom to Twin Peaks, our convoy halted. Our traveling pace was reduced by the mud that formed due to the heavy rain. We were forced to take refuge on tents we brought from the carriage following from behind.


    ¡°A bit to the left!¡± shouted a man in a light-armor, assisting in the construction of temporary shelters. ¡°Just a bit more!¡± The man waved his hand backward, guiding the wooden pillar while another man in robes molded the earth underneath and beside the pillar. With a quick tap on the pillar that stood a head lower than his shoulder, ¡°Stop!¡± the man shouted. ¡°That¡¯s good enough!¡±


    Around the vicinity, others were similarly at work.


    From and to the carriages, several men moved back and forth. From the trade carriages, driven into place by wooden stakes, they tugged on large rolled objects tied up by ropes. ¡°Heave, ho!¡± With a simultaneous shout, they pulled them free. As it produced a skidding sound, the men caught the large object from underneath in groups of five to six. Leaving splash of steps, they then moved towards the molded structures from earth.


    While rain prattled on the object, they unfolded it. Starting with the tangled ropes, they unfastened it and pulled it apart. It was a leather stitched into a large sheet. Accordingly, the men draped the sheet over and around the molded structure. Then, from four sides, they fastened the holes of the sheet to the hooks driven into the wooden pillars.


    Once done, the men pulled on the ropes on the adjacent sides of the pillars. ¡°Raise it!¡± A man ordered, and so it began. From the center of the sheet, a cylindrical object from underneath rose. It was another wooden pillar, but it was at half the diameter of the pillars surrounding it. Lifting the sheet up, it then formed a tent.


    ¡°Move it!¡± Unfinished, the mages began to manipulate earth underneath the four pillars and slowly raised it along with the center pole. ¡°Stop! Harden it!¡± With another order, the mages began to compress the earth surrounding the pole and the pillars. ¡°Start digging!¡± And so they did. They dug a small ditch around the tent while others pinned the ropes by driving the stakes tied to it.


    Done with their work, they began to work on another. They gradually built a small village spanning within a few hours


    From the side, another set of mages entered the tents. They then began to pour mana into the shards they held. Gradually, water was siphoned from the ground and formed a small stream in the air that fused together as it neared the tent¡¯s entrance. It then led towards the ditch surrounding the tents. Once done, men entered carrying wooden pallets. Side by side, they used the pallets to create a makeshift bed that also functions as a flooring.


    Within a small tent of a hexagonal build, a silver-haired girl and a man with a dull-crimson hair stood across a table. Lit by six lamps on each corner, they began to discuss in the dimly lit tent.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± I asked with a finger over my lips.


    Within my sight were four pieces of wood placed on top of the map. One wooden piece referred to this temporary relay settlement. Another pointed to a village beside the forest to the west. Then one between the Twin Peaks and the forest further northwest. Lastly, a fishing village beside the Great Volgan Lake.


    They¡¯re there, I thought. Undoubtedly. Nothing else would explain the missing people from the villages surrounding the forest.


    ¡°How long were they gone?¡± I asked, taking a glance at Maize.


    ¡°Five days,¡± he answered while focused on the map between us.


    ¡°Five days huh,¡± I muttered while knitting my brows. ¡°It¡¯d be best to assume they¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    With a thud, my fist banged against the table, cluttering the wooden pieces, shards, and crystals. Quietly, I rasped my teeth as I glared at the forest on the map, intending to burn it down.


    Then, with a sharp sigh, I said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it; let¡¯s move on.¡±


    ¡°Hrmm...¡± scratching his thin beard, Maize muttered. ¡°Why don¡¯t we use that girl as a bait?¡± he asked, lifting his eyes from the map to mine.


    While returning his gaze, I said, ¡°Then let her lead the path into their hideout? Would she do it blatantly without leading us to traps?¡± Then I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s too risky. We might arrive at their hideout, but our losses won¡¯t be pleasant.¡±


    Intently, Maize stood his ground and responded. ¡°True, but time ticks. The longer they remain, the more they become a plague to us.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that, but at the same time, we can¡¯t risk having competent Guards falling into their trap. For now, evacuating the residents of the villages is our best option. We can then wear them down by cutting off their supplies by surrounding the forest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s viable, however, your Highness, do we have that much time to wait them out?¡± he said. ¡°Besides, as you assumed, it¡¯s possible that they have the ability to teleport back to Libet. The Worst case, the ability to teleport troops from Libet to the forest using blood runes.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    After a moment of silence, I said, ¡°¡­ If we take too much time, we might be the one suffering in the end huh.¡±


    But I doubt Libet will start a war between humans at this point in time. Not unless they aren''t sane enough to look at their own situation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said with a nod.


    ¡°Siege weapons, can we fire them off to the forest? Or maybe lure Snapmaws from the lake into the forest.¡±


    ¡°It will take days to bring down and deliver the ballistas from the cities to the forest. And reducing the cities¡¯ defenses might spark doubt on the confidentiality of this operation. For the lure, it¡¯s uncertain if it¡¯ll work as intended.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine to not keep this a secret. After all, we¡¯ve shown to the refugees that the church was involved in the mass poisoning that happened. If we can attribute the missing citizens to the church, it¡¯ll increase the doubt towards them. However...¡±


    ¡°¡°They might escape before we¡¯ve properly set-up the siege weapons.¡±¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯d be a waste of manpower, and a shame on us if we failed to prove our claims,¡± I said, looking back to the map on the table. ¡°So the best action is to be reckless?¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± he answered, returning his gaze back to the map. Then tracing his finger around a small portion of the forest, he said, ¡°We can shoot arrows from a distance and push them back, besiege them with shields, then take them out one after the other by gradually closing the encirclement.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if we properly find their hideout. As it stands, they¡¯ve stationed assassins throughout the forest while using Hide, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    After all, using Hide through the shadows cast by a forest is good enough to trick a human.


    ¡°Anyway, I thi-¡±


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Erina interrupted from the entrance of the tent. ¡°His Highness, Prince Maxwell, wishes to speak with you.¡±


    Shifting my sight from the map to Erina, then to Maize, I said, ¡°We¡¯ll continue later.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± replied Maize as he folded the map and placed it in his pocket. On the other hand, I took the shards and crystals and placed them inside a pouch. I then hung it on a hook at the side of the table.


    After Maize left creaks on the pallet floor towards the entrance, he and Erina turned around bowed before leaving. Soon after, Max entered the tent.


    ¡°Have I interrupted something?¡± he asked, removing his drenched boots near the entrance.


    Towards the makeshift bed of wood I walked. Then with a turn, I sat down and said, ¡°You¡¯re worried about that after you did it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said with a snicker. From the entrance, he made his way towards the side of my bed. ¡°Anyway,¡± he said as he produced a creak on the pallet, ¡°I think it¡¯d be best if you focus on the activities of the church west from here.¡±


    ¡°So you knew huh,¡± I said with a glance to my side.


    Returning my gaze, he replied with a smile, ¡°I can¡¯t be incompetent if I want to become a great King, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I muttered, shifting my sight towards my hands placed on my knees. ¡°However, Max, Laurel won¡¯t make a blunder. We¡¯ll escort you back to the borders without fail. After all, that event should never be repeated.¡±


    Placing his hand over mine, he said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. We¡¯re in Laurel. It¡¯s true that the church is currently here, but my Guards, and the soldiers lent by your Uncle is enough to stop them from afar.¡±


    In response, I shook my head and said, ¡°No, Max, you don¡¯t understand.¡± Then I moved my sight towards him. ¡°I don¡¯t want what happened to me back then to be repeated. I may sound unconvincing, but you yourself know how I felt, no, how I feel right now.¡±


    ¡°You love me, right?¡± he said with a grin.


    Puffing a sigh, ¡°What am I to do to you?¡± I asked while a smile rose from my face. ¡°Max, you¡¯re dreaming. You¡¯re not there yet. Maybe a kingdom, no, a continent away? Perhaps even farther?¡±


    He laughed in response.


    ¡°I have to work hard and cross the oceans and seas one day huh. But I''m sure I''ll cross it sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I muttered abruptly.


    ¡°What? Can you repeat that?¡±


    ¡°I said go and drown yourself in the sea.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s too long for that.¡±


    ¡°Your ears need some cleaning. Want me to call Erina for you?¡±


    ¡°No thanks,¡± he said, waving his hand. ¡°I had Lester clean it for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I raised a mischievous smile. ¡°You¡¯re admitting that you¡¯re leaning towards that side huh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so. It¡¯ll be a huge issue especially for Brent.¡±


    ¡°It sure will.¡±


    A few seconds after, we both laughed. It was like how we used to be before we exchanged that promise. Times when we used to laugh together that I can now appreciate more than I used to. Through the night, we spoke with each other, not as royals, but as who we are and what we¡¯ve become.


    ¡°Oh! I remember that!¡± I said with excitement. ¡°Those exploding shards gave me a scare at the first time!¡±


    ¡°You even panicked after it glowed. Then you threw it to your Guards and caused a panic! Ahahaha!¡±


    ¡°True,¡± I said, wiping my tears with my finger. ¡°But you¡¯re one to talk. You can¡¯t even keep up with our training after a few days! You¡¯re like a tattered rag lying on the dirt!¡±


    ¡°No, no, isn¡¯t it already weird that you beat me in stamina back then? You¡¯re too unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re blaming me for your incompetence huh. What a sucker.¡±


    We reminisced how we tackled the tasks we were given while we stayed in Academia for five years. We spoke of our experiences. The time we shared. And the knowledge we gained. It was fun. It was a blast. I never knew that I closed my senses despite me enjoying myself the whole time. I needed to reevaluate how my life played. How I grew to what I am today.


    I¡¯m still naive, I thought. But I guess this is fine...


    Minutes turned into hours until we exhausted ourselves by recounting the time we were together. In the end, Max reached his hand towards mine and unfolded my fingers. Then gently, he closed it.


    Afew seconds of silence passed while he gently clamped on my left hand. ¡°I¡¯ll leave now,¡± he said as he stood and walked towards the entrance.


    ¡°Max,¡± I called as I stood. After he turned around, I said, ¡°Don¡¯t die on me.¡±


    Snickering a smile, he replied, ¡°I won¡¯t. Not until I¡¯m satisfied with my life living with you.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if it''ll happen.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to,¡± he said with his eyes burning with conviction. ¡°I¡¯ll make it happen with my own hands.¡± And so he left.


    ¡°That''s not a reassuring line at all.¡±


    A few seconds after he left, I lifted my left hand and unfolded my fingers. At the palm of my hand was a ring. A silver ring encrusted with a diamond. ¡°It¡¯ll cause problems if I wear this,¡± I said, beaming with a warm smile. ¡°But that¡¯s as Amelia. As Mia, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Then I clasped the ring.

 Chapter 45: Amelias Gift

    On the day after, Maize and I continued discussing our plan to take control of the forest to the west.


    ¡°For now,¡± I said, ¡°have the citizens of the village to the west evacuate to here. For those further northwest, have them move to the port city to the east. Lastly, for the fishing village, lead them towards the southwest and into the villages of Academia.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave to you the letter to request Academia¡¯s assistance,¡± Maize replied.


    In response, I nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it shortly.¡±


    I¡¯ll have to visit the Royals upon arrival in Academia for this¡­


    Without sparing a single moment, we began to move. I wrote a letter just like Maize asked. On the other hand, Maize gathered his men and hand-picked those who would assist in the evacuation of the citizens. After Maize¡¯s men split up into groups and headed towards the said villages, my remaining Guards, the Guards from Tervin¡¯s Dukedom, and Brent¡¯s Guards restarted our march towards the borders. However, some Guards from Tervin¡¯s Dukedom remained to manage the temporary settlement. A settlement to be turned into a relay town for the trade with Brent.


    While traveling, the rain started to let-up. Then gradually, the looming clouds thinned while rays of light broke through the barricade of clouds. Guided by the sun¡¯s light, we arrived at the borders. To be specific, the valley between Twin Peaks.


    In the distance within my sight, a large arched gateway stood with small spires at its sides. Spanning to its left and right, a tall gray rampart blocked anything beyond it other than the mountains that stood behind.


    ¡°This is where we part,¡± I said, facing Max with his Guards lined behind him. They stood at attention with their bannered spears pointed towards the cloudy sky. Their dark-blue banners were marked with three spears crossed as one. The so-called Spears of Longinus.


    ¡°For now,¡± he said with an unbreaking smile.


    I snickered a laugh in response. Then, with a smile, I said, ¡°Whatever.¡±


    As I took a step forward, my Guards on my sides moved in unison. Halting, I shifted my sight to my left, then to the right. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be this alert,¡± I said with a giggle. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, I have no plans of escaping.¡± Then I took another step closer to Max while my Guards relaxed on their positions.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Upon reaching Max, I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have nothing else to give.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the promise is enough for me,¡± he said as he gazed into my eyes.


    ¡°Would a hug perhaps satisfy you?¡± I asked as I tilted my head.


    ¡°I¡¯d be glad to,¡± he answered.


    At the moment he opened his arms wide, I quickly took a step forward. Then, grabbing him by the collar, I pulled him closer while I closed my eyes as I reached out my neck. Shortly, in the dark, my lips caressed his. It was damp. It was mellow. Then on my cheeks, his surprised breathing brushed a gentle and warm breeze. And as I lifted my eyelids, his wide-eyed expression entered my sight.


    One second. Two. Three. I then released him from my grasp. As I backed away with a mischievous smile, he silently stood there frozen with his arms still opened wide. It was the same for everyone else. The Guards, both from Brent¡¯s and mine, they all wore an expression of surprise or shock. Gradually, while they muttered words beside their comrade, Max¡¯s mouth gaped and closed repeatedly. Unable to respond, he slowly lifted his trembling hand over his lips and stared at me vacantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s my gift,¡± I said as I hinged my hips. ¡°It¡¯s my first, so take care of it.¡± Then I turned around and pumped my legs hurriedly towards my Guards.


    While I weaved my way through my Guards, a shout came from behind, ¡°Wait! Amelia! It¡¯s not enough!¡±


    Don¡¯t be too greedy!


    With a hand trembling hand over my lips, I whispered to myself, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did something so brazen.¡± I turned and twisted to fit myself between my Guards as I hurriedly walked away. Finding myself outside the wall of my Guards, I resumed and headed further away.


    At that time, my heart beat like a galloping horse. Blood rushed to my head. All the while a warm sensation exploded within my core.


    I don¡¯t think I can get used to doing such things¡­


    As Amelia vanished in between her Guards, I reached out my hand and shouted, ¡°Wait! Amelia! It¡¯s not enough!¡± It was greed. Or was it? I didn¡¯t know. But all I thought is that it wasn''t enough. After all, I was caught by surprise.


    Unable to suppress myself, my lips raised to an inevitable smile. My heart pounded like crazy. It was her first. It also was mine.


    I can¡¯t believe that she¡¯d act so brazen. Did I do good yesterday? So all my efforts this time paid off? Wait, wait, wait, wait. This can¡¯t be a dream, right? It happened, right? I thought. No, it¡¯s definitely real. I¡¯m sure of it. I burned her image during the kiss. I¡¯m sure of it. There¡¯s no denying it.


    Balling my hand into a fist, I glanced over the arched gateway from behind and muttered, ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get enough of her.¡±


    I could feel it. My blood pumping through my veins. I felt invincible. I thought I can do anything. I wanted to shout. I wanted to scream and let the world know I succeeded in my first step. And I wanted everyone to know how lucky I was this day.


    It¡¯s just starting, I thought. I have to do my best.

 Chapter 46: A Glimpse 1

    The feet of the wooden chair rattled against the cream floor as Kanna abruptly stood from her seat. Her mouth agape, she moved her sight from Meiko towards the window on her right. ¡°I think I need to beat someone! No, kill I mean!¡± she shouted with a vexed expression.


    Surprised by Kanna, Meiko, while sitting on the bed, asked, ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it. But I feel the need to go! But I¡¯m sure it¡¯s related to Lia!¡± she declared. Then she turned to the door and ran towards it while shouting, ¡°Birby! We¡¯re going to slice and dice someone!¡± After turning the knob, she immediately jumped towards the hallway and disappeared to the left while leaving the door open.


    ¡°There she goes,¡± said Mola. Peacefully, she lied down on the second layer of the bunk bed. She then rolled to the side and peeked below. ¡°If you want to chase after her, you can go.¡±


    Meiko reared her head and responded with a mutter to Mola. ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°Kanna will return,¡± said Mola with half-closed eyes. ¡°Probably with her Highness in tow.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, Meiko shifted her sight to her knees.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Her Highness is not a bad person, however, she isn¡¯t a thoroughly good one as well. But considering how the world works, that¡¯s normal. After all, the world isn¡¯t painted in only black or white.¡±


    ¡°True...¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ But you know? You still haven¡¯t left this room.¡± Then Mola reared her head and lied down as usual. ¡°Meiko, what are you afraid of? Is it meeting with the people of this world? Or you¡¯re just afraid of being hurt? In any case, no one¡¯s going to hurt you here unless you hurt them first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure either...¡±


    Suddenly, from the door, Kanna peeked and asked, ¡°Does anyone of you know where Lia is?¡±


    ¡°¡°...¡±¡± In silence, Meiko stared at Kanna while Mola did the same as she sat up on the bed.


    One. Two. Three. ¡°¡°Pfft! Ahahahaha!¡±¡± Mola and Meiko laughed with their arms wrapped around their waist.


    ¡°Oi! What¡¯s wrong?! I¡¯m serious here!¡±


    <hr>


    Immediately after I left Max near the border gateway, I headed towards the carriage and boarded. Once inside, I sent orders via telepathy.


    [We¡¯re leaving towards west. Make haste.]


    Using my authority, I forced the Guards to immediately embark. I didn¡¯t give them enough time to contemplate the recent event. After all, it¡¯s not something that I wanted to hear now and then. After several minutes, the Guards finished re-positioning themselves under Maize¡¯s command.


    During our travel, our convoy passed by a group of villagers heading towards east. Children, adults, and elderly, they all have their own sacks or cloth bags hanging from their back or hands. They were all citizens of the village between Twin Peaks and the forest.


    At that time, I halted the convoy and alighted the carriage. After giving some greetings, both children, adult, and elderly alike surrounded me in a semi-circular manner. They all listened to what I had to say. And they were pleased by the coincidental meeting. Since it was a good time to explain the situation, I took the chance to assure them that we are working on the problem with the forest.


    After I gave my farewell, I returned to the carriage and sat across Erina.


    ¡°Perhaps, now, you can explain your brazen action in this recent event?¡± she asked as I took my seat.


    Silently, I shifted my sight from Erina down to my knees. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ No, I just wanted to thank Max for all those five years he remained by my side. Aside from that, Brent is at war. So if things went for the worst, that might be our last meeting. And so I took the chance to do at least that- at least, that¡¯s how I¡¯ll explain it...¡±


    ¡°You do know that he¡¯ll be your step-brother soon, right? After all, It¡¯s highly probable that his Majesty and her Majesty will agree with his Highness''s betrothal with her Highness Clarissa.¡±


    Quietly, I nodded.


    Erina sighed in response as she brought a hand to her forehead.


    Clasping my hand on my knees, I said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got too ahead of myself...¡±


    Ah¡­ I can¡¯t understand myself anymore¡­ Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have let my instinct took the better of me. But after things calmed down- I won¡¯t be a Laurel anymore, right? Aaaahhhh! What am I thinking! This isn¡¯t you Amelia! Not you! Wake up! It doesn¡¯t end there!


    The more I thought about the repercussions of the things I¡¯ve resolved myself to do, the more my chest felt the brunt of its weight.


    You¡¯re no longer normal Amelia! I thought to myself.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± called Erina, unsmiling. ¡°Would you do the same for any man who stayed by your side?¡±


    I shook my head in response and said, ¡°Of course not! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll feel the same about anyone else! It¡¯s not a matter of time!¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine,¡± replied Erina with a smile.


    I knit my brows in response. ¡°What? I don¡¯t get what you mean...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    With a puzzled expression, I thought, Weird¡­ Erina¡¯s weird today¡­


    ¡°So how was it? The kiss? Was it good? After all, you took a good long one for your first,¡± she asked as she leaned closer with a mischievous smile.


    I cuffed my ears in response and said, ¡°You¡¯re not getting anything from me!¡±


    <hr>


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Late in the afternoon, we arrived at the deserted village and met with the remaining Guards that handled the evacuation. Accordingly, I took refuge inside a structure called the Village Hall. A staple among villages to accommodate guests or to discuss plans brought up by village chiefs.


    Since we¡¯ve been traveling from day till now, we took the time to rest. However, within the hall, Maize and I resumed our discussion about the plan for tomorrow.


    ¡°How do we proceed?¡± asked Maize, standing beside a door.


    ¡°Since Father will be heading to the duchy,¡± I said while seated on a nearby chair, ¡°there¡¯s a guarantee that he¡¯d soon find out the issue with the church in the forest. So, if possible, I¡¯d like to finish this sooner than later.¡±


    ¡°Another show of power huh.¡± Maize nodded.


    ¡°That too,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯ll be a good example for Father to accept that I can take care of myself and events such as this on my own. Anyway, we¡¯ll proceed by using the church girl as a bait.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re taking the reckless approach?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°In any case, damage her legs and knock her unconscious before you throw her into the forest.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    <hr>


    Within the room on the next day, I was cuffing around my waist. On my right hung a pouch filled with a few shards and crystals. On my left was my old longsword and my rapier. Each strapped with a different sword belt. Then to my back was my dagger fastened in place.


    ¡°All check,¡± I said as I stood beside Erina. I then took a final check on my wyvern leather armor by twisting my body and moving around the room. ¡°Seems good,¡± I said while opening and closing my gloved hands.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± asked Erina.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then come here,¡± said Erina, gesturing to the wooden chair.


    In response, I approached the seat and took it.


    ¡°Would a ponytail do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You can do as you like,¡± I answered. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t get in the way of moving too much, then it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°In that case...¡±


    A moment after Erina fixed my hair into a braided bun, me and my Guards ate the preserved jerky from the carriages we brought. Then we took one final rest during the night.


    Before I left the room, I turned to Erina and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so worried every time I leave, Erina.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, there isn¡¯t any mother who wouldn¡¯t care for her son¡¯s or daughter¡¯s well-being each time they leave facing a perilous situation. If ever there was, that person doesn¡¯t qualify to be called as a proper mother. Less, a person.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Then tapping my cheeks with the palm of my hands, I said, ¡°In any case, I need to leave now.¡±


    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t understand the reason for you to leave an hour before midnight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s at this time that I should leave,¡± I replied with a wry smile. ¡°Anyway, Erina, please prepare good food for my return.¡± And thus I turned to leave towards the door.


    As I reached for the handle, her voice came from behind. ¡°Don¡¯t let my efforts in preparing a meal go to waste.¡±


    Snickering a sigh, ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± I muttered.


    I then left the Village Hall and met with Maize.


    ¡°Is there any changes?¡± I asked.


    ¡°None,¡± Maize replied. ¡°The church girl is still lying unconscious in the forest. I¡¯ve positioned my men at a distance around her to observe the situation. However, so far, none of the church came to retrieve her.¡±


    ¡°Where are the others stationed?¡±


    Quietly, Maize slid his hand into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. He then unfolded it and reached it out to me. After receiving it, I confirmed the position of the north on the forest¡¯s map. The map was marked with black dots that indicated the position of the Guards spread around the forest. And a large dot that indicated the church girl¡¯s location.


    ¡°How about those that went to the fishing village and the village down south of here? Are there any reports from them? And have they positioned themselves accordingly?¡±


    ¡°There is one report that came just recently. And I believe they have.¡±


    ¡°And that is?¡± I asked as I looked up to Maize.


    ¡°The assassins began to head deeper into the forest. There¡¯s definitely something brewing with their actions.¡±


    I knitted my brow in response and said, ¡°Retreating huh? Perhaps they¡¯re gathering or just luring us deeper into the forest?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s likely that they''re luring us in.¡±


    Placing a hand over my lips, I muttered, ¡°This is troubling.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. However, we must make haste.¡±


    ¡°True. In any case, we¡¯ll proceed as planned. However, prepare for any unforeseen circumstances. It¡¯d best to bring shards of different elements to make sure.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    <hr>


    The wind brushed past the trees and rustled its leaves. And as moonlight filtered through the seams in-between leaves, it struck a pattern of light over a girl leaning on a tree¡¯s trunk. The girl was unconscious. She had brown hair and wore a brown tattered rag similar to those of slaves. And at her neck was a black collar fitted tightly. It was a slave collar. However, it¡¯s mana siphoning effects were disabled.


    ¡°Uugh...¡± the girl muttered. Her body slowly slid from the trunk and fell. At the moment her right shoulder struck a nearby rock, her eyelids shot open and her body jolted awake.


    ¡°What?! What?!¡± she said as she erratically moved her head to her left and right. Her eyes darted around the dim forest. As soon as she confirmed she was fine, she propped herself back up against the trunk.


    Blankly, she blinked her eyes as she took in the scenery before her. A forest in the middle of the night. ¡°Where am I? Am I dreaming?¡± she asked herself. To confirm that she wasn¡¯t dreaming, she used her right hand to grab a piece of dirt beside her. As she lifted her hand, she unfolded her fingers and revealed smudges of dirt, grass, and dried leaves. ¡°Did it work?¡± she asked herself once again as she confirmed that it was real.


    Using her left, she reached out to her neck and felt the collar. ¡°It¡¯s still here.¡± She then shook her head and said, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Gradually, a smirk emerged on her face. ¡°As long as I reach that, this won¡¯t matter.¡±


    While chuckling a grin, she propped herself up. However, a sharp pain ran through her legs and forced her to remain seated. ¡°Tch!¡± She spat a hateful glare at her battered feet. It was covered in bruises and dried blood. ¡°Whatever,¡± she muttered and began chanting.


    Manifest, Heal.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t reach the second level of light through the church¡¯s blessings for nothing.¡± She then gently slid her glowing fingers from her thighs down to her ankle. She repeated the same procedure on her other foot. After she confirmed that her wounds healed, she propped herself up once again. This time, she succeeded.


    After she got up, she dusted her clothes while scanning the surroundings. As she turned to the other side, a breeze passed by. ¡°Brr...¡± She muttered while rubbing arms with her hands.


    Soon she found a portion of the forest better lit than the rest. She passed by bushes as she moved towards the light. And just as she expected, she found a small clearing. Towards its center, she walked while lifting her head. As soon as she reached the center, she gazed at the stars that blanketed the dark sky like jewels.


    Quietly, her eyes darted from one star to another. She took note of the constellations taught to her when she was still studying under the tutelage of a priest. Then, with a nod, she again scanned the surroundings. Shortly, her eyes halted at a tree a bit larger than the rest. She approached it and with her hands held up, she jumped and grabbed a branch. She then pulled herself up in a huff. Then a branch after the other, she climbed further.


    At the moment she reached a spot with a stable footing, she moved her sights around starting with the north. However, it was dark, and all she can see was a sea of leaves dimly lit by the moon. However, she was unfazed. She then began chanting another magic.


    Manifest, Far Sight.


    Consequently, the range of her vision grew and even in the dark of the night, she could see better than she used to.


    There¡¯s the Twin Peaks, she thought. If I¡¯m this close to the left peak, then I¡¯m probably around the northeastern part of the forest.


    Once she confirmed her location, she started descending the tree, snapping some twigs as she goes.


    You¡¯ll regret you gave me this chance, princess, she thought. Now then, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re around here somewhere.


    Silently, facing south, she whispered a chant while walking.


    Manifest, Body Reinforcement.


    At the moment the reinforcement activated, she took a start dash and immediately shifted towards southwest. As she ran, the corners of her lips rose into a wide smile.


    Fools!


    As she ran deeper into the forest, the blades of grass closely behind her bent as if a boot trampled over it.

 Chapter 47: A Glimpse 2

    She ran. The church girl ran. She ran with her tattered rag fluttering from behind.


    To a tree with a rock in place, she took a sharp turn to the right. She nearly fell to her side as she raked up the dirt and dried leaves with her bare feet. Then forward she resumed, gradually increasing the bruises on her feet. While running, she ducked. She dodged a branch that hung low. Then she immediately took a sharp turn to the left. Then right after a few seconds.


    She ran and ran while branches whipped across her face. Fallen twigs snapped as she passed. Nonetheless, she endured the brunt of her wounds. She endured the pain the coursed through her body when her sweat met her open wounds. In contrary, she laughed madly as she went. ¡°Ahahahaha!¡± Her face expressed a twisted kind of joy. She was free. She was like a wild dog released from her chains.


    ¡°Fools! Fools! You won¡¯t get anything from me!¡±


    Swift, she weaved through the forest. She seemed to know her path. Even at the dark of the night, she knew. She was trained for it. She wasn¡¯t just an ordinary pawn. At least she thought when she got praised and picked for her job. To return the Hero to where it was supposed to. To Libet. With the church.


    The moment she thought she got far enough from Amelia and her Guards, she shamelessly activated telepathy. [I¡¯m here! I¡¯m here!] She spurred her legs as she continued. [Quick! Close the path from behind! They¡¯ll run after me! Use this chance to take them down! Daggers, spikes, or anything hardly visible, use them! Take them out!]


    A few seconds passed and her wide smile started sinking. She darted her eyes in confusion. She knew there were supposed to be assassins hiding behind the trees. Something was amiss. Again, she took a quick scan of her surroundings and focused on her sense of hearing. However, she heard nothing. Nothing was moving between the trees in her path.


    [What the hell are you doing?! Hey! I said move!]


    She expected a movement. Or at least a reply with Wind Whisper or Telepathy, but nothing came. None. Nothing moved. Only the flapping wings of a bird and the hum of insects filtered through her ears.


    Slowly, a sense of peril crept up on her chest.


    Was I betrayed?! she thought. Then a sharp pang struck her head. It forced her to release Reinforcement. Gradually, her speed dulled and her breathing turned erratic. Her mana was almost drained. Her stamina was the same. Nothing was keeping herself other than her will. Her will to live and receive a second chance to retrieve the Hero.


    </a> It¡¯s impossible! It¡¯s impossible! It¡¯s impossible!


    Losing her steam, she halted. She leaned on her knees as she gasped for breath. Her brown hair clung to her skin, drenched in sweat. Her sight was hazy and her mind muddled. She was tired. However, she resisted falling. She refused to give up. There¡¯s hope.


    While beads of sweat trickled from her head down to her chin, she lifted her sight. Within it, she knew it was there. She waited for eyes to adjust and there it was. A boulder.


    Just a little more!


    Again, her lips curled into a smile. Adrenaline pushed her forward. She took a step forward with her bruised leg. The leaves crunched. She took another step. A twig snapped. Then the third- didn¡¯t arrive.


    From the boulder, flashes of light twinkled. Wide-eyed, she muttered, ¡°W-what?¡± Gradually, the boulder turned transparent and then vanished. It was an illusion. However, the searing pain she felt was not. She felt warm, and yet she felt cold.


    On the corner of her cracked lips, a tinge of red dripped. ¡°Why¡­?¡± She creaked her head and looked down her chest. One, two, three. There, she saw four objects stuck on her body. It shone a vivid glow of white. ¡°Why¡­?¡± she muttered. Her pupils shrank and trembled. ¡°W-why¡­?!¡±


    Her knees buckled. Then with a dull thud, her knees met the leaf-covered dirt. Scrunching up what little life she had left, she lifted her head and said, ¡°You¡­ bastard¡­!¡± At that moment, the Prismatic Blades dispersed into tiny particles. Her blood spilled from her wound. Then her face fell on the dirt. Her sight was focused on her left while her lips moved, but no sound came out. Not long after her lips stopped moving while her devoid eyes remained open.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already failed, Beatrice,¡± said a man in a white robe. ¡°There¡¯s no use for failures.¡±


    From where the boulder stood, numerous figures remained in wait. At the center of the group was the man with a white robe. He wore a white stole lined with golden threads while marked with cross-turned-sword. On his head was a hood. An amice. It only left his indifferent expression left in the open.


    Around the robed man were men dressed in a tight black outfit. They wore black masks that expressed a frown. They had black belts fitted around their waists where daggers hung.


    Underneath them was a magic circle spanning a diameter of twelve meters. A magic circled engraved onto a hardened ground. The circle glowed dimly in red. It seemed as if it had a life of its own.


    At the outer ring of the circle, six assassins stood at a fixed distance from each other. At their front, was the bodies of the missing villagers. Children, adult, or elderly. There wasn¡¯t a clear variety. After all, to them, it didn¡¯t matter. What they needed is what they get. There were no exceptions.


    The missing villagers were silent. They didn¡¯t move. No, they weren¡¯t able to move at all. Their eyes were lifeless. Their faces twisted in anguish were trickled by dried tears. And their necks slit open or their chest stabbed deep. And from their wounds, blood streamed. Their blood fed the magic circle with mana and life.


    It was known as Blood Ritual. A ritual that uses the blood of any race mixed up with powdered crystalline manatite to fill up a magic circle starting with the runes, also known as Blood Runes. After all, a being of any race is also a container of mana. A natural container that refills itself with time.


    Around the vicinity of the magic circle, more figures dressed in black emerged from the shadows of the trees. Calmly, they walked into the magic circle.


    ¡°You¡¯re there aren¡¯t you?!¡± shouted the man in white. ¡°Show yourself, oh princess of Laurel!¡±


    From the corpse of Beatrice, diagonally from behind it, a silver-haired girl emerged from a tree trunk. She approached the side of Beatrice¡¯s corpse and halted. It was none other than Amelia. Still, there was about a twenty meters distance between them.


    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± with a hateful glare on her face, Amelia muttered to herself. ¡°For a servant of the church to call me by my title instead of Demon. It¡¯s quite surprising.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless to fight, oh princess!¡± he said. ¡°Surrender the Hero to us and we¡¯ll give your kingdom a reprieve!¡±


    Though pointless she thought, she answered, ¡°And what makes you think your someone I should believe in?!¡±


    ¡°As you can see! We¡¯re recalling all our men and have planned to peacefully return to Libet!¡±


    Amelia gripped the handle of her sword. ¡°Taking the life of my people is peaceful to you?! What kind of twisted belief do you have?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re heretics! They deserve it!¡±


    ¡°In that case, this is my answer! I REFUSE YOUR OFFER YOU PILES OF SWINE!¡±


    ¡°You gave me no choice!¡±


    The robed man raised his hand in the air and swung it downwards. At that moment, Prismatic Blades manifested. Towards Amelia, the fifteen blades shot like arrows. They flew sparsely, hoping to cover what little area she¡¯s able to move in. However, in contrary, Amelia stood there with a mischievous smile. She refused to move.


    Shortly after, the blades struck Amelia¡¯s body and drew blood.


    Or it was supposed to, but the blades passed through her body instead. Then gradually, Amelia¡¯s figure vanished like smoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me!¡± A voice came from a distance while another figure appeared at a short distance from the illusion. Again, the Prismatic Blades shot towards it, but again, it passed through like usual.


    ¡°Wrong again!¡±


    Further behind where Beatrice¡¯s corpse lied, Amelia took up a position of a pitcher. Within her right hand, were two crystals. With a firm control of her mana, she poured them into the crystals. In response, the crystals emitted a dim blue light.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Start the ritual!¡± Struck by a dreaded premonition, perhaps through luck, the robed man ordered.


    However, to Amelia, it was her best chance. With her left holding the handle of her longsword, she took a step forward. At the moment her boots scrunched the dirt, she poured mana into the longsword¡¯s handle. Shortly after, a blinding flash of light lit the forest. Subsequently, she manifested her horn and activated reinforcement through her bracelet. Then with a shout, ¡°Take this!¡± She hurled the crystals tied by a thin rope.


    As soon as the crystals left her hand, she hid her horn and immediately turned to the opposite direction. She didn¡¯t wait for the crystal to land a hit. She knew what would happen next. Silently, while running, she drew her longsword with her right while her left clasped the handle of the rapier. Then, using the mana from the crystal threads on the rapier, she erratically activated a series of flashes.


    Shortly, an explosion shook the forest. The trees bent. The branches shook. And birds scrambled into the sky in fear. A second flash of light immediately followed from the second crystal, however, at the same time, it vanished.


    Thanks for those defective crystals Garfin! She thought.


    [Maize! Move in!] she commanded with Telepathy rather than Wind Whisper.


    A few seconds later, piercing roars shook the forest.


    ¡°GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!¡±


    ¡°GYUWAH! GYUWAH! GYUWAH...¡±


    When Amelia heard the roars, she halted and took a glance. There she saw two figures cloaked by the night. Both were around ten feet tall. In terms of length, one was around twenty-six feet while other was far shorter. Both were covered in rugged spikes that pointed towards its back.


    Not long after, a hissing sound came and eventually painted the night by amber flames. The flames came from the rugged pores that dotted its square-shaped scales. It had four limbs with a flattened body.


    Though far it was, she knew the cry and realized what beast it was. ¡°A Flameclad?!¡± She then began to resume running towards Maize and his men.


    Amelia realized along the way that the church used a two-way teleportation. However, she expected them to transfer troops instead of beasts. To make it worse, they transferred Flameclads into a forest during the season of fall.


    ¡°GYUWAH¡­ GYUWAH¡­ GYUWAH...¡± Cried the other Flameclad. Unlike the other that roared while unleashing flames, this Flameclad desperately clawed the dirt beside it. It endlessly swung its short neck covered by a maroon skin. It smashed its triangular head covered by a shoveled jaw on the ground and ravaged it.


    It was its death throe.


    Two-thirds of the thrashing Flameclad was missing. The hind legs, tail, and anything down its chest was missing. What was left were its spilled innards and the blood that spurted from the remaining body.


    The reason was the teleportation. It succeeded, and at the same time, it failed. It was interrupted by the explosion caused by the crystals. However, some reached the other side safely. Just like the fortunate Flameclad that arrived in one piece.


    ¡°Gyuwahhh¡­¡± Then the Flameclad fell with a thud. But the other increased its output as it saw its fellow Flameclad meet its end.


    [Maize!] Amelia called with Wind Whisper.


    [Duck!]


    Quickly, Amelia ducked as Maize ordered. Shortly after, arrows flew overhead and struck two assassins that neared Amelia from behind. Then, while in a ducked position, Amelia propped herself with one hand and dashed towards the source of the arrows.


    Then from the bushes, in-between trees, came Maize and his men. They held bows in their hands, while some held longswords and kite shields.


    ¡°We need to eliminate the Flameclad!¡± shouted Amelia as she passed by Maize. She stayed behind the front-lines and observed the situation. Then again, she weaved through the trees and vanished.


    ¡°Understood!¡± replied Maize.


    One after the other, Amelia¡¯s Guards appeared with swords and bows drawn. The bowmen windowed behind the line of swordsmen. On the other hand, the swordsmen formed a barricade using their shields.


    As Maize and Amelia suspected, the church lied. Assassins came from the shadows with their daggers drawn in a backhand grip. They weaved through the trees and alternated their positions in hopes of confusing the Guards. However, the Guards were unfazed. They have dealt with similar cases from their clashes with assassins during the last five years.


    Behind their shields, the swordsmen held shards in their hands. They poured mana into them while the assassins neared. Then, with a sound that tore the dirt, earthen spikes manifested on the predicted path of the assassins. Although most of the spikes missed their target, some were grazed, some passed through as a shadow, and some halted in their steps.


    On the other hand, the bowmen took this chance to unleash their arrows. They aimed at those who were impeded by the spikes. Fortunately, most hit their target, Some on the head, and some on the shoulders or the chest. However, some missed. Regardless, they shot another round and halted the other assassin¡¯s advance.


    The number of assassins was dwindling. Starting with the illusions they¡¯ve created, their numbers were gradually exposed by flashes of light emitted now and then. Nonetheless, though they¡¯re numbered few, the Flameclad from behind was free. In that regard, them slowly losing the confrontation wasn¡¯t pointless. In fact, they succeeded in stalling Amelia and her Guards.


    Nonetheless, the assassins retaliated by pouring mana into the shards they held. They molded the dirt in their nearby vicinity into a sharp elliptical rock at the size of their fists. It then floated and shot towards Amelia¡¯s Guards.


    In response, Amelia¡¯s Guards hid behind the tree trunks or held their shields while manifesting a barrier through another shard. But that wasn¡¯t all, earthen spikes appeared underneath Amelia¡¯s Guards. Fortunately, they themselves knew of the tactic, and thus only a select few were severely injured.


    After they reappeared and reformed their ranks, they resumed their exchange. The assassins made copies through the use of shadows or shot Earth Bullets. On the other hand, the swordsmen defended with their shields and barrier while the bowmen sniped one assassin after the other.


    At each passing second, the glow from the distance grew wider and brighter. Its light gradually consumed the dark forest as trees fell in the background. It also tainted the cloudless night sky with a large clump of smoke.


    Then on the ground, an assassin suddenly fell with a thud. Behind it was Amelia. She held her longsword smeared with blood and shouted, ¡°Maize! We don¡¯t have much time! I know you can do better than this!¡± She then took a step to her right and pivoted. Shortly, a dagger flew to her previous position. ¡°Maize!¡± she shouted, moved behind a tree, and vanished.


    ¡°Bowmen, move backward and form groups!¡± commanded Maize in a booming voice. ¡°Swordsmen, move forward! Hold your shields up high then charge! Trample them like ants! For Laurel!¡±


    ¡°¡°FOR LAUREL!¡±¡± replied Maize¡¯s men in unison. Then they charged with their swords overhead and shields at front.


    In response, the assassins began to retreat with shards in their hands. As they ran away, they formed a barricade of earthen spikes. They knew they were losing at the current pace and so they thought of further stalling the Guards to increase Laurel¡¯s losses. A loss in terms of resource.


    In contrast, Maize remained unconcerned and raised his voice further. ¡°Move aside! Bowmen! Ready your shard-tipped arrows!¡±


    As ordered, the bowmen drew an arrow from the quiver behind their hips. They knocked those arrows and loosed them. The arrows flew and struck the wall of earthen spikes and then exploded. Then another round of arrows flew, but this time, it passed through the passage and caused another series of small explosions. It dispersed the assassins waiting behind the barricade.


    ¡°Move!¡± Without a second to lose, Maize and his men charged through the passages. As soon as they crossed, they clashed against the assassins. Blades clanged against blades. Shields parried daggers to the side. Swords tore through flesh. Daggers bit through the skin. Bullets struck barriers and shields. Spikes grazed both assassins and Guards alike. All the while forming a small arc with the passages behind them.


    Soon after, the bowmen entered the fray and positioned themselves from within the arc. They held their bowstrings taut and unleashed a drizzle of arrows. Steadily, the assassins turned few. And at their current state, with their backs nearing the burning portion of the forest, they no longer had an escape.


    Again, from behind an assassin, Amelia appeared and slashed with her longsword. Then as quickly as she could, she disappeared and moved to another one. Though effective it was, the mana contained in her necklace and her rapier was almost depleted. After she took down another three, she returned to Maize¡¯s side. At that moment, the last of the assassins was taken down by Maize¡¯s thrust


    Maize then kicked the assassin and drew his sword free. He then raised his sword and pointed it ahead. ¡°Bring down the Flameclad!¡± Then they charged towards the raging flames.


    As they neared the burning portion of the forest, those with affinities aside from water drew shards from their breast pockets. Then those with started chanting. As quick as they arrived, balls of water formed overhead. Their size was at a minimum of a one-meter diameter sphere. Upon reaching their desired size, the balls of water flew and splashed against the burning trees and bushes. Soon, another round of water balls followed, dousing the flames before them.


    At the same time, the bowmen took their time in affixing shards onto their arrows. Then they shot their arrows towards the top of tree trunks from afar. After the arrows stuck and broke the shards, a large amount of water manifested and doused the burning leaves as it fell.


    While moving forward, they continued to douse the flames with water. Not soon after, the bowmen shot their third and last shard-tipped arrows embedded with water magic. They then slung their bows on their back and joined in chanting or pouring mana into shards.


    Unfortunately, though they achieved in quelling the flames on their side, the same wasn¡¯t true on the others. The flames still raged and encroached the forest as it used to.


    ¡°Maize,¡± called Amelia with a frown. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough...¡±


    ¡°How many crystals do you have?¡± asked Maize.


    ¡°I still have two left of those defective ones and about three of the defective shards, why?¡±


    ¡°Please lend two of each to me. We¡¯ll quell and detain the flames using the blast of the crystals.¡±


    Understanding what Maize meant, Amelia took out the said shards and crystals from her pouch and handed it to Maize. Maze then called his men and ordered them split into three groups. He handed the two crystals and shards on two representatives and gave them the order to skirt around the flames. After he was done giving orders, his men moved in three different directions.


    Amelia and Maize¡¯s group raced towards the source, the Flameclad. They passed through puddles of water while they entered a sea of blackened trees with an orange background. The heat started to rise as they went, and breathing started to get in their way.


    It didn¡¯t take long before they reached the location of the Flameclad. It was silently nudging its nose against the body of the dead Flameclad.


    ¡°Dodge!¡± Amelia abruptly ordered as she jumped to her side.


    Maize and his men jumped in response, but two were a tad late. In consequence, Prismatic Blades struck their bodies. However, the amount was nothing to scoff. It didn¡¯t even give them the chance to scream in pain.


    Amelia was concerned for the well-being of her Guards, however, she wasn¡¯t able to peel her eyes from the white-robed man. His robe was severely torn and tattered, and his stole was missing. Blood trickled from his feet. His platinum-blonde hair was exposed. Still, those weren¡¯t the reasons why Amelia couldn¡¯t peel her eyes from the man.


    The man was floating above the Flameclad.


    He was surrounded by four wings of light. Two were badly damaged and were shattered like glass.


    Lastly, two concentric halos floated above his head.

 Chapter 48: A Glimpse 3

    The dried leaves crunched. Then a silver-haired girl entered Maize¡¯s sight. At each passing second, her figure grew smaller. Instinctively, Maize knew. He reached out his hands and shouted, ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Amelia glanced behind in response. However, her lips were already moving. She didn¡¯t speak loud enough for him to hear, but he understood that it wasn¡¯t meant for him. She then turned her sight ahead and said, [I¡¯ll leave this to you.] Then her figure vanished.


    Maize threw his free hand and shouted, ¡°Spread out!¡± Then as fast as they could, they jumped to their feet and rushed towards the blackened trees. A second later, blades struck the dirt they left behind. In different directions, towards the tamed portion of the burning forest, they¡¯ve spread out and hid behind the trees.


    They knew their actions would soon be fruitless. The trees would only last a few seconds from the brunt of the drizzling blades. Not even arrows can compete if they retaliated. But they knew they wouldn¡¯t last that long against two enemies at once. Two of them were already dead even before the engagement started. Who knew how long for the remaining twelve of them, including Maize, to last.


    A few seconds later, Barriers popped-up like mushrooms in mid-air. Over them were three figures of Amelia, each standing at a different barrier. It did not take long before the figures started jumping from one barrier to another. They flitted, dodging the blades thrown at them. They twisted, ducked, and flipped. All the while scaling the sky towards the angel in three different directions.


    On the other hand, the angel remained calm. He flapped his wings and moved backward when the three figures closed on him and swung their swords. They missed. Regardless, the angel raised his two undamaged wings and swung it down. However, it passed through. Then as quickly as they appeared, they vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you where the Hero is if you can gut me alive!¡± shouted Amelia from a distance behind the Flameclad. She then threw a shard in her hand. The angel turned to her in response. To his surprise, a shard closed on his face.


    He instinctively shielded himself with his wings. However, a few seconds came and there wasn¡¯t an explosion to be heard. It was a fake. When he realized he has been played, he rasped his teeth and glared at Amelia. But Amelia didn¡¯t take heed. she ran towards northwest and into the burning portion of the forest.


    The angel retracted its wings and dove towards Amelia¡¯s direction.


    At the same moment Amelia ran towards northwest, the Flameclad took notice of her. It turned towards Amelia like the angel did. However, four arrows blinked from behind the trees. They struck the Flameclad in-between its large scales. In response, the Flameclad growled and turned to the source of the arrows.


    One by one, Amelia¡¯s Guards appeared and gathered at the northeast side. They then surrounded the Flameclad.


    ¡°Captain!¡± shouted one of Maize¡¯s men. ¡°What of her Highness?!¡±


    ¡°Let her be!¡± Maize answered as he pointed his sword towards the Flameclad. He then ran and said, ¡°It¡¯s our duty to protect her. But at this rate, it¡¯s impossible. Not with those two at the same place. We needed a diversion, and that¡¯s what she gladly accepted on her own!¡±


    The Flameclad rushed towards Maize in response. It traced its shoveled jaw at a little distance parallel to the ground.


    ¡°But!¡± the man replied. He moved with another comrade and closed in on the Flameclad¡¯s tail from two different directions.


    ¡°Just listen!¡± Maize howled. He then poured mana into his sword and activated reinforcement. He jumped at the same time and took a foothold of the Flameclad¡¯s jaw. Then he took another and said, ¡°If you want to immediately secure her Highness, then the only way is to eliminate this as soon as possible! Get to work!¡±


    The Flameclad raised its head in response, but Maize had already drawn an arc towards its back. Maize shifted his grip on his sword before he landed. Then with two hands on the handle, he drove the tip of his sword deep into the skin exposed between the scales.


    ¡°GYAAAHH!¡± the Flameclad cried. Maize then kicked the handle of his sword and drove it deeper and deeper. He then took out a shard they used to quell the flames. Then he started pouring water into the Flameclad¡¯s pores.


    At the same, two of Maize¡¯s men crossed each other¡¯s path as they slashed the Flameclad¡¯s tail. The tail wasn¡¯t lopped off, but wounding it was enough for the Flameclad tried to scream in pain. But instead, arrows struck its open mouth and broke its cry. On the other hand, Maize remained at its back, using the sword as a measure to not get thrown.


    The more the water entered its pores, the more the Flameclad swung its neck. It wiggled its body in hopes of throwing off Maize. However, Maize remained strong. The Flameclad then gave up and tried to fuel its pores, but only a bubbling sound came out followed by splashes of water. It can no longer light its flames. The air sac it used to fuel its flames were slowly filled with water.


    The moment the Flameclad stopped, Maize¡¯s men moved towards its limbs. They slashed at it and exchange with another person. At each slash, the wound became deeper and the blood that dripped became fluid. Maize then extracted his sword and slid down its back.


    Meanwhile, consecutively, two powerful explosions were heard from two different locations. The rushing sound of wind followed.


    On the other hand, the Flameclad could no longer take it and thus it instinctively used its habitual move. It laid to its side and curled its tail to its front. It opened its mouth and bit it, forming like a ring with a small portion of its tail dangling next to its mouth. Then using its weight, it rolled around while producing bubbling sounds.


    The move was known as the Flame Wheel. A moved that Flameclads, a large beast considered as a lesser drake, are known to often use. However, it wasn¡¯t effective. It aimlessly rolled around and crashed into some trees. To Maize and his men, it was an obvious result. After all, it was a move only effective at its original habitat, the slopes at the volcano in the center of the sea of Formos.


    ¡°Now!¡± At Maize¡¯s command, shard-tipped arrows struck the roots near the Flameclad. Upon breaking, earthen spikes blasted from the ground. Some broke upon hitting the Flameclad¡¯s sturdy scale, but some pierced through the gaps.


    The Flameclad cried as it released its tail. It fell to its back and snapped the earthen spikes with its weight. It wildly threw its arms and legs around as it hoped to get back up. However, the bowmen are not kind enough to overlook this chance. They knocked arrows, and again, aimed at its open mouth. They drew another arrow upon releasing the first.


    This time, Maize need not order his men. They immediately moved. Two at each limb and two for the neck and the tail. They hacked open the previous wounds on its limbs and tore its muscle fibers. They stabbed its underside of its neck repeatedly. The two others repeatedly slashed at its tail, gradually deepening its cut, but they stopped partway and move to the side. The same was true for Maize and his men.


    ¡°This is enough!¡± shouted Maize. The Flameclad was still alive, but its limbs were paralyzed. The inside of its throat was also bleeding. It only needed to wait for its impending death while water pooled from underneath its body.


    ¡°Towards northwest!¡±


    A second later, a thin pillar of light landed from the sky. It pierced through the smoke and partly dispersed it. Gradually, dread crept up on Maize. ¡°Move!¡±


    <hr>


    Amelia moved towards the burning forest. Her sight was filled with nothing by charred trees and amber flames. Patches of flames flickered in a crackling tune around her. Trees burned from the trunk till its peak while some were decorated by pulsing red veins. Flaming branches also fell here and there.


    She used her hand to cover her nose. She squinted her eyes as it darted, looking portion where fewer patches of flames were present. She then leaned forward and raised her speed. At the next second, her previous position was lobbed by blades. The angel was following closely behind.


    Soon, beads of sweat formed on her skin. Regardless, she continued to run. She erratically increased and decreased her running speed to dodge the blades thrown at her. She also turned towards the trees and used them as shields. As a result, the angel quickly reduced the gap between them. It is only a matter of time before the angel reached her and shoot at an almost point-blank range.


    ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± Her lungs screamed in pain.


    This should be far enough, Amelia thought.


    The next moment, a horn took hold the right side of her head. It looked like a leafless branch with small flower buds around it. Subsequently, her silver hair emitted a calming light. It flaunted itself against the amber.


    She then clasped the dangling necklace above her chest and thought, Please work!


    Then, at her next step, her mana flowed towards her bracelet and activated Reinforcement. Immediately after, she took off. She left a trail of scattered dirt from behind and instantly boosted her speed.


    While her speed jumped to a different level, white threads emerged from the necklace. It danced with the wind, but it laced and weaved itself around Amelia¡¯s body. However, rather than form the dress she wore at the time she remained at Celes¡¯s side, it interwove itself and formed a different form of clothing. It covered any portion of her exposed skin. It formed as an extension of her leather armor. It seemed like it has a mind of his own to protect its owner.


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    The angel was caught by surprise. His speed dulled for a moment and created an opportunity for Amelia to widen the gap. [You,] said the angel in a language different from a human. [What are you?] He glared while balling his fists.


    The angel recognized the appearance of the horn. Although it was a single horn instead of two, It wasn¡¯t something that any divine would forget. No, any divine would immediately recognize it. In contrast to its gentle and calm appearance, to divines, it¡¯s a symbol of fear. After all, they were reminded of the time they tried Celestia when she gave birth to Elena. A moment where the tables were immediately turned onto them.


    Amelia ignored the angel¡¯s question and focused on widening the gap between them. Soon after, she headed towards a portion of the forest where flames burned wildly. She speculated that she was nearing the end of the burning portion. A second after, a loud explosion shook the forest from her right. The wind rushed like a gale and snuffed out a large amount of flames; like a flame on candle blown by a breath.


    Subsequently, the trees near the explosion splintered and fell to Amelia¡¯s direction. Amelia took the chance and ran underneath the falling trees. The angel, on the other hand, had twisted and dodged the trees. Not soon after, Amelia escaped through the wall of flames. She immediately took a deep breath and eased the pain in her chest.


    What do I do now? Amelia thought while her sight returned to the calm forest. She hinted Maize that she had a plan, but it was a fluke. She had nothing planned ahead other than separating the Angel from the Flameclad. After all, she never expected what she thought was a myth to appear before her.


    What do I do? she thought. From his injuries, it¡¯s likely from the crystal I threw from before. But he survived that blast¡­ I need something of that level or higher...


    Amelia was running out of options. Her mana was being drained by the second. She had only had one last defective shard. There was nothing else she could rely on other than herself and the remaining shards in her pouch. She inserted her fingers into the pouch and scooped what was left. Using her mana, she identified which shard contained which magic.


    The shards available were: Earth Spike, Fire Ball, Water Ball, Wind Ball, and Heal. It didn¡¯t count her bracelet, the longsword, the dagger, and the rapier. She then placed the shards back into the pouch.


    It¡¯s useless. He survived that blast. An intermediate magic won¡¯t cut it.


    She knew a lot from both basic and intermediate level. However, she doesn¡¯t have that much knowledge on advanced. After all, basic magic is enough to take a life of a human, at times, beasts. She also considered the frequency of the magic usage, which basic and intermediate levels easily triumphed over advanced.


    [Speak! What are you?!] the angel bellowed. He halted from mindlessly shooting the blades. Instead, circular disks swirled behind. [You¡¯re not human!]


    ¡°Why do you care?!¡± Amelia snapped. Her thoughts were pumped with ideas on how to take the angel down. Yet, each of them was shot down.


    She darted her eyes around the forest and tried to look for anything she could use.


    Think! What can you do in a forest?!


    She couldn¡¯t hope to rely on her Guards. She¡¯d need to hide her horn and lose the opportunity to fight toe to toe with the angel.


    [You who were once human, one that holds the blood of a True Divine! Speak your reason for interfering with our plans! Speak not and I shall burn you with divine light!]


    ¡°What are you even talking about?!¡± Amelia then pivoted towards west. ¡°What do angels have to do with humans and divines?!¡±


    [A divine like you holds no knowledge of the pact between divines? Such foolishness!] The angel then stopped. It retracted its wings and landed. [We angels hold dear our promise between divines. Lest you are wary and holds grudge against the pact, then I shall be forced to erase you.]


    At the same time, Amelia halted and returned the angel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Then tell me what¡¯s this nonsense of yours.¡± Amelia took this time to lean herself on a tree. Her chest heaved as she calmed her breathing.


    [There are five rules agreed upon by divines. First, divines are to leave the races as is, an exception is made when that divine is made to govern or protect the said race.]


    ¡°Heh, so you¡¯re claiming that angels govern or protect humans? But let me tell you, your actions do not hold true to your words.¡±


    [We angels are a legion of divines. We are made to protect humans. However, it is not our cause to lead them.]


    ¡°...¡±


    [Unlike you who knew nothing, we angels are prepared to sully our hands. We are prepared to sacrifice the few in order to bring prosperity to humans.]


    ¡°Prosperity? Really? Would the propagation of a false religion lead to prosperity?¡±


    [We believe not.]


    ¡°There you have it.¡±


    [You are mistaken. Humans are the ones who¡¯ve started the religion of Libet. We are only aiding them for our cause. Nothing more nothing less. However, through our cause, humans shall be saved. Humans can be reborn anew at the hands of the Human God, our creator. The day for redemption for all humans awaits on the day his arrival. Humans must be willing to sacrifice their lives for their creator and their creator alone.]


    ¡°Your God has long abandoned this world,¡± Amelia shot back a reply.


    [True. Which is why we¡¯ve been calling the Human God through the Heroes.]


    Amelia¡¯s eyes widened in response. ¡°¡­ You. You¡¯re dragging innocent humans from another world just for this?¡±


    [If it shall bring prosperity to humans, we need not care about our methods. In case, the second rule is that divines must not interfere with another divines plan.]


    Silently, Amelia listened.


    [Third, if a divine¡¯s plan intersects with another, the concerned divines needs to reach a common ground. Fourth, a failure to reach a common ground will subject both divines outside the pact. They are then free to be hunted regardless. Fifth, betrayal of the agreed upon decision between divines shall subject the accused to a punishment, and shall be removed from the pact.]


    Why does this angel even consider me as part of this pact? Amelia thought. In response, Amelia¡¯s necklace glinted then Celes spoke into her mind.


    A new divine was never born since eons. This angel could have considered you as my child and considered to stick with the pact. After all, divines refused to fight against another unless needed. They no longer have a God that could retrieve their soul once they perish. But remember, till this day, your divine blood has yet to completely take over your body. You¡¯re still human.


    Amelia decided. ¡°Then you consider me as part of this pact of yours?¡±


    [Of course.]


    ¡°And your aim is the hero?¡±


    [Indeed.]


    ¡°Then, in exchange, I want you angels to release your aid on Libet.¡±


    [Impossible,] he replied. The disks remained swirling. [Unless you are willing to summon heroes in our stead, we¡¯d consider.]


    Amelia further leaned herself on the trunk, hiding her right shoulder behind it. She then took a shard and fitted it between her fingers. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to negotiate with that.¡± Then she moved away from the trunk and slowly approached the angel.


    She halted at about five meters away. ¡°Is there any form of written agreement?¡±


    The angel raised its hand. On its open palm, a circular sigil colored in blue appeared. It then separated itself, floated, and changed its orientation. It seemed like a magic circle, but several other magic circles formed it in a concentric pattern. Runes danced around its circumference. Several other circles were layered above it.


    Amelia knitted her brows. She had never seen such a complicated pattern. No, she had, however, the pattern within her necklace was impossible for her to read. But she can¡¯t deny her interest in the pattern before her.


    ¡°What do I have to do?¡± She tilted her head.


    [Place your hand into this sigil. Then we shall state our agreement. It will serve as a notifier to all other divines once the agreement has been sealed. This will also serve as proof.]


    So they call it sigil huh.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Amelia then approached. At each step she took, cold sweat ran down her spine. Her heart beat wildly. Saliva slid down her throat. Her breathing was deep yet calm.


    On the other hand, the angel was wary. The sigil moved. It rotated as it neared Amelia.


    At about three meters away from the angel, the sigil and Amelia stopped. She tried focusing on the sigil, trying to peer through its seams. She raised her hand slowly. Again, she gulped. Gradually her fingers touched its center. The sigil then halted. Its concentric pattern separated and surrounded Amelia¡¯s hand. It kept rotating. Then it suddenly stopped.


    It dawned on Amelia. She immediately drew her hand. She pumped her legs and activated reinforcement. The angel¡¯s eyes widened in response. He realized it. The sigil didn¡¯t take hold of Amelia¡¯s hand. It was a failure.


    Amelia¡¯s boots raked the dirt. She rasped her teeth and reached out to her rapier.


    Reach it! She thought.


    Time seemed to slow. It was similar to when she saved Erina. With a flip of her hand, she pointed the tip of her rapier onto the angel. At her next step, she bent her knees and thrust forward. The angel spread its wings wide. It bent backward and tried to jump. Then a spike seemed to peer from the cylindrical disks.


    However, the tip of her rapier reached the angel first. It pushed it punctured his white cloth. It pierced. At that moment, the spikes from the disks lengthened to a spear.


    Amelia released her grasp on the rapier and immediately jumped backward.


    The spears from the disk shot and formed thin beams of light. It grazed Amelia¡¯s arms and legs in the process. Then time returned for Amelia. She bit her lips in pain. The beams seared through her armor and into her flesh.


    [Damned human!] the angel hollered as his knees buckled. Then suddenly, a large magic circle formed underneath Amelia¡¯s feet. She was at the center.


    Amelia shifted her sight towards her feet. She was caught by surprise. Her mouth opened wide and the pupil of her shrank. However, she gripped her left hand. She shuffled her fingers and made the shard fall into her hand. Then as fast as she could, she threw it.


    Then everything,


    turned white.


    A few seconds later, a small explosion sounded.


    Crack! Multiple objects were shattered like glass.


    Then it happened. It ruptured.


    The crystal ruptured. The crystal contained at the handle of the rapier ruptured.


    Then it began.


    A continuous crackling sound of lighting jolted the surroundings. It felt like multiple claps of thunder occurred in one place.


    <hr>


    When Maize and his men arrived, Amelia lied on the dirt unconscious. She was bleeding in several places. A few inches away from her body, a large hole was present. Then further, a charred body of a man with melted quicksilver on his chest lied.

 Chapter 49: Shackles - Arc 2 End

    The door closed with a sharp clack.


    ¡°Has her Highness awoken yet?¡± Maize asked.


    In turn, Erina, who¡¯ve just closed the door had turned to Maize and said, ¡°No.¡± She glanced at the door behind her. ¡°It¡¯d be best not to wake her at this moment. It will only burden her body.¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡± Maize frowned. ¡°But we¡¯re in a difficult position.¡±


    ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty has arrived and took over the operation to quell the forest fire. It seems that the smoke was large enough to be seen in the dukedom even at night. And it will take at least a day before his Majesty arrives here.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± The corner of her lips fell.


    Both Maize and Erina knew. Nothing about Amelia¡¯s current condition should reach Auguste, Laurel¡¯s King. The same is true regarding the clash between Amelia and the Angel from myths. The repercussions of letting the people know of their existence are unpredictable. It could even support the church¡¯s claims of receiving oracles from them.


    In addition, Maize and his men had buried the angel¡¯s corpse. As well as the hole produced during their battle. At first, Maize and his men were skeptic. They couldn¡¯t help but doubt Amelia¡¯s abilities. But after realizing her rapier was gone, and knowing that it had an advanced lightning magic embedded in it, they¡¯ve partly accepted it as the truth. Now their only concern is to prevent the King and his Guards from finding out the truth.


    ¡°How long do you think you can stall his Majesty?¡± asked Erina. She seemed adamant about letting Amelia rest.


    ¡°Not long,¡± Maize said with a shake of his head. ¡°At best, I could stall his majesty by discussing the steps we need to take for what¡¯s left of the forest.¡±


    ¡°Every minute will help, so please,¡± she said with a bow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Maize nodded. ¡°Neither do I want to impede what little freedom her Highness has.¡±


    After Maize left, Erina went to the kitchen. The maids came and lent her a hand, however, she refused that they take part in the actual cooking. They took a clay pot and brought it outside. They placed the pot on top of an iron grate. Underneath it was a rectangular container made of stone. It was filled with charcoal. Then the pot with water.


    Erina seemed to know every action she should take. From separating the skin from the meat of the chicken, down to separating the meat from its bones, she skillfully used the knife. She reserved the meat on a small pot while the skin and bones were placed inside the pot of simmering water. After several minutes, she had help in pouring the contents to another pot topped with a clay bowl with holes at its base.


    The contents streamed down the bowl and filtered the skins and bones. All the while the aroma rose into the air. Afterward, Erina boiled another pot of water mixed with vegetables and oil. It was a broth. Though it was not Amelia¡¯s favorite, it was a memorable one for Erina. She used to make the same broth several times in her life. She started making the broth with her mother in a small village east of Aves, Mastel.


    Nothing was that astounding about Mastel. It was an ordinary village where the citizens mainly did forestry, hunting, farming, or weaving. Well, that''s what it used to be.


    The village was gone. It happened when Erina was around ten years of age. The reason was nothing new, an outbreak of beasts from Alabaster. The village could¡¯ve survived, but three continuous waves were too much for them.


    The occurrence forced the villagers to flee for survival, however, some fell to the fangs of the beasts. Among those was Erina¡¯s parents. She had no blood-related brothers or sisters. Due to her circumstances, Erina became an orphan. In the orphanage, she was able to retain herself by acting as the elder sister. Even at Mastel, she acted as is with her fellow children. There, again, she prepared broth for the second time around.


    Years passed and Erina grew to fourteen. At that time, Diane Frei Trois, Laurel¡¯s current Queen before she was wedded, had visited the orphanage and by chance met Erina. Due to her diligence, popularity in the orphanage, noble features, and her uncommon blonde hair, Diane adopted Erina to the house of Trois. At that point on, Erina became a maidservant.


    Erina witnessed the quarrel between Argon Laurel, now called Duke Tervin or Argon Tervin, and Auguste Laurel. Argon¡¯s approach was of the gentle type. He had always asked Diane what she wanted before moving. He also considered her schedule. Unlike him, Auguste was like a storm. He dragged Diane from one place to another through his willfulness. And soon, Auguste being the pushy type, had won Diane¡¯s interest.


    However, until this day, there were still some lingering rumors that Diane, known to be a cunning woman, had selected Auguste so she can have a firm grasp on Laurel¡¯s administrative side. All the while Auguste focuses on the military aspect. However, at the same time, some Nobles felt at ease due to their synergy.


    Soon after Diane and Auguste were married, Argent was born. The citizens of Laurel rejoiced at the news that the first child had been born with a silver hair. Since Elena¡¯s time, at least in Laurel, silver hair has always been linked to a person of power. And to Laurel who never had a fixed religion, those royalties who bore the silver hair were akin to Gods.


    On the other hand, it was also the cause of suffering for the Royals of Laurels. Every move they take would produce a huge effect on the citizens. To remedy such folly, the Royals of Laurel were educated at an early age.


    Two years after Argent, came Amelia. Again, the citizens rejoiced, but on a larger scale. Again, the reason was Elena. Throughout the annals of Laurel¡¯s history, Elena was believed to be of divine grace. She exuded knowledge far from what the ordinary citizens knew. From then on, those who share a similarity to Elena were easily favored by the citizens. To add, the rarity of a Royal born with the same hair was rare. Amelia was the third Silver Princess since the kingdom of Laurel was established.


    In the end, Erina, having an amicable relationship with Diane, was entrusted with Amelia¡¯s care. Since then, she had never left her side. However, after the dispute between Diane and Erina, they have yet to speak with each other again. Diane couldn¡¯t find it in herself to completely forgive Erina for doing such an atrocious act against Amelia.


    ¡°This is good enough,¡± Erina muttered. She began pouring the broth into a bowl using a ladle. She then moved towards Amelia¡¯s room. The Guard beside the door had opened it for her, and upon entering, her lips slightly turned to a frown.


    Amelia was still asleep. Under the white sheets, her chest heaved up and down. Her face was pale.


    Back then, she had lost a plenty amount of blood. The indirect impact of the lightning bolt had given her a concussion as well. However, she was fortunate enough to time her barriers and reinforcement to escape the pillar of light. She took a blunder to survive. She depleted her mana down to the last drop just to protect herself with the barriers. As a result, she entered a state of mana exhaustion.


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    Erina placed the bowl of broth on a nearby table. She approached Amelia and took a towel hanging from a wooden stand. Then gently, she peeled the sheets and exposed Amelia¡¯s body.


    ¡°Hnn...¡± she muttered asleep. Her thin clothes were drenched. Her brows were knitted, her lips frown, and her face contorted. She was having a nightmare.


    Erina brushed Amelia¡¯s fringes and tapped the towel across her face. She also held Amelia¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s someone here.¡± Slightly, Amelia¡¯s breathing calmed. Then perhaps through intuition, Amelia grasped her hand in return.


    Then, with a smile on her face, Erina said, ¡°Take your time.¡±


    <hr>


    Auguste grimaced. He crossed his arms and said, ¡°This place is ravaged.¡± He wore a thin red cape lined with gold and silver threads. His silver hair swayed in the wind for all to see. And on his body was an armor that appeared to be covered with uneven steel scales.


    In front was a vast number of charred trees. The dirt, which used to be a mix of brown and green, was now painted in gray and white. The forest had lost its gleam. However, fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, a third of the forest has burned down. And currently, it continued to expand.


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± commented a woman beside him. She stood at half a head shorter than Auguste. She had brown hair tied into a side tail and clear blue eyes. Her face was of a gentle one with a tinge of sharpness. She wore a dress that minimized the exposure of her skin. She was Auguste¡¯s mistress, Lara Laurel.


    Surrounding them were several knights with the crest of a silver falcon. They stood attention with their spears held up and their eyes actively roaming in the surroundings.


    ¡°But perhaps, you should consider what actions to take before winter. The same is true with the animals and beasts that fled to the remaining parts of the forest. If we don¡¯t move, the citizens that used to procure food through this forest will suffer,¡± she said.


    Unlike Liz, Lara has a fair relationship with Diane. To date, Lara and Diane never had a quarrel. However, at times, her being a mistress of Auguste tends to give Diane a sense of doubt. Point in case, it never evolved into an issue.


    ¡°True,¡± replied Auguste. ¡°But this occurrence is undoubtedly due to the church.¡± He gripped his fists tightly and sneered. In his hand was a burned white stole. Luckily, it retained the church¡¯s symbol. ¡°Those madmen are haughty. Do they think we can¡¯t declare war on them?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty,¡± said Lara. ¡°Rallying troops and crossing Formos with galleons or warships will not be enough to put them down. Besides, we need to cross Brent either by land or water if we want our troops to arrive safely in Libet. But that will alarm them in advance.¡±


    ¡°Tch! If only the dead zone did not exist, I would¡¯ve already sent our troops to burn down Libet.¡±


    ¡°And at this time of war with the races,¡± Lara continued. ¡°Laurel will only receive unfavorable criticism if we rally our troops. So still, I think it¡¯d be best for us to focus on what we do best, production of supplies.¡±


    A few seconds after, the sound of hooves alarmed the knights. Auguste and Lara turned to the source in response. There they saw Maize climbing down his horse. The knights gave way as he approached.


    ¡°Greetings your Majesty, her Royal Highness,¡± Maize greeted with his right fist above his chest.


    ¡°Has my daughter replied?¡±


    ¡°Apologies, her Highness has been resting in the village further north. She¡¯s unable to come at this moment due to her devising a proper action against the church.¡±


    Auguste knitted his brows. ¡°She has begun planning huh. I¡¯d like to join soon.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± quick and calm, Maize added. ¡°Her Highness had also requested for the consideration of the charred woods as fuels for winter.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Lara smiled. ¡°Even Amelia thinks so. It¡¯d be better to remain another day here and discuss what needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°You have a point,¡± Auguste grunted.


    Another day has passed and Amelia remained asleep. In that regard, the broth was given to the Guards instead. Afterward, Erina re-made the same broth.


    On the other hand, Auguste and Lara had discussed what is necessary. All the while the Royal Guards and Maize¡¯s men continued to quell the remaining flames.


    When the discussion ended, it was decided that the citizens that moved into Academia would be recalled and placed among the citizens that took root in the supposed relay town. The citizens of the other two villages would remain in their current location.


    They had also decided to have the soldiers cut up the charred trees and store them.


    Regarding the beasts, Auguste has sent orders towards all the nearby Nobles. They are ordered to impart a portion of their guards or army to help with the reduction of the animals and beasts in the forest. Those who were hunted in the process would be stored as food. However, they¡¯d require a large amount of salt for preservation.


    For the Flameclad, it was stripped off of its scales and skin. The rest of the meat would be sent to the duchy as Slime feed. The bones would be sent to Fargan, where the smiths would be given free rein on what to use it for. Lastly, the organs were burned and buried.


    After the discussion and the appropriate procedures, they began traveling towards north. They arrived at the village by morning of the following day.


    ¡°Is she here?¡± asked Auguste.


    ¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡± the two Guards that stood beside the entrance of the Village Hall answered.


    Auguste strode forward. Following closely behind was Lara. They were both greeted promptly by the maids and guards inside. Then with no time to waste, Auguste moved towards Amelia¡¯s room. The guard beside it reached his hand to the door¡¯s knob, but then, it twisted on its own.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving, your Highness.¡± Bowed a guard as he took a step outside the room. In his hands was a parchment with a royal seal. The moment he turned towards the hallway, he froze. ¡°Y-your Majesty!¡± As quickly as he could, he moved aside and said, ¡°My apologies for my rude actions, however, I need to leave.¡± Then he turned and left.


    Auguste remained silent. He then moved inside as he pried the closing door open. Upon entering, he was welcomed by the sight of Amelia standing beside her bed. To her left and right were Maize and Erina. They both greeted Auguste.


    On the other hand, as opposed to her condition, Amelia¡¯s complexion was normal.


    ¡°A good morning, Father, Mother Lara.¡± Amelia bowed slightly while showcasing a smile.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You seem fine.¡±


    Amelia tilted her head and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you should¡¯ve expected in the first place?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re all well and good, then it¡¯s fine,¡± Auguste groaned. At the least, he hoped that Amelia was in a state he could sermon her for the recent event. It was a chance for Auguste to detain Amelia back to Aves using the agreement between Amelia, Auguste, and Diane.


    The agreement was present to prevent Amelia from leaving Laurel and Academia. It happened when Amelia refused to stay hidden in Aves due to her returning like a corpse. She thought they were overreacting and had been too overprotective.


    However, Amelia made it a point that she must be allowed to travel within Laurel and to Academia. At that point, Argent had barged in and helped Amelia. In the end, Amelia was allowed under the condition of tests and the approval from both Auguste and Diane.


    To Amelia, it was a nothing but a shackle.


    ¡°That letter, what was it about?¡±


    ¡°I sent out a royal order of my own.¡±


    Auguste squinted while Lara remained silent.


    ¡°And the reason?¡±


    ¡°Father, weren¡¯t you holding a piece of that stole? I¡¯ve used that as evidence and ordered any form of trade between Laurel and Libet to halt indefinitely. I¡¯ve also requested Libet of an explanation regarding the man who owned the stole. Then if possible, have them repay the resources we lost. However, I believe they¡¯ll still feign ignorance despite that.¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve consulted this with me and Diane first.¡± Auguste¡¯s tone rose.


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°Mother can lift the order if she deems it unnecessary. However, I stand by the order I sent. After all, there¡¯s nothing wrong with it. Evidence was collected as well. Including the bodies of several assassins and the presence of the Flameclads.¡±


    ¡°True, evidence has been collected. However, something like this should¡¯ve been discussed between us, and not something you should¡¯ve hastily decided.¡± Auguste glared.


    Amelia returned it. ¡°This is a matter of importance Father.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have that order revo-¡±


    ¡°Now, now, Auguste,¡± Lara interrupted. ¡°Let it be. What Amelia had said is true. Diane can lift if she deemed it unnecessary. Knowing you and Diane, you¡¯d most likely end up having the same decision.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Auguste glanced at Lara.


    ¡°It¡¯s you who don¡¯t. Let Amelia rest, the event she¡¯s been through is quite taxing. She had probably mulled over her decision these past few days. I don¡¯t think she decided it as hastily as you think.¡± She then grabbed Auguste¡¯s arm and dragged him away. Before she left, she glanced at Amelia and winked.


    After they left, ¡°Haahh...¡± Amelia fell to her bedside and breathed. Then gradually, her complexion turned pale. She broke off the supply of mana that maintained the illusion. A necessary measure to deceive Auguste.


    ¡°Amelia, are you sure about this?¡± asked Erina. She supported Amelia at her back and made her lie on the bed.


    Amelia used her forearm to cover her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that akin to announcing to Libet that you were the one who dealt with that being?¡± Maize too was against Amelia¡¯s decision. However, Amelia refused to listen.


    Amelia lifted her arm and placed it on her stomach. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m after. Right now, the church and those beings are after the Hero.¡± Then her lips turned into a frown. ¡°Using that opportunity, I¡¯ll drag the Hero to Academia. But, I¡¯ll need to spread some rumors that¡¯ll inform Libet and the church that I and the Hero headed there.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that opposed to what you¡¯ve promised to the Hero?¡± Erina added.


    ¡°Yes, it is. But I can¡¯t cut corners now. I don¡¯t want those beings to end up searching every nook and cranny of Laurel. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to bear our loss if that happens. The worst that can happen is that the Royals falls into their hands.¡±


    Then she laughed in a sad tone. Then with eyes closed tightly, she said, ¡°Cruel, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m willing to drag the people of Academia into my problems. I¡¯m betting the lives I don¡¯t own. Innocent ones at that.¡±


    After a moment of silence, she muttered, ¡°Haah¡­ I¡¯m the worst...¡±

 Intermission 5: King Chasers

    [There!] Marco shouted, pointing to a nearby alley. He then dashed with his paws and ran towards it.


    Following closely behind was Rick. He was wearing a leather armor and a wooden spear was kept in his hands. Behind them were a few Royal Guards that kept a close watch.


    Marco then turned to a street filled by passing citizens. Nimbly, Rick and the Guards weaved through the citizens while shouting, ¡°Move! Move! Coming through!¡± In response, the citizens gave way and had let them through. It seemed as if they had seen this event a few times in the past and had grown a little accustomed to it. They wore wry smiles as they passed while some creased their foreheads.


    But Rick and the Guards didn¡¯t mind. They continued chasing Marco that entered one alley after the other. Soon, they entered a street sparse with the number of citizens. And, from within their sight, Marco was fast approaching a man that seemed to be escaping.


    ¡°There!¡± Rick pointed. Though it was obvious, he still told the Guards.


    Their clattering footsteps filled the street and made the people move to the sides. They chased after a man with a brown hair and brown eyes. His build was on the medium side and from his height, he was old enough to have a few children.


    ¡°Tch!¡± the man said. He unhesitatingly ran into an alley filled with crates. It seemed as if he knew every alley and street in the place. As soon as he entered the alley, his speed increased. He leaped towards a crate and eventually scaled the wall beside it. He hooked his hands on top of a wall and pulled himself up and over it.


    Marco did the same, but he did faster than the man scaled the wall. He was nimble as a cat he was. Then he promptly scaled down the wall using his momentum and tried to catch the man.


    Rick couldn¡¯t do the same. His height and strength did not allow him at his current age. Instead, he continued running past the crates and disappeared into a different alley. Rick knew the place, he had grown accustomed to Aves¡¯s streets and alleys during his stay with Fae and Camille.


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    On the other hand, the Guards split into two groups. Two scaled the wall like the man did, while another two chased after Rick.


    While they were on it, Marco raced behind the man and said, [Stop! Stop! I want eat fish! So want return to palace! Queen will happy!]


    Despite, Marco¡¯s calls, the man kept on running. He refused to return to the palace. He was the king, Auguste Laurel. On his hair was a clip that came from Amelia from a time back. ¡°I have some errands to do! Leave me alone!¡± Auguste replied.


    [But Queen said! No errands today!]


    ¡°You¡¯re being tricked!¡±


    Not soon after that, the clattering of footsteps increased. From the direction of Auguste was heading, appeared Rick. He glared at Auguste and said, ¡°Stop there.¡±


    ¡°Sorry Rick,¡± Auguste said as he pumped his legs. He then leaped over Rick, but as soon as he passed over Rick, an unbearable pain struck bottom. ¡°Oof!¡±


    The moment Auguste planted his feet on the pavement, he covered his groin. He staggered but his remained standing. Rick struck it with the spear¡¯s pole end.


    ¡°F-from who¡­ did you learn¡­ to do that...¡± Auguste squeezed his voice. While two Guards surrounded him and apprehended him by the hand.


    ¡°Queen said to hit it. It was a weakness she said.¡±


    ¡°D-diane huh¡­ Ahaha...¡±


    Later, the runaway King has been returned to the palace. Though Rick had met and saw Auguste without the illusion magi tool, he never knew it was his father. Diane had also told Rick not to tell anyone even to Camille and Fae. Rick, being an honest boy he was, did as Diane told him.


    [Fish! Fish! Fish!]


    On the other hand, Marco was dancing around a bucket of fish. It was his reward from Diane for returning Auguste.


    For Rick¡¯s reward, he himself requested for an armor that looked like those in the palace¡¯s hallway. He liked the armors that shone a silver glint. Diane, on the other hand, has agreed, but only a piece after piece would be given to Rick. After all, it would be a custom-made armor right for his age.


    From the day Diane met Marco, everyone in the palace became happy. Argent¡¯s work was lessened. The Guards didn¡¯t have to scatter throughout Aves. Diane was able to keep Auguste in check. Marco received fish. Rick received his armor.


    Everyone was happy, except for Auguste.


    Damn it!


    However, there¡¯s still a chance.


    I¡¯ll have Amelia teach me how to ride wyverns!


    If he can¡¯t escape through the land, then he¡¯ll escape through the air. Afterward, he had made a reason to visit the Duchy. But Diane who held doubts on Auguste had made Lara and Elaine come along.

 Intermission 6: Storm Caller 1

    [Hrmm...] with crossed arms, Garfin grunted. In front of him, on a table, was several ingots in varying hues. His eyes moved from one ingot to another and said, [Which one should I use?]


    While he remained in wonder, footsteps came from behind.


    [What¡¯s wrong?] a voice asked.


    Garfin recognized the voice, but he didn¡¯t give a glance. [Which one do you think we should use for the prototype?] he asked. [Of course, anything lower than mithril is out of the question. But what comes to mind is my specialty, quicksilver alloy.]


    After Garfin finished, Sylvar stood beside him and checked the ingots himself. [I¡¯m not sure myself. But since it¡¯s a horn we¡¯re making, I suggest using different metals for the different parts of the horn.]


    Sylvar then took a paper from his side and flattened it open on the table beside the line of ingots. On the paper was a design of a J-shaped horn.


    [Here,] said Sylvar, pointing to the mouthpiece portion of the design. [Maybe use Mana Forging to shape the crystal into a mouthpiece? Then use manatite ore to conduct the mana from the mouthpiece to the body of the horn.]


    [What?] puzzled, Garfin took a sidelong glance at Sylvar. [You want to pour mana with your mouth? You do know it¡¯s normal to pour mana through your fingers don¡¯t you?]


    [Of course,] he answered with a smile. [If it functions differently from the norm, then, when an unknowing and uninformed person plays it, we can subject that person to punishment. It is also possible to make that person think that it¡¯s a fake.]


    Garfin combed his beard in thought. [For once, you have a point.]


    [...] Sylvar smiled wryly. He was used to Garfin¡¯s attitude.


    [Then how about we mix crushed crystalline manatite with quicksilver and use that for the body?] Garfin suggested.


    Sylvar knitted his brows in response. [Isn¡¯t that overdoing it? Quicksilver itself is a better mana conductor than ordinary manatite ores.]


    [Which is why we¡¯ll make it even more conductive. That in itself might make the body structure weaker than that of a plain quicksilver alloy, but it¡¯ll make a space enough for spirit enchantment at the same time.]


    From that moment on, Garfin and Sylvar had discussed which materials to use for the body, and the mouthpiece. The first horn to be made is supposed to be a prototype. It would be using a fourth of what Amelia gave them. Be that as it may, both Sylvar and Garfin couldn¡¯t help but go all out in the creation of the prototype.


    Days have passed and Garfin and Sylvar have finally finished the final design of the horn. The final design wasn¡¯t that far off from the initial J shaped tubing. However, the paper was now topped with several scribbles that pointed to different parts of the horn and the materials to be used.


    Currently, Kan and Ran were tasked to take command of the unusual movements of the goblins coming from the east, thus having little to no intervention to the testing phase of the horn.


    Arkand and Dresbon on the other hand, have been busy in processing the orichalcum they¡¯ve obtained. They were trying out various techniques in order to make a different alloy by mixing with what they have. After all, they can¡¯t immediately process a metal they¡¯ve only handled for the first time in their life.


    And so the making of the horn started. First, Garfin placed an ingot of steel into a crucible and brought it inside a furnace. Then with a flick of a lever, the double-action piston bellows moved.


    At each press of the waterwheel operated bellows, the bellows beside the furnace moved up and down, blowing a rush of wind underneath the furnace. Each time the wind rushes in, the coal burned brighter. It pulsed from red to orange, then orange to white. At the same time, speckles of ashes blew outside the furnace, creating a spectacle red particles dancing in the air.


    Then, with a pull of the lever, the bellows stopped heaving. However, the clacking of the wooden gears of the waterwheel continued loudly. With calm steps, Garfin fetched a long black tong and clamped it around the crucible filled with melted steel. As he moved it out of the furnace, the liquid gleamed in a whitish orange hue while whipping a haze of smoke.


    Carefully, the crucible, large enough to fit an average human¡¯s waist, was brought over to a flask, or also called as mold boxes. Garfin then twisted his hold on the tongs and poured the contents of the crucible into a steel funnel. The liquid steel freely slid into the funnel and into the flask. As it slid down the funnel, small amounts of smoke left the openings near the throat of the funnel. The liquid steel has replaced the air contained inside the flask and settled itself in the mold.


    While waiting for the steel to solidify, Garfin took a different crucible. It had a height twice than that of the previous. Promptly, he placed an ingot of quicksilver inside the crucible. He then re-filled the furnace with coal. Then again, he pushed the lever, and the wooden gears locked with the ones connected to the piston bellows. Soon, the continuous rush of wind restarted.


    While coals burned, Garfin brought a ceramic cup of powdered crystalline manatite. He poured its contents into the crucible. Then nimbly, he brought a heavy looking cover and placed it atop the crucible. Garfin then clamped the cover to the body, locking it in place.


    He then took a mithril pole and hooked it into the cover. Then with his hands grasped on the wooden handle laced with mithril, he pushed up and down a cylindrical object at the center of the cover. All the while pouring mana into the rod, mixing mana and crystalline manatite into the melted quicksilver. At the same time, he retained the pressure inside the crucible.


    It took some time before the process was finished, but after it was done, Garfin removed and the crucible from the furnace and have let it cool for a few minutes. Then, with haste, he removed the cover and poured its contents onto a rectangular table with raised edges. Soon, the liquid took the form of the table with the help of a rectangular rule that spread the liquid evenly.


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    [This is good enough,] said Garfin with a nod. He then brushed the sweat from his forehead with his arm.


    Garfin left the mix of quicksilver to solidify on its own and then moved back to the flask. He took some rope and latched at the sides of the upper portion of the flask. Then with a pull on the rope wounded around a pulley, the flask was lifted, leaving trickles of sand in place. It then revealed a long cone-shaped mandrel embedded in sand. It was a process called sand casting.


    After he considered his options, Garfin called for dwarf helpers. He had one dwarf do the polishing of the mandrel for him. Then another dwarf to bring the sheet of quicksilver into a nearby waterwheel operated roller for further flattening.


    [Now that¡¯s done, it¡¯s time to make the mouthpiece.]


    Currently, Sylvar had no hand in making the horn itself. Sylvar himself knew that it¡¯d be best left to the dwarfs, but the final furnish of the horn would be done by him.


    Cranking his arms around, Garfin approached a stack of shards and crystals. His eyes darted from one crystal to another, scrutinizing the purity of each crystal. The shards, on the other hand, did not receive any attention from him.


    Primarily, shards and crystals are the same. They both sourced from crystalline manatite. However, there¡¯s a glaring difference between the two. In terms of purity, crystals outclass shards by far. The reason behind this is the structure of the crystal itself.


    Once crystalline manatite forms, it is usually subjected to immediate exposure to open air. This in itself alters the purity of the crystal starting from its surface. However, as it grows, the inner portion of the crystal is barred from exposure. Due to this, the crystal, like it had a mind of its own, cleanses its own impurity from the inside.


    Basically, the structure of a crystalline manatite from inside and out is different.


    In practice, when a manatite was taken, it is broken down into shards and crystals. The shards are made by chipping off the outer portion of the manatite, while the inner portion becomes the crystal. But a problem arises. Again, the crystal is exposed to open air. As a solution to this, humans usually dip the crystals into melted sand, forming a coat of glass around the crystal.


    On the other hand, dwarfs use mana to alter the surface of the crystal. A technique under Mana Forging called Mana Alteration.


    Crystals, known to be sensitive to mana, change its own structure once exposed to mana. However, in Alteration, rather than use it to embed magic circles within the crystals, it changes its surface to that of a mana infused structure. On another side, since the Alteration does not form any recognizable magic circle, it ends up dispersing the mana directly poured onto its surface. And to bypass this mana sink, the user needs to string mana directly into the crystal¡¯s center.


    Later on, Garfin had already piled crystals on a nearby table. He sifted through on crystal and another with his thick hands. Every time he found a crystal that met his criteria, he placed it on top of the stack of shards. Although he already found crystals with top class purity, he adamantly refused to settle with those.


    Garfin is one dwarf that refuses to use mediocre materials once he gets serious. His blacksmith pride would never allow it.


    After he finished searching through the piles of crystals, he returned the pile back into the stack. It produced clattering sounds as it was returned. Then, at the moment he shifted his sight towards the line of crystals atop the shards, they entered another round of scrutiny.


    While he was at it, the dwarf helper approached. The helper told him that the polishing of the mandrel is finished. In response, Garfin turned around and checked the mandrel clamped on a steel table. After observing it for a few seconds, Garfin made another order.


    [There¡¯s a design made by Sylvar near the workshop¡¯s entrance. Use that and cut a steel template for the horn.]


    Just as Garfin ordered, the helper took off to the design plan pinned on the wall. He nodded several times as he took the measurements into mind. Afterward, he moved to one side of the workshop where metal sheets of varying sizes leaned on a rack. Then with a pull, he took one of the steel sheets and slid it on a table. Then again, the helper took off and returned with a brush, a ruler, and ink. He then started marking the metal sheet as the design depicted.


    In the meantime, Garfin has finished selecting the crystal he needed. He picked the second best among the crystals. The rest of the crystals were placed inside a pouch and was hung on a hook above the stack of crystals.


    Then with crystals in hand, Garfin moved towards the entrance of the workshop and passed by the dwarf working on the template. [I¡¯ll be leaving now,] he said. [Close the workshop once you leave.]


    [Yes, Chief!]


    When Garfin closed the door behind him, he was welcomed by a street dotted by dome-shaped structures. Lanterns hanged tightly on metal posts. Light filtered from the windows of the dome structures. And above, the moon and stars glittered.


    [Hrmm¡­ That took quite some time,] he said, fixing his gave in the moonlit sky. [I guess I¡¯ll continue tomorrow then.]


    He then tucked the crystal into his pocket. Then with a destination in mind, he moved his legs to the street at his right. Soon, a large lodge entered his sight. It was where the humans dwelled inside the Tribe¡¯s residence area.


    Without hesitation, his legs brought him to the lodge¡¯s door. He knocked on the door and promptly entered. Once he took a step inside, two figures of children turned their heads to Garfin¡¯s direction. It was Rick and Fae.


    [How are you doing?] Garfin¡¯s lips rose into a smile. He then removed his boots, left it near the door, and approached Rick and Fae. Between the two was a fluffy bird at the height of Rick¡¯s waist.


    [Pikyaa! Pikyaa!] The infant White-tail cried. It tried pecking the balls of water floating above its head. It flapped its wings repeatedly as Fae held a shard in her hand. For some unknown fate, the name of the White-tail was Birby II.


    Watching nearby was Camille and an Enarf. They both looked at Rick and Fae with obvious amusement painted on their faces.


    ¡°Oh! Grandpa Fin!¡± Fae called just as Amelia instructed.


    Rick replied the same. He had gotten used to copying Fae in calling the surrounding people.


    ¡°Good evening, sir Garfin,¡± Camille greeted with a curtsy. Some time had passed since Garfin started visiting Rick and Fae and thus her getting accustomed to Garfin¡¯s presence.¡°I¡¯ll prepare the table. Please take your time and play with Rick and Fae,¡± Camille said before leaving towards the kitchen.


    Garfin gladly accepted the offer. Old as he is, Garfin never had a family. He was a dwarf that solely focused on improving his craft in hopes of reaching the peak. However, it took a toll on him and had started to wonder what it was like to have his own family. In the end, it led to him having a sweet spot for children.


    Later that night, even without the help of alcohol, Garfin was filled with inexpressible joy. Although he¡¯s been through this several times, he couldn¡¯t get enough. It never tired him. And in fact, it was another reason for Garfin to continue striving.


    Garfin played all night long with Rick, Fae, and Birby II. He did so under the surveillance of Camille who¡¯ve at times, joined their games.


    Ark too appeared from the room on the second floor of the lodge. He promptly greeted Garfin and had discussed a few things regarding the availability of the crystal threads. To which Garfin happily answered.


    </a> It had been a week since Amelia left the Tribe. The servants she left were slowly getting used to the culture of the Tribe and the resident¡¯s antics. It seemed that it wasn¡¯t that far off for the day that more humans will be able to freely converse with another race aside from the Lynxes.

 Intermission 7: Storm Caller 2

    By the following day, Garfin restarted his work with renewed vigor. He returned to the workshop and met with the helpers. He was then informed of the arrival of the sheet of quicksilver. After he himself checked the sheet, he gave another set of orders to the dwarf helpers.


    Garfin knew that the processing of the sheet metal isn¡¯t anything complicated. Hence, him leaving the parts of the process to his helpers. He had the helpers cut the sheet with the help of the steel template. Afterward, he instructed them to use a rawhide covered mallet to beat the tube into shape. To arrive at the desired roundness and shape, the helpers needed to use the prepared mandrel.


    [Now then.] Garfin slid his hand into his pocket. He then took out a crystal. After he confirmed that the workers are properly doing their job, he left the workshop.


    Eagerly, he pumped his legs and headed towards a nearby cave. As he entered its mouth, the sound of hammers beating metal flooded into his ears. As he closed his eyes and listened carefully, his lips rose into a smile. He found the sound pleasant as he imagined himself hammering his previous works rigorously.


    Then with a deep breath, he strode forward and headed deeper into the cave. Along the way, he glanced at the dwarfs working on their craft. Each had their own anvils and weapon to work on, but all of them had a glint of light burning within their eyes.


    Later on, he reached the end of the cave. It was a large cavern with a block of crystal at a height of three meters standing at the center. The crystal flashed a glint as Garfin skirted around the edges of the cavern. Within the crystal, greenish roots extended throughout its body. It was called Ethereal Crystal.


    The Ethereal Crystal was barricaded with an iron fence around it. And at the side of the fence themselves, a stone seat and table was prepared. Each table was separated in by a fixed distance of about two meters.


    Soon, as he roamed his eyes looking for a seat, he found one empty at the opposite side of the entrance. Promptly, he took the seat and looked at his sides. Every single dwarf seemed busy. But all of them held a thick metallic thread that led towards the Ethereal Crystal.


    In that place, called the Sanctuary of Earth, hierarchical positions are voided. Each dwarf present is considered equal. A craftsman to be respected. A craftsman who¡¯ve reached a certain level in his craft. And only those who¡¯ve reached that level is allowed to enter the Sanctuary of Earth. Be it human, dwarf, elf, enarf, or any other race, none is allowed to enter unless they were recognized by at least ten of the craftsmen who¡¯ve been allowed to enter the sanctuary.


    Even Amelia was once barred from entrance inside the sanctuary, and so she never saw what was inside. However, she was told what was like it inside. But deeper details weren¡¯t given.


    After another deep breath, Garfin said, [Time to start.]


    Garfin then grabbed the metallic thread fixed near the fence. He pulled it taut and checked its condition. After that, with the crystal in his right hand, he chanted.


    Oh Earth Mother, heed my call,


    Let thy form shape a sphere,


    A sphere that the burns like the sun,


    A sun that thy hands reach,


    A sun that twinkles that of stars,


    A ball of heat and flames,


    Flames that burn for eternity,


    A flame the sears through all,


    Manifest, Sun¡¯s Seer.


    Not long after, a ball of flame swirled in the empty space above the table. Unlike a Fireball that burned in a flickering red, the ball of flame was steady and burned in a searing white. Around it, the air shimmered and distorted sight.


    Originally, a Sun¡¯s Seer wouldn¡¯t burn as brightly as what Garfin manifested. However, him having a second level affinity in fire boosted its effect.


    In response to the seer¡¯s presence, Garfin squinted and looked to his side. The seer is too dangerous for his eyes and the heat itself is aggravating. Taking the brunt of the seer, Garfin endured and manipulated it. He reduced its original size at the size of his head into a size of a child¡¯s fist. At the same time, he decreased the output of the seer. Even so, the heat it produced and its brightness was at least forty times more powerful than an ordinary Fireball.


    With no time to waste, he held the thread tightly and reached his right hand above the seer. Once he confirmed the position of his hand, he dropped the crystal. Partway, the crystal remained suspended. It was caught by a platform of mana, no, a platform of ether. The purest form of mana.


    Then as quickly as he could, he brought out a piece of folded leather. Gently, he unfolded it and revealed a tiny shedding. He picked up the shedding and placed it beside the crystal suspended in mid-air. Then, while his face was turned away, he enveloped both the crystal and the shedding with layers and layers of ether. Once he was satisfied, he controlled the ether coming from the thread and brought the crystal into the center of the seer.


    After he confirmed that the crystal entered the seer, he closed his eyes. He focused his senses on the thread and imagined the presence of the crystal. Though it was subtle, Garfin¡¯s experience allowed him to accurately pinpoint the condition of the crystal.


    Now.


    With the image of the crystal in mind, he manipulated the coat of ether, shaping the melted crystal into a mouthpiece. Using the same ether, he placed pressure into the crystal and compressed it into the desired size.


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    Supposedly, the crystal should¡¯ve lost its original structure due to the intense heat and pressure. However, due to the coat of ether that barred it from direct contact with the seer, it¡¯s structure wasn¡¯t burned. At the same time, the ether changed the structure of the crystal into that of an infused crystal in the process.


    Soon, the seer lost its shape and vanished. It left the crystal mouthpiece suspended in the air. But compared to its original bluish-green color, the crystal glowed in red.


    After Garfin confirmed that the seer vanished, he turned his head and peeked. There he saw the condition of the mouthpiece. He flipped and rotated the mouthpiece repeatedly and inspected it for any form of deformity.


    Hours passed and still, Garfin remained seated. He had exchanged his hand holding the thread and refused to release the crystal from the clutches of ether. He knew that immediately exposing the crystal that entered the crystal into the cold air of the cavern would only crack the crystal.


    Just as ether barred direct contact from the seer, it also barred the crystal from open air. It didn¡¯t allow a quick transfer of heat, hence the crystal cooling down on its own in an extremely slow manner. However, soon, the crystal lost its red glow and revealed its crystalline black body.


    After a full day of maintaining the crystal inside ether, Garfin finally freed it.


    [Finally...] he said with exhaustion painted all over his face.


    Garfin returned to the workshop and sealed the mouthpiece inside a chest. Afterward, he took a full day of rest to regain his health and stamina.


    When he returned to the workshop, the helpers had already finished refining the tube. However, its shape was still straight. In response to that, they fitted a cork at the rear end of the tube. Then, positioning it upright, they filled the tubing with soap solution. Afterward, it was sent to the elves for freezing.


    When the tube passed through the hands of elves contracted with water spirits, it returned with the soap solution frozen.


    With the help of the table with poles of metal jutting out of its surface, they bent the horn into shape. As they bent it, the frozen mixture crack inside. It served its purpose of acting as a counter force to prevent the tubing from crumpling inside.


    Afterward, the tube was left in the open for the mixture to melt on its own.


    The next day, the horn was further polished and the mouthpiece was attached. At that point on, Garfin¡¯s job was done. The decorations for the horn will be decided after the testing. All that is left is for it to pass through Sylvar¡¯s hands.


    [This is amazing,] Sylvar said. He turned the completed horn around and marveled at its beauty. It had bluish silver shine similar to the other works of Garfin.


    [Hmph,] Garfin grunted with crossed arms. [Nothing less to expect from me.]


    [Sure, sure,] replied Sylvar with a smile. [In any case, it won¡¯t be long before it¡¯s finished. I¡¯ll have the spirit enchantment done by tomorrow.]


    Sylvar was filled with excitement. With hurried steps, he took the horn and proceeded to his home. Similar to that of the other elves, his lodge was dome-shaped. Nothing was far different from the other elves. Sylvar had always liked to line himself with his fellow elves. Even though he was a chief, he refused to bathe in luxury.


    Unlike smithing, enchantment does not require numerous tools to create. However, enchantment on its own is a different field. And on its own, it has different levels of difficulty. And in the Tribe, elves are better at it than dwarfs.


    As he barged into his own room, Sylvar placed the horn onto a wooden casing stuffed with white cloth.


    Scratching his light-green hair, Sylvar said, [Which spirit do I place?]


    He paced around his room and had stopped before a table with several drawers underneath.


    [I¡¯ll think about it later, I¡¯ll have to work on the tube first.]


    His eyes moved from one bottle to another that were sparsely placed on the table. As he found what he needed, he reached for it and brought it near the edge of the table. One was a bottle of ink, one contained a transparent liquid, and another bottle contained a greenish liquid.


    After he confirmed that he took the right bottles, he pulled the small drawer near the top. There he took two thin brushes. After closing the drawer, he grabbed the bottles and took a seat on a stool near the wooden casing.


    First, he placed the bottles on a nearby low table. He then removed the cork on the bottle of ink and dipped the brush. Then, with his other arm, he grabbed the horn and started painting it. While his brush slid gently on the surface of the horn, Sylvar wore a serious expression.


    Make no mistake.


    Gradually, the horn was painted in black. The ink left a space for block-like veins that ran from the mouthpiece down to the horn¡¯s opening.


    Sylvar, while holding the horn from its opening and mouthpiece, have waited for the ink to dry. After several minutes of holding the horn in place, he sealed the bottle of ink and rested the brush on the low table. Then he removed the cork of the greenish liquid and dipped the unused brush. This time, Sylvar painted the spaces left open by the ink. It didn¡¯t take him much time before he finished covering all the spaces left by the ink.


    Then again, Sylvar waited for it to dry. Once it did, he removed the cork of the transparent liquid and dipped a cloth inside. He rubbed onto the horn and removed the excess ink. The greenish paint remained and wasn¡¯t removed with the ink.


    After he was done removing the excess ink, he marveled at the horn.


    [I¡¯ve decided,] he said with a wide smile. [Wind and Water spirits. That¡¯s what I¡¯ll use.]


    He placed the horn back to the wooden casing. Then, he approached the table with the bottles in hand. He promptly returned them to where they were placed. Afterward, he crouched and then pulled on the lowest drawer. Inside were crystals colored like gems. They were all neatly arranged in rows in accordance with their color. Within those crystals, a tiny light erratically moved. They were sealed spirits. The color of the crystal depicted what element it belonged to.


    With a nod, Sylvar reached for a green and a blue crystal. After that, he closed the drawer and returned to the horn. [Now then, time to transfer the spirits.]


    On the day after, Sylvar met with Garfin. In his arms was the finished prototype of the horn. Although it was a prototype, the quality is far from average.


    [This is it?] Garfin asked as he received the horn from Sylvar. He took a quick look at the body of the horn. [Hrmm¡­ Coming from both of us it sure is beautiful.] A smile flashed across his face.


    [Well, we gave it our utmost efforts,] Sylvar replied.


    [Should we try it now?] Garfin was increasingly excited at the prototype relic they made.


    [I¡¯d like to do that, but it might be disastrous to use it here.] Sylvar was the same, but he kept a cool head and reminded Garfin.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to decide. They had Enarfs fly them to the east. Soon, they landed in a clearing where it was unusually rocky. At the distance, there was a small pond that wasn¡¯t there from when Garfin and Sylvar remembered. But since they can¡¯t be bothered, they dismissed the thought and had tried to use the horn.


    Garfin held the horn in his hands took a deep breath. He then placed the mouthpiece into his lips and blew it while at the same time, pouring mana into the crystal.


    Soon, a loud and long sound was emitted from the horn. It was like a cry of an ox. As it sounded, the block-like veins pulsed a tinge of white. After a while, Garfin stopped, and along with Sylvar, they observed their surroundings.


    [Did it work?] Sylvar asked.


    [No, it definitely worked. I can feel it.]


    [Nothing is happening,] Sylvar said as he turned his sight from left to right. [Why not try it again?]


    [Maybe, well, here I go.]


    Then again, the sound reverberated in the surroundings. But since no signs were visible, Garfin blew it for the third time.


    [Haah¡­ Maybe it¡¯s a failure...] Sylvar sulked.


    [You call my work a failure?!] Garfin snapped.


    [It didn¡¯t work.]


    [My works have never fai-]


    Garfin was interrupted by a thunderous roar. Above them, lighting ran across the dark clump of clouds that started amassing into a single large cloud. At the same time, the wind howled and jolted the trees. Then, in the distance, wind whirled and formed a tempest.


    [This is bad!] Sylvar shouted.


    [It¡¯s your fault! You told me to blow it twice!] Garfin blamed.


    [You blew it thrice! I only told you to blow it another time!]


    Their exchange was drowned by the lighting that flashed overhead.


    [A-anyway, let¡¯s head back,] Sylvar said.


    [R-right.]


    In the face of disaster, both Garfin and Sylvar are comrades.

 Chapter 50: Troubled Times 1

    Two days past the time I woke up, I traveled again with Erina. We were headed towards East. To the port city of Piraeus, which at that time was in a turmoil due to its Lord¡¯s apprehension on the grounds of treason. It was the city where the villagers at the foot of Twin Peaks headed.


    Originally, I was to return to the Duchy with my father, but I excused myself from doing so. The reason was,


    ¡°I want to give a proper burial to those who¡¯ve died from the previous encounter.¡±


    Understanding my reason, Father agreed to head to the Duchy before me. He did so after arranging the soldiers who were called to gather charcoal remnants of the forest. He also agreed to meet the villagers who evacuated to Academia. He¡¯d meet them in the Forest Path further south from the burned portion of the forest.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Erina asked. Her question overlapped with Celes¡¯s voice that occurred to me during my sleep.


    What¡¯s wrong? What are you afraid of? Was the words that came from Celes.


    And just like how Celes asked, ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Erina added.


    For a second, while I leaned my chin on the palm of my hand, I closed my eyes and dwelled on the question. Various thoughts ran through my mind, but until I lifted my eyelids, not a single one answered Erina¡¯s question. The same was true when Celes asked me. I couldn¡¯t answer. I didn¡¯t have a concrete response.


    Then instead, I remained quiet and stared at the passing scenery through the carriage¡¯s window. Gradually, the scenery changed and soon revealed a silhouette in the distance. It was still far and vague, however, I was able to distinguish its outline. It was a structure that stood before the valley between Twin Peaks, the border gates leading to Brent.


    Ah. There¡¯s Max too¡­


    My frown grew even bitter. Then like a preordained prophecy, another weight stacked itself within my core with a loud clack.


    That time, I knew that I shouldn¡¯t have minded it. I shouldn¡¯t have let the thought occur inside my mind again and again. But like a pest, no matter how many times I drove it out, it kept on returning. And each time the thought returned, I couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    When was it? When was the last time I felt fear? Wasn¡¯t it back when I struck a deal with Celes?


    Questions after questions barraged me. It reminded me of how I thought of myself.


    Since the day I first lost my sanity, I couldn¡¯t help be afraid of myself at times. Each time I swung my sword and tore off a limb or two, slit a neck or decapitate a head completely, or stab someone¡¯s chest and rob them of their life, I didn¡¯t mind. Hesitation never pulsed within me. The thought of them having the life of their own never occurred to me. Because deep inside me, I thought of them as guilty, no, I judged them guilty.


    Was a girl at the age of eleven be out in the fields, wielding a sword and a shard normal? Was it normal for someone to not hesitate in taking someone¡¯s life? Was a princess like me supposed to be too used to seeing dead bodies over a pool of blood?


    At that time, I realized. Something¡¯s wrong with me. And at the same time, Someone like me will never fit to be a Queen.


    </a> Serving my people naturally occurred to me¡ªit was nothing out of the ordinary¡ªafter all, I myself am a royal. But each time the thought of myself becoming a monarch, three words would repeat itself in my mind. A ruthless tyrant.


    Contrary to how I thought of who I am, the people of Laurel would say, ¡®The Princess is a good person¡¯, ¡®A Royal who knew what the people felt and needed¡¯, and ¡®The next Elena¡¯.


    Absurd. Wasn¡¯t it because that I¡¯m bounded by the shackles of royalty that I helped them? Wasn¡¯t it because I knew what it felt to lose everything that I didn¡¯t want them to feel the same way I did? Wasn¡¯t it because that I have to maintain the image of Laurel¡¯s royalty that I responded like that?


    Suddenly, Erina broke my contemplation and asked, ¡°Are you running away?¡± Her words stabbed me like a spear.


    In response, my lips parted. But rather than voice a word, or even a groan, my lips closed and accomplished nothing.


    Am I really running away? No¡­ I¡¯m¡ª


    ¡°Making up reasons to hate yourself,¡± Erina continued. ¡°Amelia, stop. Just stop thinking about it. Nothing good will come out from you overthinking and jumping to conclusions. Don¡¯t blind yourself with your own thoughts.¡±


    Right. I slouched myself on my seat and shifted my sight towards the ceiling of the carriage.


    ¡°Say, Erina, what is right and what is wrong?¡± Then I shifted my sight towards Erina. She wore a hint of sorrow in her eyes.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± she called with a frown. ¡°There are several bases for what is right from what is wrong. However, correcting mistakes would always be right.¡±


    ¡°Then, is what am I to do right or wrong? Is it morally or ethically correct to save an innocent person from a different world in exchange for hundreds, no, thousands of lives? Or is the other way around, surrendering the Hero to the church, and risk Randia into falling into a deeper and hateful war between races? Which outcome would lead to a better future?¡±


    ¡°...¡± For once, Erina wasn¡¯t able to respond.


    At that moment, the image of the angels descending over Aves flashed through my mind. Angels came down from the sky, then, with an unknown ritual, a magic circle manifested. Then as if it was sucked into the center, a crack in space appeared, then like a swarm of locusts, more angels appeared and dipped Aves into chaos.


    Ragnarok. According to Celes, Ragnarok was a ritual magic used to open the gates of the place called Heaven. It calls upon the angels sleeping within it.


    And just as she explained, beams of light fell like rain over Aves. It induced shouts of pain and anguish. Cries of sorrow while they held their dead family within their arms. Voices that begged and pleaded for their life. And lastly, a call for help from us, the royals who was supposed to protect them.


    It all occurred while I was chained inside a spire that surrounded Aves. Helpless, weak, and pitiful. A point where not even manifesting my horn was possible. That was then that it occurred to me.


    Won¡¯t I just be an ordinary human without my horn?


    ¡°Erina. Is it right for me to decide the fates of others? For me to drag the Hero to Academia, wouldn¡¯t that be the same as me telling their citizens to die for my cause? To bleed and offer their life just to save my own people from peril?¡±


    But if I drag her to Academia, the attention of the church, no, of the angels, would be diverted from the racial war to me and the Hero. It would reduce the strain on Brent, and at the same time, reduce the burden on Laurel by giving it more time to support itself and Brent.


    Then unconsciously, I held my necklace and began wasting my mana by repeatedly drawing a magic circle within me. The magic circle formed, then broke. Formed then broke. Each time, my mana dispersed to my surroundings.


    ¡°Erina.¡± I closed my eyes. For a few seconds, I gathered my resolve and lifted my eyelids. ¡°As the First Princess of Laurel, I, Amelia Laurel, order you, Erina Frei Trois, to remain within the Duchy¡¯s premises on the day we return to the Duchy itself. You are to remain there until I order you to do so.¡±


    Erina gasped as her eyes widened, but as immediate as she could, she glared. Her lips tightened into a frown. Then for the second time, since the day I gave up and returned to Laurel like a corpse, genuine anger flashed across her face.


    ¡°Erina, I¡¯ll execute you myself if you disobey.¡±


    How many lives would be lost in Academia? Hundreds? Thousands? Are the angels my only enemies? There are three other Heroes. It wouldn¡¯t be that far-fetched if they turned their blades on my neck this time around.


    Erina shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll take my own life before you do.¡±


    ¡°If you take yours, then I¡¯d take mine. I wouldn¡¯t mind dying with you right here and now, Erina.¡±


    It was a contest between Erina and I. We glared at each other, each of us was not willing to go back out. But the longer it took, the more it became visible from whom of us won.


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    My voice trembled. ¡°Please, Erina, for once, just listen to me.¡±


    Erina remained silent.


    ¡°Please, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to take it if I lose you. More than the thousands of lives I¡¯d be sacrificing in the process, I¡¯d rather have you live. You may call me a failure of a human¡ªa despicable trash and a being worse than dirt¡ªbut this is what I feel. Erina, I¡¯ll break. I¡¯ll break again if I lose you.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, is this all you can think of? To push away your allies to save them? Is this your limit? Is this what the nine-year-old girl from back then who strived to compete with adults can do? Is this everything you got?¡±


    ¡°No! I refuse to accept that this is my limit! But Erina, this time is different! Who would have thought that I¡¯d cross swords against angels? Against mythical creatures that can easily turn a town into nothing?¡±


    I begged. I pleaded with everything I had.


    ¡°True, it¡¯s possible for me to take one down, but two at a time, or more than that. I¡¯d die Erina. I¡¯d die! I¡¯m not some Hero in the legends or in fairy tales that can overturn logic for the sake of the people I loved! I¡¯m a human...¡±


    ¡°A human with a divine blood... But even if I had it in me, I know next to nothing about it. After all, I lived my life as a human. My enemies aside lived for eons. My knowledge can¡¯t compete. My experience amounts to nothing compared to theirs. Ability wise, I¡¯m inferior.¡±


    The sword is useless if I can¡¯t drag them to the ground...


    I took a sharp breath and continued.


    ¡°And even if I received knowledge from her, the time isn¡¯t enough. Just how much knowledge do I know will remain correct once the truth is revealed to me? When would I understand everything? I¡¯d have to live thousands of years for that Erina, and I don¡¯t have that. The least she could give me reprieve is three months. Three months Erina. That¡¯s all I have to prepare.¡±


    ¡°Erina, I¡¯m not a God.¡±


    <hr>


    Within the palace of Tercel in Aves, a silver-haired man remained seated on a chair within an office. It was Argent. The desks that surrounded him were filled with stacks of paper neatly arranged in accordance with their type. Some were filed under requests, certificates, balances, and more.


    Then with a slip of a knife underneath a letter waxed by a red seal, the letter was opened. After placing the knife on the table beside him, he slid his fingers into the envelope and pulled out the letter. Carefully he unfolded it and read its contents.


    ¡°So both sides agreed huh,¡± he said as he slightly furrowed his eyebrows.


    The letter was about the arranged marriage suggested during the dialogue between Amelia and Maxwell. The betrothal between him, Argent Laurel, and Brent¡¯s first princess, Clarissa Brent.


    Argent and Clarissa weren¡¯t strangers to each other. They¡¯ve met twice or thrice during the time he visited Brent along with his father, Auguste. During that time, the first steps of the arranged marriage between Amelia and Maxwell had begun.


    Back then, Amelia was still eight and Argent was ten. On the other hand, Maxwell was twelve and Clarissa was similarly ten. Naturally, since both Argent and Clarissa were royals and had the same standing, they were allowed to meet each other.


    ¡°H-hello,¡± the small Argent greeted.


    By nature, Argent was timid around women. It was the result of Diane¡¯s constant and repeated teaching that he should never, not even once in his life, tread the same path as his father.


    ¡°Hello...¡± Clarissa replied. She bore the same blonde hair and green irises like Maxwell. Her hair was slightly wavy and reached up to her shoulders. Similar to Argent, Clarissa was timid. Perhaps due to her still being young, Clarissa was rarely allowed to leave the palace. And so she seldom meets anyone aside from adults.


    Due to their nature, nothing much occurred between the two. At that time, they were like two peas in a pod.


    ¡°I think Grandmother would be happy to hear this.¡± Then a wry smile flashed across his face.


    Argent had an attachment to his Grandmother, Galilea Laurel. Originally, Galilea Est Faisal was a woman born from a marquis house. The house of Faisal owned a fief consisting of a port city and a few villages northeast of Aves.


    Back then, Randolf would fawn over Amelia, and Galilea would fawn over Argent. They were both a headache for both Auguste and Diane since both of them would usually spoil the two. However, since Auguste can¡¯t go against his father Randolf, Amelia naturally fell to Randolf¡¯s care. On the other hand, Galilea and Diane had decided to take turns in taking care of Argent.


    It was at the time that Amelia turned six and Argent eight that Galilea vanished. She vanished without leaving a trace. Rumor says it was an assassination, but no one knew the truth. A month after Galilea vanished, Randolf abdicated the throne to Auguste saying, ¡°I have grown old am no longer fit for ruling.¡± However, despite his announcement, Randolf remained active in his endeavors and had continued to visit the Tribe in Alabaster.


    It was only recently when the truth came to light. Randolf was forced to focus on retrieving Galilea from the fairies and made him abdicate the throne earlier than expected. It was also the time that Randolf had started saying the phrase that Galilea was traveling the world with the butterflies.


    ¡°Is the situation that worse? Or is it just they wanted to re-forge that friendship that was once lost due to that event?¡± Argent asked himself.


    At the time Amelia returned Laurel like a corpse, Diane, and Auguste were furious. They held contempt for the failure of Brent¡¯s royalty to immediately aid Laurel¡¯s. That time created a large chip between the friendship forged between the two kingdoms.


    As an official statement, Brent announced that they themselves failed to protect the royals of Laurel. It was something that they couldn¡¯t deny or hide. But they also announced the reason. The unusual timing of villages along their path burning down on their own.


    In response to their statement, Laurel remained silent. They neither denied nor acknowledged Brent¡¯s statement on the issue. Then, in turn, the trade between the two kingdoms had gradually decreased. And naturally, the marriage between Amelia and Maxwell was dissolved.


    However, six months after Amelia recovered, Amelia, along with Maxwell, paraded in Tervin¡¯s Dukedom. It was a plot between Amelia and Maxwell to quell the bitter relationship between the two kingdoms. The people of the dukedom, the central trade city in Laurel, had responded positively to the unfathomable relationship between the two.


    But since it wasn¡¯t enough to restore the relationship as it used to, Amelia and Maxwell made it a habit to do a parade each year. The parade occurs a few days after the school period in Academia ends. A time when Amelia was returning to Aves and Maxwell to Brent.


    Well, they abruptly announced it along with the treaty. Brent might have planned it since a few years ago.


    ¡°But annexing Brent through Clarissa is the least we could do if something happens to Brent.¡±


    Argent isn¡¯t one to think of conquering kingdoms and desire for power. Since, from his childhood, he knew how tedious it was to rule a kingdom. He had always thought how hard it would¡¯ve been if he was an Emperor instead.


    In any case, at this time of war, if Brent falls along with its royals, the responsibility would fall to Clarissa, who¡¯d soon be Argent¡¯s wife. The order would naturally then turn to Argent, giving him just cause to revive Brent, but under the name of Laurel.


    The same was true for the princess of Niveria. Her lineage would soon be shared with Brent¡¯s and would make Niveria into a kingdom that once existed in the annals of history.


    Although Amelia takes it as a prank on Argent, who still failed to approach a woman, she knew the circumstances behind the marriage. But each time thought crossed her mind, Amelia would naturally shake her head and said, ¡°Max can do it.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Argent said after placing the letter on the table. He then lifted himself from the chair and said, ¡°I have to prepare the gifts.¡±


    Leisurely, Argent paced around the office before deciding which gifts he should offer to Brent¡¯s Royals. Afterward, he went towards the door. Just before his hands reached for the knob, a knock came from the other side.


    ¡°Your Highness, there is a message from her Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Come in,¡± Argent responded, taking a step away from the door.


    The one who opened the door was a butler. When Argent¡¯s figure immediately entered his sight, he promptly bowed and said, ¡°Her Majesty wishes to share a meal with you this evening.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Argent nodded. ¡°Please inform her Majesty that I¡¯d do so.¡±


    Later that night, the clatter of metallic utensils resounded within the silent dining hall. On the table laced with a cloth, Diane and Argent sat across each other. To Argent¡¯s right, and Diane¡¯s left was a large empty chair plastered with a red cushion and a wood painted with a black varnish. It was the King¡¯s seat.


    Above them, Golden chandeliers hanged with numerous balls of light surrounding it. It was a magic tool fitted with a modified Light Ball magic circle. It was naturally fed by a crystal thread with mana.


    A short distance behind them were the maids and butlers in wait.


    After tapping her lips clean with a serviette, ¡°Argent, are you fine with it?¡± Diane asked.


    Likewise, Argent did the same and answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Argent held no qualms about his marriage.


    Argent and Diane spoke in idle chatter as they passed the time until the topic turned to Amelia¡¯s issuance of a Royal Order.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Diane asked.


    Argent knew that his Mother had already decided and wished to see how he¡¯d respond. In a way, Diane had been slowly building Argent¡¯s knowledge in ruling Laurel in the future.


    ¡°It¡¯s, without a doubt, a decision that both His and Her Majesty would end up given the same situation.¡±


    Diane remained silent and continued to stare at Argent with an oppressive yet cheerful smile.


    In return, Argent swallowed his saliva and said, ¡°In this situation, Libet would be forced to give a statement to her question. However, knowing Libet, they¡¯d surely feign innocence or outright deny her accusation despite the evidence of the priest¡¯s stole.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°At this time, where we lost resources from the burned forest, halting the trade with Libet would secure us for the coming winter season. In a sense, halting the trade would be beneficial to us. Especially that now that we needed to take care of the refugees that came from Niveria.¡±


    While Argent was speaking, the maids approached and refilled their glasses with water. Diane, while still silent, took her glass and drank from it.


    ¡°Despite all that,¡± Argent continued. ¡°We¡¯d still continue the trade with Libet. But instead of openly trading with them, we¡¯d trade through underhanded means where we can increase the price at least twice the original.¡±


    Both Argent and Amelia knew their mother well. Diane wouldn¡¯t stop at the idiom of ¡®if you can¡¯t beat them, join them¡¯. Instead, Diane ruled those underhanded and illegal means indirectly. It was also a means of collecting information from all over the human kingdoms. One example was the existence of brothels all around Laurel.


    ¡°We can start by supplying them with an amount that would satisfy their needs. Then over time, we can reduce the amount under the pretense of tightened security, increased demand, difficulty in transportation, and more. Along with that, we can increase the price further and rip them off their pockets.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Inwardly, Argent heaved a deep sigh. Haah¡­ I passed again.


    ¡°But you missed one thing.¡± At her call, Argent¡¯s back stood ramrod straight. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten about the free trade. The commodities brought by our merchants can be bought by the church for the same price we offered them to Brent. And to remedy this, we need to collude with the merchant¡¯s guild in Brent. Possibly, to strike a contract with their merchants.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Argent muttered.


    Later that night, Argent was further lectured by Diane.

 Chapter 51: Troubled Times 2

    A wooden mug half-filled with ale struck a table with a dull clack. Chairs rattled while voices sang in joy. Jeers and laughter ran from one corner to another. Banters were exchanged from person to person. All the while they seated around rectangular tables wearing cloth shirts topped with leather vests or jackets.


    ¡°Show me what you got!¡± Along with the men with medium to large builds, a brown-haired man raised his mug and clunked it with another. His name was Kasta, a man with a shaved beard in his late twenties.


    Opposite Kasta, ¡°No need to tell me!¡± was a man with a flushed face. He raised his mug and took a swig of his ale. After several gulps, ¡°Baah! Nothing beats a good drink!¡± he said with foams stuck to his black mustache.


    Kasta then urged the man to take another swig as he poured his own into the other¡¯s mug. The man, without a hint of shame, accepted the offer and gulped the contents in one go.


    Kasta and the man were sitting in a tavern in a large town called Sardon. Northwest of Sardon, two days away by foot, was Brent¡¯s capital city, Spere.


    While they drank to their heart¡¯s content, they exchanged stories. Their topic wandered from the surroundings of Sardon, the culture of Brent, and more. It didn''t take long until the topic turned to Kasta¡¯s identity. Urged by the man to give a proof, Kasta slid his hand into his pocket and presented an engraved metal plate at the size of a card.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ So you really are Demian adventurer huh? Now lemme see.¡± The man leaned forward and squinted. ¡°Tarkas? Did I say that right?¡±


    ¡°Got that right.¡± The plate indicated his name as Tarkas and his affiliation to the adventurer guild of Academia, hence Demian. Then after returning the plate into his pocket, he said, ¡°I heard that Brent will soon start a war to reclaim Niveria, so I came here to try my luck by becoming a mercenary.¡±


    The man grinned. ¡°Heh, you¡¯ve got guts for a Demian. But I¡¯ll tell you, it won¡¯t be easy to fight against those demons. Unlike beasts, they use tactics like us humans.¡±


    ¡°You meant Beastmen?¡±


    ¡°Demons, Beastmen, whatever. I don¡¯t care what others call them. I¡¯ll call them demons.¡±


    ¡°In any case, have you heard the news? It says that Laurel will support Brent in this war.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rare. Haven¡¯t you traveled from Academia, then Laurel before coming here? That news arrived here a day ago!¡±


    ¡°I was traveling a few days back and had just recently arrived here so I¡¯m not well-informed.¡±


    ¡°No wonder.¡±


    It had been three days since the conclusion of the dialogue between Laurel and Brent had been announced. The news of the conclusion had spread like wildfire and informed the citizens of Laurel, Brent, Academia, and Libet.


    The merchants were especially enthusiastic of the result. With the free trade between the two kingdoms, their businesses can reach out further than they expected. Due to that, the merchants immediately set-off to inform their partners from different parts of Randia, either by land or sea.


    ¡°With Laurel supporting the war, we can rest assured for the supplies.¡± Kasta smiled. ¡°But I never expected them to announce their eagerness to wed Princess Clarissa and Prince Argent at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I.¡± The man laughed. ¡°I never imagined that it would be those two. At the least¡ªto us Rentians¡ªwe expected the marriage between Prince Maxwell and Princess Amelia. Those two had been appearing in public this last five years that we¡¯d come to naturally think that ¡®this two would be married soon.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ha! You can say that again!¡± Kasta said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s because of those two that the relationship between Brent and Laurel continued. But I have some qualms if ever those two were wed.¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°You see, wouldn¡¯t that Princess be frustrated if she stays here in Brent? After all, it¡¯s well-known that she despises the act of slavery, human or not. Then if it ever happened, she¡¯d lash out at the slave traders and the churches here.¡±


    ¡°You have a point. But give her time and she¡¯d change that naive thinking of hers.¡±


    Kasta laughed. ¡°I can see that, but before that happens, the church here in Sardon would surely be bashed with discriminating words.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡± Then he laughed heartily.


    At that same moment, a slight grin rose on Kasta¡¯s face.


    Time passed by leisurely while they exchanged more stories with each other. Kasta and the man did not know one another. But after Kasta approached the man, who was known to be a heavy drinker, and offered a free drink, the man immediately agreed.


    Soon, through the continuous urging from Kasta, the man fell on the table unconscious.


    ¡°Oi, are you okay?¡± Kasta nudged the man but only a groan was returned.


    After he confirmed the man¡¯s state, he approached the Tavern¡¯s counter and paid for their bill. Afterward, he moved his feet to the cloth rack beside the entrance and took his robe. He then took a step outside and moved a small distance away. Clear from obstruction, he took a glance at the sky where the moon and the stars glittered.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± he muttered in a low voice.


    Past the wooden structures with stone bases was a wide street illuminated by candle-lit lanterns. To the sides were men and women wearing layered clothing out of cotton. The women especially wore long skirts and dresses with long sleeves.


    At the end of the street, Kasta took a right turn. He was headed to Sardon¡¯s eastern plaza. As he walked, several carriages passed by, sometimes carrying iron cages topped with thin pieces of cloth. Soon, his feet brought him to a two-story wooden structure with a board engraved with a bed.


    Kasta entered and was promptly greeted by a girl at around the age of fifteen. After passing by the girl, Kasta waved back and took to the stairs. There, he walked into a hallway then into his room. Then when he sat down on his wooden bed topped with only a thin piece of cloth, he used Wind Whisper.


    [Were you able to gather information about Sardon¡¯s church?]


    [[Yes.]] Four other replies were passed to him.


    [Then I¡¯ll start with mine.]


    Kasta and the other four are part of Amelia¡¯s Guards. They were sent to Brent at a day earlier than the official announcement. Their task was the investigation of the parish ruled by the priest from the recent dialogue. Each of them had a genuine adventurer plate. However, the information engraved on the plates were fake. It was through Amelia¡¯s authority¡ªusing forged papers¡ªthat the plates were made.


    The adventurer¡¯s guild does not require a proof of identity to take requests, but it required when taking requests submitted by people with a considerable position. It was done to avoid assassination attempts when the takers of the request meet the one who demanded the request.


    About a year ago, there used to be a large bandit group that stationed itself on the border between Academia and Laurel. Through the use of the border, the bandits avoided clashing with the troops from either side. Amelia, knowing that¡¯d take time to get Academia¡¯s cooperation, and knowing that the spoils would be split apart in doing so, she made her Guards¡ªusing their identities as adventurers¡ªundertake the subjugation request that she herself indirectly issued in the guild.


    [That¡¯s it for now.] Kasta ended his explanation to his comrades.


    The others followed in stating the result of their investigation. However, since it was their first day, only the gist of the situation in Sardon was gathered.


    The following day, the other four left the inn in pairs while Kasta moved alone. They left the inn at separate times while wearing an average cloth shirt similar to the citizens of Sardon. Although they had their adventurer plates, only two others, excluding Kasta, introduced themselves as adventurers. The other two introduced themselves as tourists.


    Each on their separate way, they wandered around Sardon and gathered information. They spoke with merchants, listened to rumors, made friends with the residents and shared stories, and more. Also, at different times of the day, they¡¯d pass by the church and observe the movements of the paladins. They took note of the places where the paladins stood guard and counted their number. There were times that they entered and pretended as devout believers.


    Another three days had passed until the news regarding the poisoning of Niveria¡¯s refugees had reached Sardon. It was said that Amelia announced it herself and had made her Guards present the heads of the people related to the church.


    At the same time, the news of the priest returning from Laurel came. He was scheduled to arrive in Sardon in three days time.


    Upon hearing of the news, Kasta immediately fired off an order.


    Two who introduced themselves as Demian adventurers undertook a mana herb collection request. After receiving the request, they took-off to the south gate of Sardon. They headed further south where a wide prairie past the farms surrounding Sardon stood.


    The remaining two, along with Kasta, went towards East where rocky hills dotted the horizon. There they searched for a cave but failed. So instead, they constructed a makeshift one using Earth Mold. It resulted in a small cave with a depth of twelve meters and a height that required an adult human to crouch.


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


    On the third day, the two acting adventurers had established themselves to be on a search for mana herbs.


    Meanwhile, Kasta and the other two positioned themselves further south of the two acting adventurers. They laid in wait near the dirt road, hiding in the tall grass with elliptically shaped rocks around their feet.


    After an hour passed, The carriage is late, Kasta thought.


    Several minutes later, the carriage they were waiting for finally appeared. However, contrary to their expectations, the carriage was running at full speed.


    In addition to the oddity, ¡°Hya! Hya!¡± a group of horsemen was chasing the carriage from behind. The horsemen wore scraped leather vests over their dirt smudged clothing. They had their swords raised as they closed in on the priest¡¯s carriage.


    Impossible, Kasta thought. There¡¯s a nearby post further south. Bandits shouldn¡¯t be present at this distance.


    Kasta turned to his comrades and said, ¡°There¡¯s no change in plans.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re expecting to fight against at most eight paladins anyway. The only difference is that we¡¯re taking down bandits instead.


    Then through Kasta¡¯s order, they started pouring mana into the shards they held. In response, the rocks around their feet momentarily floated and hurled itself towards the carriage¡¯s wheels. Struck by numerous Rock Bullets, the wooden supports snapped and tore the wheel off of its axle.


    ¡°Wha-?!¡± the coachman shouted in surprise.


    The carriage abruptly tilted to its right and threw the coachman to the roadside. On the other hand, the two horses at the front were partly lifted. Then due to the carriage¡¯s momentum, the horses were mercilessly dragged by the carriage¡¯s frame. What was left was a cloud of dust, a ravaged carriage, and bleeding horses.


    ¡°Next,¡± Kasta said as he moved his sight towards the bandits. But as soon as he shifted his eyes towards them, the bandits reared their horses and immediately retreated.


    ¡°What?¡± Kasta blinked. ¡°They won¡¯t fight?¡±


    However, since they didn¡¯t have the time to waste, they ignored the bandits and headed towards the carriage after knocking the coachman unconscious. They then pried the carriage¡¯s door open and dragged the priest. Luckily, the priest was already unconscious while bleeding on his head.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    After they tied the priest and the coachman to their horses, they immediately galloped towards the rocky hills.


    <hr>


    At the south gate of Sardon, ten paladins wore white ceremonial armors. They stood in two lines of five, waiting for the priest¡¯s arrival. Contrary to that, two adventurers came rushing to them with their horses.


    ¡°T-the priest¡¯s carriage! It was attacked by bandits!¡± shouted one of the adventurers while rearing the neck of his horse.


    The paladins, suspicious of the late arrival of the priest, and worried of the priest¡¯s state, urged their horses to gallop with two adventurers on the lead. They did so after sending a gate guard to inform the parish maiden of the situation. The adventurers then led the paladins to the site of the carriage¡¯s crash. A soon as they arrived, the paladins climbed down their horses and hurriedly inspected the carriage.


    ¡°Tsk! Blasted bandits!¡± The leader of the paladins balled his hand into a fist and bellowed ¡°Search the surroundings! Look for their horses¡¯ tracks!¡±


    It did not take long for them to locate the tracks left by Kasta and his men.


    ¡°We¡¯re chasing them down!¡±


    Then again, their horses galloped towards the rocky hills. When the traces ended at the foot of the first hill, the paladin leader threw his arm and gave a search order. Included among those were the adventurers.


    At each passing minute, the paladin leader¡¯s blood burned hotter and hotter.


    The leader of the paladins lived a life of prestige under the priest¡¯s tutelage. Back then, he used to be nothing but an orphaned child. But when it was found that he had an affinity with light, the priest took him in made him what he was that day.


    You¡¯ll see! I¡¯ll have your heads displayed at the gates!


    It took a few minutes before one of the adventurers shouted, ¡°I found a cave! There are vague traces of footprints too!¡±


    Quickly, the leader ran to the adventurer¡¯s side and checked the cave. ¡°Gather everyone!¡±


    Upon checking the cave himself, Hmph! This is obviously man-made! thought the leader.


    As the paladins gathered, the leader stationed them all around the cave at fixed distances. Some were crouched beside a rock, while some remained on guard with their shields held up.


    ¡°You.¡± The leader pointed to one of the adventurers. ¡°Get inside the cave.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes sir!¡± The adventurer then crouched at the entrance and manifested a Light Ball with a chant. With his path illuminated, he crept inside while urging the ball forward.


    While the adventurer crawled, the leader crouched on the mouth of the cave and observed. He took note of the adventurer turning to the left. ¡°Is the priest there?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him.¡± the adventurer replied as he vanished from the leader¡¯s sight. ¡°There¡¯s another turn here, so I¡¯ll check it out.¡±


    A few seconds later. ¡°I found the priest!¡±


    ¡°Great! Now bring him here!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡± Then suddenly, a piercing scream rang out from the cave. ¡°AAAAAHHHHH!!!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Surprised flitted across the leader¡¯s face. ¡°What happened?! Oi! Answer!¡±


    Only a silence was returned. Not even a faint rustle of cloth was heard from within.


    ¡°You!¡± The leader rose to his feet and glanced on the second adventurer. ¡°Get in the-!¡±


    His words were interrupted by an arrow that pierced from the back of his head and through his open mouth. Then with a dull thud, his knees struck the dirt followed by his body.


    ¡°Sire!¡± shouted one of the paladins as he rushed to the leader¡¯s side. ¡°Si-¡± Unfortunately, he met the same fate as his leader and stacked himself over his leader¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°A-an attack! An ambush! Hide!¡± shouted the other adventurer as he ran farther from the cave.


    ¡°W-what?! Where?!¡± The paladins turned their heads left and right, trying to locate the source of the arrows. With their leader down, their chain of command immediately broke.


    ¡°There!¡± A paladin pointed to the peak of a nearby hill. There stood two figures with arrows knocked on their bows. But before the others realized it, another two was struck down.


    In response to the archers sniping them from afar, they gathered. ¡°It¡¯s fine! This is nothing new!¡±


    Though leaderless they were, they held a sense of camaraderie and began to cover each other with shields. Then gradually, with their defense assured against the arrows, they ascended the hill. But little did they know that the other adventurer was missing in their formation.


    Manifest, Pitfall.


    When the earth trembled beneath their feet, they realized their mistake.


    ¡°Traitor!¡±


    ¡°Bastard!¡±


    The paladins fired off one curse after the other. Gradually, the earth underneath dragged them deeper. From the sides of the pitfall, earthen spikes burst and pierced through the paladin¡¯s bodies. It was acene similar to them entering a large beast¡¯s maw.


    After ascertaining the deaths of the paladins, the adventurer who entered the cave came out with the priest and the coachman in tow. They were both stripped of their clothes.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here,¡± the adventurer that came out from the cave said. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Halt!¡±


    To their surprise, an unknown voice came. It was accompanied by the clamor of hoof-beats. Soon, their numbers emerged from atop the hill. Their figures numbered at least twenty. They were the same bandits that chased the priest¡¯s carriage.


    <hr>


    At the east gate of Sardon, ¡°H-help! Help me!¡± a man wearing a tattered and bloodied clothes for coachmen cried. Then in-between breaths, he said, ¡°A-ambush! The paladins were ambushed! I-I was able to escape, but the paladins! The priest! They were all captured by bandits!¡± His chest heaved erratically as sweat ran down his pale face.


    The gate guards immediately rushed to his side and gleaned information. They were hesitant at first, but when he took out the priest¡¯s seal, they relaxed. The man pleaded that he is brought before the parish maiden, for he had a message to deliver.


    ¡°You there,¡± the guard pointed to his comrade. ¡°Rush to the Lord¡¯s manor and inform him of the situation with the bandits. Tell him that the priest was captured.¡± Then he shifted his sight towards the others. ¡°Everyone else, run around the walls and inform the squad leaders. We¡¯ll march East at the Lord¡¯s order.¡±


    After the guard finished ordering his men, the coachman was brought to Sardon¡¯s church. There he was passed over to the paladins and was brought before the parish maiden.


    With the paladins at his side, he sat down on a cream tiled floor covered by a red carpet and faced the parish maiden.


    ¡°What is this for?¡± The woman was in her mid-twenties. She had a long black hair hanging on the left side of her shoulder. A waist-fit white robe laced with golden threads was cast on her slender body.


    Behind her, on a raised platform, was an altar. Embedded on the altar¡¯s center was a gold ornament shaped into a cross-turned-sword. Further behind were three large panes of blue stained-glass positioned in an arc. To the sides of the panes were banners stitched with the same symbol of a cross.


    ¡°They want gold and women in exchange for the priest?¡± the woman asked with her brows knit tightly. The coachman informed her of the circumstances and the bandits¡¯ demands. ¡°Very well, let them have those lowly slaves.¡±


    The maiden, a rank lower than a parish priest, had started to give orders to the remaining paladins. She ordered them to bring five slaves before the coachman.


    Shortly after, two clerics arrived with slaves in tow. They bowed to the maiden before the altar and arranged the slaves.


    Lined side by side¡ªA black collar around their necks¡ªfive naked women kneeled with their backs facing the stained-glass. All the women, pale and thin, had shackles around their limbs. The first one on the left was a black-haired human girl from a distant hamlet. The other four had human features, and at the same, features that of beastmen.


    They were called Fallen, a short for Fallen Demons.


    Among the Fallens present, two had light-brown hair topped by roundish black ears with hints of brown and white, a Lycaon half. One other had a drooped gray rabbit ears streaked with bruises and cuts above her dirty-gray hair. And lastly, one with brown cow ears and small horns above her chestnut hair.


    Though the Fallens had a body similar to humans, their limbs were partway covered in fur. They also had tails hanging from their rears.


    ¡°Are they to your liking?¡± A mischievous smile rose on her face.


    She took a step down the platform and sensually walked behind the slaves. Each step produced a clack that ticked like a clock¡¯s hand. At the moment she reached the back of the human slave, she gracefully swung her hand as if presenting her wares. ¡°As a reward for reporting the priest¡¯s circumstances with your life, I¡¯ll let you take one of these women.¡±


    The slaves were startled and their eyes trembled. They raised their dreary heads and looked the coachman in the eye. Their cracked lips parted.


    ¡°P-please...¡±


    ¡°I-I can pleasure you.¡±


    ¡°No, me. Choose me.¡±


    ¡°T-take me.¡±


    ¡°Help.¡±


    After each was given time to speak their part, the clerics beside the slaves shouted. ¡°Quiet!¡±


    The slaves were forced to keep their mouth shut. They knew that collars would tighten around their necks if they disobeyed.


    ¡°I-I am honored, oh Maiden, b-but I believe I¡¯m not worthy of such reward.¡± It pained him to say such words, but he endured.


    Please wait a while longer.


    In response to the coachman¡¯s answer, the slaves slumped and stared at the floor. It seemed that they, again, lost hope.


    In response to the coachman, the maiden snapped her fingers. ¡°My, what a wise choice to not indulge in such filthy creatures.¡± She peered down on the slaves before her. ¡°For now, get that priestess-in-training.¡± She ordered the clerics standing beside the slaves. As they vanished into the corridor to the right, the maiden climbed the platform and waited.


    Then from the same corridor came a blue-eyed girl whose age was twelve. She wore a few layers of see-through white garments. Sliding down her thin shoulders was her wavy blonde hair. Then in a childish voice, ¡°H-have you called for me, Maiden?¡± she said.


    ¡°Hilda, escort this man to your chamber.¡± The man pointed to the coachman.


    Upon hearing the maiden¡¯s words, Hilda jolted.¡°Y-yes.¡± Then she hesitantly inched closer to the coachman. At that moment, the coachman¡¯s, no, Kasta¡¯s eyes twitched.


    ¡°Treat his wounds,¡± the Maiden said. ¡°And you, your name is?¡±


    ¡°Troy.¡±


    ¡°If by chance the priest returns alive, you may take Hilda as your wife. Now go and treat him.¡±


    At the Maiden¡¯s order, Hilda¡ªwith the help of the paladins¡ªtook Kasta to her chamber.


    ¡°Now for you,¡± she said with scorn. ¡°I have a task. If by chance you succeed, I¡¯ll release you from slavery.¡±


    Those simple words seeped into the hearts of the slaves. All they wished was freedom, and now, it was offered to them.


    ¡°All you need is to offer your body to the bandits. And while they rest, pierce them with the poisoned needles we¡¯ll present to you. If you succeed, and of course if you remain alive, I myself will remove your collars and shackles that bound you.¡±

 Chapter 52: Troubled Times 3

    ¡°I-I¡¯ll just get some cloth and water.¡± Hilda turned away from Kasta and left through the wooden door latched on a cemented gray wall.


    After Kasta was brought to Hilda¡¯s chamber on the second floor of the church, he was laid on the bed with the help of the paladins. After the paladins completed their task, they went back to meet the Maiden. Kasta now left alone in the chamber, moved his sight to the small arched window at about two meters away.


    It¡¯s still early. Then his eyelids fell as he confirmed the setting sun¡¯s light.


    Although Kasta was acting, genuine cuts and bruises covered his body. Painful it was, he needed to be convincing. After all, him being suspected is a case he must avoid.


    In addition, he expected his wounds¡ªat the very least¡ªwould be treated once he delivered the information about the priest and the ambush. But little did he expect that he would be given a reward of marriage. Especially to a priestess in training.


    An offering huh.


    Then soon, his breathing calmed.


    Soon, Hilda returned with her hands latched on a tin pail¡¯s handle. In small hurried paces, with her back reared due to the weight, she walked towards the bedside. Then careful not to spill the water, she placed the pail on the wooden floor.


    Hilda sighed in relief. ¡°Mister, um¡­ Troy? Ah, the door!¡±


    She raced to the door and closed it. Then after she returned to Kasta¡¯s side, she said, ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kasta lifted his eyelids and turned his head to Hilda. ¡°My clothes, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± Then she neared Kasta and reached her hand towards his waist. However, Kasta lifted his hand and waved it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± As Hilda backed a step away, he sat up and started removing his clothes. Afterward, he was left with only his underwear while laid down on the bed. ¡°You can start.¡±


    After a nod, Hilda pulled the cloth hanging on her shoulder and dipped it in the pail. Then after wringing the cloth, she started cleaning Kasta¡¯s body.


    ¡°From which village did you came from?¡± Kasta suddenly asked.


    For a moment, Hilda froze. ¡°I¡­ came from a nameless hamlet.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± After Hilda finished wiping Kasta¡¯s right arm, she turned around and kneeled before the pail. Then while she was rinsing the cloth, Kasta spoke. ¡°Were you forced to come here?¡±


    As the droplets of water trickled, Hilda¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°No. I chose to be here.¡±


    Quietly, while the ripples on the surface of the water calmed, Hilda¡¯s childish face became apparent. Her eyes hinted sorrow, but the corner of her lips was slightly raised. Then like a torrent, she started recounting her story to Kasta.


    During her stay in the church, she repressed her emotions and trained as a priestess. She wanted someone to hear her story. But her emotions conflicted with what she wanted. She did not want to speak unless she was asked. And so she remained silent during her training.


    Before Hilda came to live in a hamlet, she lived in a town in Niveria. But after the result of the recent war, she, her little brother, and her mother were forced to move into Brent as refugees. Their father was a conscripted soldier that died in battle.


    In response to the refugees coming from Niveria, Brent divided them and placed them under the care of different Lords. It was a bitter decision for Brent¡¯s royals, but they needed to focus on the preparations for war. However, as a remedy, Maxwell turned to Laurel for support. Although his efforts bore fruit, the treaty had only been signed recently, and the supplies from Laurel had only started to arrive.


    The refugees were welcomed by Sardon¡¯s Lord. The Lord made a large part of the refugees to live in the town. The rest, however, were split and made to live in hamlets. Each hamlet was provided with Earth molded houses and four to five guards.


    Among those who lived in the hamlets was Hilda¡¯s family.


    Although they were given resources, it was not enough. They lacked the facilities to procure food. The number of the guards was not enough to protect eight to ten families. Also, a healer or mage was not provided.


    This lack of resources drove the hamlets into turmoil. It was then Hilda had the thought, The church. They¡¯ll provide help if someone acts as an offering.


    The idea wasn¡¯t new to the believers of the church. The same was true for Hilda. In return for an offering¡ªa human sent to the church to become its servant¡ªthe church would provide support depending on the number sent. And this time, for a hamlet, Hilda knew that she herself is enough.


    Basically, for the good the people in the hamlet, despite her wanting to live with her family, she offered herself. But in truth, if her family wasn¡¯t included in the hamlet, she wouldn¡¯t have chosen to offer herself.


    After Hilda finished telling her story, she sniffed and started chanting heal. Afterward, while she brushed her glowing fingers on Kasta¡¯s wounds, her lips quivered. However, despite her releasing her pent-up emotions, she held back her tears.


    ¡°...¡± Kasta was quiet the entire time.


    Kasta, a Rentian, was not a stranger to Hilda¡¯s situation. For one, he had an older sister that was made as an offering back then. But his circumstances differed. Unlike Hilda who offered herself on her own, his sister was offered under their village¡¯s tradition. The tradition was to send a child once every three years to retain the church¡¯s support.


    Originally, as a believer of the church, Kasta saw it as a norm, and sometimes an opportunity to get big in life. However, after he heard that his sister got pregnant with the priest¡¯s child five years after she was offered, he started to doubt the church. The reason was his sister¡¯s friend. He knew that her sister loved the man, and the man loved his sister. And despite the offering, the man frequented the church just for them to meet.


    Kasta was in no way against the man. He himself approved of their relationship and hoped that they could live together as brothers. However, all their dreams were broken when the priest took a liking to his sister. In addition, as a believer of the church, women are to offer their lives to those who took their first. In this case, it was the priest.


    At that moment, the man couldn¡¯t take the result. He rushed to the church and tried to whisk her away. But rather than turn to a story where the man saved the girl he loved, it turned into a tragedy. The man died at the hands of the paladins. Then her sister, shattered by the sequence of events, committed suicide with the unborn child.


    It was then that Kasta saw the church in a different light. And as he grew, he realized that they were all blindly following the church out of lack of knowledge.


    Later on, he decided that he wanted to change his fellow¡¯s views. Naturally, he lacked the authority and the resources. But when he heard that one of Laurel¡¯s Royalty were openly advocating against the church, he gained hope.


    Now, it was his fourth year serving as one of Amelia¡¯s Guards after being accepted by Amelia and Maize.


    ¡°Hilda. Do you want to leave this place and take your family with you?¡±


    <hr>


    At the center of Sardon was the Lord¡¯s manor. There, in the solar, two hours and a half past sunset, was the Maiden along with four paladins and two clerics as guards.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ve heard of the situation?¡± While seated on a leather couch, the Maiden said with crossed legs. Around her neck was the necklace that controlled the slave collars.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sardon¡¯s Lord replied while seated on a similar couch opposite the Maiden. The Lord had a wavy black hair and black eyes. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt topped with a brown leather vest. And on his face, whose age was similar to the Maiden, was a gentle smile.


    Around the couch were four lightly armored guards armed with swords. The Maiden had arrived to meet the Lord while the guards were preparing for battle.


    ¡°Then I believe you understand? Dear Alex.¡± Slightly, the Maiden tilted her head with a smile.


    His smile unyielding, he nodded. ¡°Mind it not Alessia; it¡¯s an opportunity I won¡¯t miss. To save the priest from the bandits is nothing but just.¡±


    Alex and Alessia. A Lord and a Parish Maiden. These two had a history of their own, but only a select few had known. This information was something that even Kasta and the others had missed.


    Alex then was still the first child of Sardon¡¯s previous Lord, and Alessia was a humble priestess. It was nothing but a simple love at first sight. A simple encounter it may have been, it turned into something complicated. To put simply, Alex became the Lord, and Alessia became the Maiden.


    Their authority had indeed increased, but the image they needed to maintain was different. Alex was the Lord, and due to this¡ªbecause of the three-way struggle between nobility, royalty, and the church in Brent¡ªboth of them were forced to not be at each other¡¯s side.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    However, Alessia, though called a Maiden, was no longer a virgin. She lost it to Alex, the man she loved. But at the same time, it was a secret that must not be revealed. If chance took this secret into the priest¡¯s ear, who knew what might¡¯ve happened. After all, the parish priest¡¯s authority was still greater than hers. But her own authority had safeguarded her from the priest¡¯s lust.


    That was when royalty, no, Maxwell came to play. He, like Amelia, was in no way oblivious to the situation in his own kingdom. And because he knew that the church would insist him to bring someone from the church¡¯s side into the dialogue, Maxwell had picked the priest in Sardon.


    In other words, Maxwell knew Alex and Alessia¡¯s situation. He also assumed¡ªknowing Amelia since childhood¡ªKasta would be sent to free the slaves held within the church¡¯s chambers. Maxwell calls it an unwavering bond with Amelia. Or rather, an unconscious response between each other. Maxwell would always cover up for Amelia¡¯s blunders, and though Amelia had only recently realized it, she had been covering up for Maxwell¡¯s.


    Back to the topic at hand, Alex, Alessia, and Maxwell needed to oust Sardon¡¯s priest without hinting a clue to the factions that split Brent in the background.


    In response to that, Alex took a part of the refugees and made them stay in Sardon while the rest was divided into hamlets. It was a move to corner the refugees into sending offerings to the church. The reason was to show that he had been successfully kept in check by the parish in Sardon. A move to ascertain Alessia¡¯s position as a Maiden.


    Alessia, on the other hand, played the role of the villain. Though merciless her image was, Alessia had always kept that image to retain her position. She needed the church, through a spy acting as a cleric, or maybe a paladin, to be informed of her competence.


    However, there¡¯s one thing she couldn¡¯t hide even to the public. It was also something that bugged Kasta and the others.


    Alessia disliked slaves.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of personal hate to the slaves itself. It was because Alessia hated slavery. For one, she didn¡¯t remain a blind believer after being educated. However, as a servant of the church, she could not openly tell her stand on slavery. Which is why she had been displaying the image of a maiden that despised slaves. She couldn¡¯t fathom the reason for slavery, but to stay in Sardon with Alex, she had to act what the church wanted her to be.


    It was where the disconnection occurred. Unlike Alessia, the priest loved to keep slaves. And if possible, he wanted a slave closest to a human. However, since human slaves are by far costly than Fallens, he was only able to acquire a few.


    This is where Kasta and others were puzzled. The top of the parish loved to keep slaves, but the second in command hated them. It was also the reason as to why Kasta refused to take a slave as a reward. For all that Kasta knew, it was the signal for Alessia to know he was the person they were waiting for.


    And hence comes Hilda.


    Hilda being offered as a reward was every bit unnatural. It was something unheard-of. But the words, ¡°If by chance the priest returns alive,¡± had relieved the clerics and the paladins present back in the chamber. For the clerics and the paladins knew. Her form of reward can immediately be revoked by the priest.


    To put simply, Alessia made Hilda and Kasta meet. It was never been fate. It was all in order to push Kasta into thinking of taking Hilda away from the church.


    ¡°Now then, shall we proceed to retake the priest?¡± Asked Alessia with a charming smile.


    ¡°Needless to say.¡±


    And so the curtains finally raised and the play began.


    <hr>


    ¡°Halt!¡± As the four of Amelia¡¯s guards stood in surprise, another unexpected situation had bewildered them. ¡°We came by the orders of his Highness Maxwell!¡±


    The leader of the group of ¡®bandits¡¯ raised his arm with a gold medallion in his clutch. The medallion had the Holy Spears of Longinus engraved in it along with Maxwell¡¯s name.


    ¡°Please put your weapons down! We came here to inform you of the situation at hand!¡±


    Due to the four being far, they couldn¡¯t confirm the engraving on the medallion. However, since they were completely outnumbered, they dropped their weapons to the ground and surrendered. And as soon as they did, the ¡®bandit¡¯ leader climbed down his horse and approached. It was then they confirmed that the medallion was genuine.


    The leader then informed them of the plan and the actual situation in Sardon. Little by little, the script they needed to play was ingrained in them. Even so, despite the lack of time, their pride in collecting information was wounded. But because they didn¡¯t have the time to mull over childish thoughts, they continued to play the script they were given.


    <hr>


    Three hours past sunset. Kasta peered through the small window in Hilda¡¯s chamber. There he saw the citizens of Sardon moving out to the street or peering through their windows. Various inaudible mutters were flung from the streets and alleys. All the while fixing their sights at the guards marching towards the east gate with torches in hand.


    A few seconds after, he turned away and faced Hilda.


    With her hands clasped and held over her stomach, Hilda nodded. ¡°Please return safely.¡± In her eyes was a determined gleam.


    Then quietly, Kasta passed by Hilda, grabbed the pail of red-stained water, and reached for the knob. ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± Then without waiting for a reply, he turned the knob and moved to the side.


    Hilda moved to the hallway. Kasta followed behind and closed the door, his feet wrapped in a cloth. Then quietly, both walked down the hallway in light steps. Upon reaching the wooden stairs, Kasta placed the pail down. Promptly, Hilda fetched it. Then with a glance towards Kasta, Hilda began descending the stairs.


    Meanwhile, Kasta began chanting.


    Manifest, Hide.


    While Hilda waddled down to the stair landing, Kasta leaned his ears near the railings. There he listened as Hilda continued to the first floor.


    ¡°G-good evening,¡± Hilda greeted a cleric downstairs.


    ¡°Oh, you just got down?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hilda nodded and placed the pail down.


    ¡°Ah, then, want me to carry that for you? You can get my meal in the meantime.¡±


    Soon, the cleric vanished from the hallway with the pail. Conversely, Hilda took a glance on the stairs before heading to the kitchen.


    When both left, Kasta descended the stairs and scanned the hallways. As he confirmed the surrounding presences, he nimbly ran through the hallway. Each time he reached a corner, he would stop, listen for footsteps, and peek.


    This is too easy¡­ He thought as he darted his eyes. He crouched, leaned near the shadows, then dashed with as light steps as possible.


    What is this? This vigilance is too lax. They can¡¯t be all in the mess hall, aren¡¯t they?


    As Kasta entered a large chamber, he paralleled himself on a pillar while waiting for a paladin to pass. Then as soon as the paladin turned its back, Kasta moved to a different pillar and waited a second time.


    Six. Six including Hilda. Is that all? Kasta counted all the servants he sighted along the way.


    Kasta moved from one pillar to another and finally reached his destination. There, while peeking from a pillar, was a cleric standing guard. To his waist was the keys to the door at his back.


    After calming his heart, Kasta crouched and placed his fingers on the ground. Then lifting his rear to a start-dash posture, he canceled Hide and started chanting reinforcement. The moment he finished, he ran towards the cleric.


    ¡°Wha-!¡±


    Before the cleric was able to shout, Kasta caught his neck in a chokehold. Unable to go against Kasta¡¯s strength, the cleric eventually lost his consciousness. At that moment, Kasta grabbed the keys and opened the door. Then immediately, he dragged the cleric inside.


    After he rested the cleric nearby, he turned around and said, ¡°Lo and behold.¡±


    It was the armory.


    <hr>


    Beside the stairs leading towards the basement, Hilda approached the paladin with a bowl of soup.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Mister.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has eaten already, so here¡¯s an excess.¡± Then she offered the bowl.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    As he received the bowl and sipped it in parts, another paladin came.


    ¡°Can I have one too?¡± It was Kasta wearing a paladin¡¯s armor.


    Hilda nodded in response and escaped through the hallway.


    On the other hand, ¡°What?¡± the paladin with a bowl said. ¡°Isn¡¯t there su-¡±


    Kasta smashed his fist onto the paladin¡¯s neck before he was able to finish. Then after the paladin banged against the wall, Kasta choked the paladin with his hands. Soon, Kasta dragged the unconscious paladin into the basement. Meanwhile, Hilda returned and cleaned the spilled soup.


    After Kasta left the unconscious paladin, he headed deeper into the basement. At the end of the hallway to the left, was a door. As he approached it, he shielded his nose from the stench of urine and feces. Then without further ado, he unlocked the door and entered.


    Past the door were jail cells. Inside them were the slaves shackled and collared. One cell contained five Fallens, and another contained two humans. Silently, after he unlocked one cell, he entered while dangling the keys before the slaves.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon.¡±


    Kasta explained the situation to the slaves while he started unlocking their shackles. Gradually, out of disbelief, the slaves realized the situation. Tears ran down their sunken cheeks. Their dry lips curved into a smile. Their hands and body trembled with joy. All the while repeatedly saying, ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡±


    Later on, the slaves gathered, but their necks were still collared. The key, the crystal that controlled the collars, was still in Alessia¡¯s hand. However, they couldn¡¯t care less. As long as they get as far as they could from the holder of the necklace, the effects of the slave collar would vanish.


    Little did they know that Alessia had already disabled its effects. The necklace she held was nothing but a display.


    In any case, Hilda went down to the basement after Kasta informed her. After they were arranged, Kasta went ahead. Hilda followed then the rest of the slaves. However, soon, an explosion occurred. It came from the main gate. A few seconds later, the remaining servants of the church rushed to the site of the explosion.


    ¡°Quick!¡± They didn¡¯t overlook the chance. Immediately, as the servants gathered at the main gate, Kasta and the group proceeded to the back. After two hallways and an open corridor, they finally reached the church¡¯s garden. There they ran unmindful of the sound of their footsteps. When they neared the church¡¯s back entrance, a familiar voice called.


    ¡°Hilda?!¡± A blonde-haired woman with similar features to Hilda stood in a large carriage for merchants. She jumped down and rushed to Hilda and revealed a boy.


    ¡°Mama?! Kyle?!¡± Wide-eyed, Hilda unconsciously reduced her running pace. The boy was her little brother.


    Then in response, bewildered by the situation, Kasta and the slaves stopped. But after Kasta¡¯s comrades emerged from the same carriage as Hilda¡¯s mother, they approached. All that his comrades told him was,


    ¡°We¡¯ll explain along the way.¡±


    Needless to say, Kasta and the group boarded the carriage and escaped through Sardon¡¯s west gate.


    <hr>


    Along the way, from the west of Sardon to the north, then finally to the east, Kasta¡¯s comrades explained the script that Alex and Alessia played. But before that, they informed Kasta that they surrendered the priest and the coachman to Maxwell¡¯s men.


    The troops from Sardon, consisting of thirty guards, twelve paladins, six clerics, and the five slaves marched towards the rocky hills. However, the number of guards that marched the streets exceed that number. It was purposely done to grab the attention of the citizens towards the east gate.


    Before they marched, Alex, side-by-side with Alessia, announced that they were retrieving the priest from the bandits. They publicly announced the situation so that they could grab the citizens'' beliefs.


    When the troops marched, they were supposed to search the rocky hills. The supposed result was to end up with nothing. After all, there were no bandits to catch. Now, since they failed to locate the priest, they needed to return to Sardon and arrange for a proper search party, but that¡¯s when Maxwell¡¯s men come into play.


    From the city south of Sardon, they bear the news that the bandits were apprehended. At the same time, the priest was retrieved. However, the condition of the priest¡¯s limbs was beyond complete recovery. Nonetheless, the priest was surrendered to Sardon.


    Now, since the priest was returned alive, despite the five slaves doing nothing, they were freed as per Alessia¡¯s condition. Needless to say, the slaves were brought into the care of Maxwell¡¯s men.


    The priest on the other hand must be replaced. He was already considered invalidated in his condition. And as planned, Alex and Alessia hoped to nominate a priest that they could control. But the results of the nomination for a parish priest would be announced after the church confirmed.


    Returning to the carriage, after a day of traveling passed, they reached a coast. At a distance from the coast was caravel with its masts folded, and at the banks were several boats. Around the boats were several men in simple cotton clothing, waiting for passengers before rowing the oars.


    Nearby, was a man with blonde hair and green irises gallantly standing on a patch of sand. It was Maxwell.


    After Kasta and the others alighted the carriage, they were led to the boats and headed to the caravel in batches.


    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while.¡± A victorious smile was plastered on Maxwell¡¯s face.


    Kasta bowed. ¡°I have heard of it. We are indebted to you, your Highness.¡±


    Maxwell laughed in response. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be too formal, Kasta. I¡¯ll feel bad if someone I used to train with would treat me like this.¡±


    ¡°Please excuse my manners.¡±


    For a while, Kasta and Maxwell proceeded with idle chatter, but since time was ticking, they had to end their conversation sooner.


    ¡°Kasta, please send my regards to Amelia.¡± Maxwell waved his hand as he turned around.


    ¡°Will do.¡± Then again, Kasta bowed as he gazed at Maxwell¡¯s receding back. ¡°I wonder how things will turn out for those two in the future.¡±


    Then they all boarded the caravel headed towards the port city of Piraeus.

 Holiday Special: Once Upon a Timeline

    ¡°Hmm...¡± With the tip of her tongue peeking from the corner of her lips, the silver-haired girl stared at the blank paper before her. In her fair-skinned hand was a quill. Beside it was a bottle of ink. ¡°How do I start?¡±


    She tilted her neck from side to side and blinked her large blue eyes a few times. Each time she swayed her head, her smooth hair would brush her small shoulders clothed in a dark-green dress with a white collar. Her roundish face was a child¡¯s. After all, she was a girl at the age of six.


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s it!¡± Then the girl began writing with gleaming eyes.


    ¡°Lara, your spelling is wrong.¡± Beside her, on a chair joined with Lara¡¯s, was a blonde-haired girl at the age of fifteen. ¡°This too.¡± Then she placed her finger on Lara¡¯s misspelled words.


    ¡°Ehhh. But Lily, I¡¯ll have to write it all over again.¡± Lara pouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± replied Lily with a smile. ¡°Just keep writing and I¡¯ll point out what to change later.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the saaaaame?¡± Then Lara leaned her chin on the wooden table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell her Majesty you¡¯re being lazy again.¡±


    Lara quickly snapped from her posture and turned to Lily. ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t tell Mama!¡± she said while shaking Lily¡¯s hand wrapped in Brent¡¯s official maid outfit colored in deep-blue and white. ¡°I can¡¯t play with Rudolf if you tell Mama!¡±


    Rudolf was Lara¡¯s pet dog.


    ¡°I get it, I get it.¡± Lily raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Just continue with what you¡¯re writing and revise it later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise!¡± Lara glared.


    ¡°Promise.¡± Lily smiled wryly.


    Sigh. How long would it take before Lara grows up? Did mother felt the same when she was taking care of her Majesty? Maybe I should get some advice¡­ Lily, Erina¡¯s daughter, thought while Lara was writing.


    The year 1523, 2<sup>nd</sup> day of the first month of Spring.


    Dear Mama,


    Happy 25<sup>th</sup> birthday! I asked Lily and the maids around the palace what to give as a present. Oh, Papa too! But Papa just smiled when I asked. Maybe he did not remember? Maybe he does not have a gift yet? Anyway, they said that it is better to give something that you don¡¯t have. Or just give anything that I liked. But I don¡¯t want to give my pet! And I like cakes! So, does Mama like cakes too?


    ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t remember huh?¡± Amelia said with a gentle yet eerie smile plastered on her face. She was seated on a couch, cradling a baby with golden strands of hair to sleep. It was her third child and second son, Milton Brent.


    Her body, for some unknown reason, remained somewhat slim even after her third time giving birth. But needless to say, she had grown in various parts of her body. And she was now a Queen that many envied.


    ¡°Say, Erina, have you heard of anything unusual around the palace recently?¡± She glanced at the woman opposite her.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Erina lightly shook her head. Compared to what she had looked like before, she was slightly plump. After all, she now had two children with Gust. ¡°Anyway, what would you do about Lara¡¯s gift?¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± She then carefully rose to her feet and approached a nearby crib. Afterward, she shifted Milton in her hand and kissed him on the forehead. Then like holding a candle on a windy day, she laid down Milton inside the crib. ¡°I¡¯ll make the cake with Lara.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Huwaaaaah!¡± Like a dog who missed its owner, Lara was excitedly running around her chamber when Amelia came to fetch her. ¡°Cake! Cake! Caaaaaake!¡±


    ¡°L-Lara! Don¡¯t run!¡± In a panicked state, Lily was preparing herself if in case Lara trips and falls down.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Lily, let her burn her excitement for a bit.¡± Then Amelia turned to her side and said, ¡°Go on, Randell, you can play with elder sister Lara.¡±


    Gently, Amelia urged the silver-haired Randell from behind. ¡°Cake too?¡± he asked with his green irises reminiscent of Maxwell.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Amelia smiled.


    ¡°C-cake!¡± Then Randell, a four-year-old boy, ran to Lara¡¯s side with a wide smile.


    ¡°B-but your Majesty...¡± Lily glanced back and forth between Lara, Randell, and Amelia.


    ¡°Randell! We¡¯re making a cake!¡± Then Lara ran to Randell and joined their hands.


    ¡°Yeah! Cake!¡±


    After a few more minutes, rather than Lara or Randell, Lily was exhausted.


    <hr>


    Later on, Amelia, Lara, Randell, Lily, Erina, and some other cooks and maids were inside the palace¡¯s kitchen.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± called one of the cooks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we can handle ourselves. You can continue with preparations for this evening.¡±


    After Amelia sorted out the issue with cooks and maids wanting to make the cake for her instead, she made them prepare the ingredients.


    ¡°Lily, can you help Randell sift the flour? Then Lara, grease the pans for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    They promptly split the task.


    Amelia was mixing butter and sugar in a bowl. On the other hand, Erina was cracking eggs and separating the whites from the yolks. As they did their task skillfully, they watched over the three.


    ¡°Oooooh!¡± Randell was amazed. He was tapping the sides of the sieve that Lily held.


    ¡°Go on, Randell. You can do it.¡± Lily couldn¡¯t help but smile. Little by little, the built-up flour on the sieve lessened.


    ¡°Done!¡± Lara raised her hand with the brush. On her face was an unfaltering smile. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fast. Come here then, let¡¯s make the icing.¡± Amelia then gave the mixed sugar and butter to Erina. To which Erina accepted and mixed with vanilla extract and the egg yolks.


    It was but a simple time of bonding.


    Amelia made the icing with Lara. Lara enthusiastically beat the mixture with the wooden spoon. It did not take long until, ¡°Waaah! Making cake is hard!¡±


    And so she surrendered the task to Amelia. Then while Amelia was on it, she showed how to properly beat the icing. She stirred it with enough force. All the while, Lara was fixedly staring at the icing that gradually took form.


    On the other hand, Erina poured the flour into her bowl. She then passed the bowl to Lily and Randell. And of course, Randell, envious of how Lara was enthusiastically mixing her bowl, did the same. Partway, he gave up and dipped his hand into the batter.


    ¡°Randell, no!¡± Lily hurriedly grabbed Randell''s hand, but it was too late. Randell was already licking his hand covered in batter.


    While Lily was cleaning Randell¡¯s hand, Erina grabbed the bowl with a wry smile. She then proceeded to mix the batter properly.


    Later on,


    ¡°Is it done yet?¡± Lara asked as she peered into the stone oven. This time, Amelia was holding her shoulders from behind.


    ¡°Lara.¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡±


    Meanwhile, ¡°Randell¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be eating the icing alone...¡±


    Time passed and they began to cover the cake with icing. During the process, both Lara and Randell scooped a part of the icing and ate it. At that point, they were reprimanded by Amelia.


    ¡°¡°We¡¯re sorry...¡±¡±


    But their spirits immediately lit up. It was because the cake was sliced into parts.


    ¡°M-mama.¡± With a plate in hand and a slice of cake on it, Lara approached Amelia. ¡°I realized you made the cake I was giving to you¡­ But here, you can take my slice.¡±


    In response, Amelia turned to the side with her hand over her lips. Her shoulders trembled shortly. She was trying to repress her laughter. Lara was offering her plate while holding her tears. Snot was also peeking from her nose.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s fine Lara. You can take it.¡±


    ¡°B-but, but. Your present.¡±


    ¡°Then.¡± Unable to take it, Amelia began laughing softly. She reached for a nearby fork and took a part of Lara¡¯s cake. ¡°Ah, now I¡¯m full. Lara, can you eat it for me?¡±


    Then like a light that broke through countless clouds, Lara¡¯s smile curved into a smile. ¡°Thank you, Mama!¡± She then placed the plate aside and hugged Amelia. A few seconds after, she broke free, grabbed the plate, and began eating.


    ¡°Ah! Mama¡¯s cake is the best!¡±


    ¡°Best!¡± Randell added, his mouth smeared with icing.


    <hr>


    Later that night, after the small feast was held, Amelia returned to Milton¡¯s room. There, she cradled Milton and fed him through her breast. At the same time, she leaned her body on the man beside her.


    ¡°Milton inherited his hair from you, didn¡¯t he?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°And his eyes from you,¡± Maxwell replied, his arms wrapped around Amelia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s the complete opposite of Randell.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°So was the cake good?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Quietly, Amelia turned her sight to Maxwell. She stared at him with an unfaltering smile while pinching his side.


    ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯m not saying it won¡¯t be good since you made it,¡± Maxwell hurriedly remarked. ¡°It¡¯s the complete opposite, trust me.¡±


    ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t prepared anything today aside from the feast.¡± Abruptly, Amelia changed the topic.


    ¡°Ah, well...¡±


    Amelia heaved a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s enough for me that you¡¯re here rather than the front-lines.¡±


    ¡°Ah, no. I did prepare something, but...¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Amelia tilted her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s just.¡± Maxwell grabbed a small box from his waist. ¡°It¡¯s just that I needed your concern for it to happen.¡± Then he lifted the box¡¯s lid. ¡°Amelia, will you marry me a second time?¡±


    Amelia closed her eyes for a few seconds. When she lifted her eyelids, she said with a smile, ¡°So you want a fourth?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha.¡± Maxwell laughed dryly. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    Again, Amelia sighed. ¡°Fine. I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Then she leaned her head on Maxwell¡¯s shoulder.


    Maxwell lifted his hand reached for Amelia¡¯s chin. Gently, he lifted it and closed his lips.


    However, ¡°What are you doing?¡± instead of caressing Amelia¡¯s, it caressed her palm. ¡°The kiss can wait for the wedding, you know? Don¡¯t be in a hurry.¡± On her face was a mischievous smile.

 Poll

    Okay, so the year is about to end in a few days and it has been 5 months since I started writing Silver Amelia. Although I have said this numerous times, my style of writing is a bit jumbled at the start. Or maybe it is really that much of a mess.


    In any case, thank you for putting up with it. I really appreciate you taking your time to read what I wrote despite it being a work of a complete newbie.


    Thank you for the ratings you gave the story. High or low, as long as it came from your judgment and standards, I really appreciate it. It is practically my way of knowing that someone else loves the story so far. Or at least Amelia.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Well, appreciation aside. I made a quick poll. Though I''ve been taking a few days of rest (well, not really since algorithm calibration and stuff) I will start writing again tomorrow. So maybe after a day or two, I can start posting again.


    Anyway, despite the lack of spotlight, which characters from the list is the by far the most interesting aside from Amelia?


    I''m limiting the number of votes to three, but I''m not sure if it appears correctly. (And I guess the number of answers per user feature is bugged.)

 Chapter 53: Troubled Times 4

    ¡°Head Maid!¡± From behind Erina, before she exited to the hallway, a maidservant called. In response, Erina turned and met the servant¡¯s call. ¡°Was it true that her Highness had been too busy lately? She had yet to share a meal with us in a proper dining area for quite some time now. I¡¯m worried¡ªno, everyone is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, but there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Erina flashed a gentle smile. ¡°Her Highness has been well. However, there¡¯s quite a number of task that needed her immediate attention and thus unable to leave her chamber for a meal. But rest assured, she¡¯ll be free from her task sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Head Maid.¡± The maidservant bowed.


    ¡°Please spread this among the other servants as well. Her Highness wouldn¡¯t want your performance to dwindle out of your concern for her.¡±


    The maidservant nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± Erina then proceeded to the hallway. Each step she took resounded a sharp clack against the stone floor. She was headed towards Amelia¡¯s chamber in manor owned by the Lord of Piraeus.


    Recently, she had just finished giving instructions to the servants. It mainly revolved around the preparation for Amelia¡¯s announcement of her verdict on the imprisoned family of the Lord. However, it also included the transfer of the non-humans that Kasta had arrived with. Lastly, messages to be sent to the merchants for the liquefying of the assets seized from the Lord.


    While walking down the hallway, a thought struck Erina. Have I been pushing her too hard?


    Behind Amelia, was Erina. She acted as someone who would urge Amelia to continue each time she failed for the last five years. After all, Amelia was never perfect. But to Erina, Amelia¡¯s figure who kept trying despite her being treated as a child was something that Erina could never miss. She witnessed everything, from the small successes and failures to the large ones.


    Despite that, Erina could not stop thinking that Amelia was nothing but a fragile girl. A girl who saved her life twice. Even up until this day, Erina had never questioned how Amelia had fought alongside Gust and saved her. It was all due to Celes¡¯s favor to Erina. It was something that Amelia was not informed by Celes. Neither did Erina spoke about it since Amelia knew it was a sensitive topic.


    At that time, while Erina held Amelia¡¯s hand while lying in a pool of her own blood, Celes arrived and had carried the dying Amelia.


    ¡°This may sound ridiculous, but this is what Amelia had become. At least with you urging her along the way.¡±


    Erina was still conscious despite her bleeding from her stomach. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter for now. We don¡¯t have much time, neither does Amelia.¡±


    Celes glanced towards the hallway where Amelia came from. There, the voice of the nine-year-old Amelia came, ¡°E-erina! Erina! Where are you?!¡±


    ¡°Is she¡­ okay?¡± Erina muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everything is over. However, the life of your child is lost. Not even I can return it.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°You promised her you¡¯ll become her second mother. Abide by it. See through it all. Guide her until the day she becomes the girl who risked her life to save you and herself.¡± Then Celes¡¯s figure carrying Amelia started to vanish. ¡°Trust your judgment. Be the light in her life of scourge.¡±


    When their figure completely vanished, Erina began to feel the rush of vitality. Her body emitted a calming light that cleansed her body of blood as it healed her body. At the same time, the unborn child, Lily, turned to ash and was stored inside a box that came from nowhere.


    As she reminisced those moments, she soon reached a double door. Beside it was two Guards.


    Erina came closer to the door and knocked twice. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s me, Erina.¡± Just as she expected, silence came.


    She then reached for the knob, but partway, she stopped. She closed her eyes and sighed before grasping the knob. As she pushed the door, she hoped that when she opened her eyes a different scene would welcome her. However, as she took a step forward and lifted her eyelids,


    Nothing changed.


    Nothing was out of the ordinary. Amelia was inside the room wearing a white blouse. She sat down on a chair while facing a wooden table. In her right hand was a small stack of papers clipped onto a flat board. Her left was pointing towards a page in a book. Lastly, she was uttering words that were not of the human language.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Erina called after locking the door. But no reply came. Erina then approached and said, ¡°Amelia, are you listening?¡±


    Still, there was no reply. Amelia was too engrossed in what she was doing.


    Erina confirmed the situation and heaved a sigh. [Maize, please tighten the security for a while.]


    [¡­ Understood.]


    Erina held partial authority over the servants as Amelia¡¯s Personal Maidservant and Head Maid. Included within those are Amelia¡¯s Guards in a few cases. This time, Maize guessed that it was one of those events where it was almost impossible to get through Amelia.


    Erina wasn¡¯t a stranger to the situation herself. She knew it was futile to communicate with Amelia. Not unless she physically disturbs her rhythm. However, it was not something she desired, neither would have Amelia.


    ¡°Might as well finish it now.¡± Erina began taking a separate chair, papers, a quill, and a bottle of ink. She then began dipping the quill¡¯s tip into the ink and began writing. As letters, then words, formed at each stroke, the contents of the letter became apparent.


    She was writing a letter to Tercel, the palace in Aves. The contents of the letter concerned Amelia¡¯s previous encounter with the imprisoned family of Piraeus¡¯s Lord with the help of a temporary Lord sent by Diane. While she wrote the contents, she began to recall the specifics of the encounter.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± A man in his late thirties clutched the slightly rusted steel railings of a cell. The man¡¯s cheeks were sunken and bags hung underneath his delirious eyes. ¡°Please forgive my family. They had nothing with it. Please.¡±


    In contrast to his appearance, his voice remained composed, but the low tone hinted in his voice was evident. It was because he knew the punishment for the treason he committed. His crime was equivalent to an execution of two generations of the perpetrator¡¯s family. In this case, it was his brother and sisters along with his wife, then his sons and daughters.


    Although the punishment was indeed harsh, it has remained in the law of Laurel. Diane believed that it was a law made to give an example to those who were given the power to rule. And also, to tame a noble¡¯s desire in sparking a civil war or similar cases.


    ¡°Please, your Highness.¡± The man kneeled on the dusty stone floor.


    ¡°Lord Tineva,¡± Amelia said coldly. She stood imposingly on the other side of the railings. Not a spark of innocence or lack of composure could be seen.


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    ¡°Yes...¡± Tineva sunk his head closer to the floor.


    ¡°You thought of your family dearly. But did you know that the victims of your crime have their families as well?¡±


    Tineva groaned.


    ¡°Have you thought about it? They too had a family, Lord Tineva, just like yours. A happy and satisfied family. And as a result of you and the other Noble¡¯s actions, they lost it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to receive any punishment your Highness, please spare my family.¡±


    Amelia squinted her eyes and looked down at Tineva. ¡°I¡¯m asking you. Did it ever cross your mind as you aided Libet?¡±


    In response, Tineva hunched his back and pressed his forehead to the floor. ¡°No. I did not.¡±


    Amelia closed her eyes briefly. ¡°¡­ Lord Tineva, your actions are inexcusable.¡±


    ¡°Please take my head, your Highness. I¡¯ll bear any shame, but please spare them.¡±


    ¡°You knew it could¡¯ve led to this Tineva. But despite that, you still aided Libet. What was the reason? Was it power? Money? Fame? Tell me.¡±


    Tineva remained silent. The silence ensued for a few minutes.


    A sigh left Amelia¡¯s lips. ¡°Your willing to accept any punishment, but you¡¯re not willing to admit the cause of your fall?¡± She raised her hand and placed it on her forehead. ¡°My question is simple. What did Libet offer you? What led to you aiding their cause? Tell me and I¡¯ll consider sparing your family. But of course, your life can no longer be saved. There¡¯s no return for you.¡±


    ¡°I-it was...¡±


    Amelia calmly listened.


    It all began three years ago.


    Piraeus is widely known as a port city and known to play an active role in serving as a relay station for ships. It also served as the first city in Laurel to receive incoming guests and tourists that hoped to travel towards Tervin¡¯s Dukedom.


    However, like all port cities that lined the coasts of Laurel, there was never a ban or limitation to impede people coming from Brent or Libet. The closest thing that limited a foreigner¡¯s arrival is the border crossing fees and ship fees. This, in turn, allowed people coming from Brent and Libet to come and go as they please as long as they have the money to pay for it. In return, it boosted the number of tourists.


    In any case, there was no indicator to assess the position of a person alighting a ship. This allowed clerics, priests, and priestesses to disguise themselves as ordinary people. As a remedy to this problem, the King from two generations prior to now had made a system. This system keeps a record of each person alighting a ship for the first time. It stores the person¡¯s illustration done by a certified artist and details written in a proof of citizenship. Every three months, these records are copied, sorted, and stored within Tercel¡¯s archives.


    Unfortunately, there was a seam in the system. The records only referenced those recorded in Laurel. A joint reference with Brent hasn¡¯t been fully established yet, but it was currently in process. Needless to say, it does not have a link with Libet¡¯s roster of citizens. This made forged papers to pass through in the first few investigations. And sadly, before the investigation finished, those suspected people had usually returned to their homeland and had made the results a waste of time.


    The same method was used by those people coming from Libet. They made use of that seam to establish a contact with Tineva. And that contact person changes every few months, but a single phrase known only to Tineva has been used as a proof.


    Through those years, the people that came from Libet had slowly poisoned Tineva¡¯s mind. They ingrained doubt sourcing from the false accusation of tyranny on the royals of Laurel. A single family that ruled the kingdom since its establishment.


    Originally, Tineva didn¡¯t care, but the longer he accepted meeting with those people, the seed of doubt started to grow in his mind. He came to think that it was possible that the Royals were tyrants for keeping an absolute monarchy rather than constitutional. The thought of toppling them had also slipped into his mind accompanied by the establishment of a monarchy that relied on a limited selection of Noble houses.


    That aside, the reason that Tineva kept on agreeing to meet with the people from Libet was his second son. His son, since birth, had suffered from continuous pain from broken bones. It was a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a genetic disorder that weakened a person¡¯s bone and made it break with little to no effort.


    Unfortunately, the people didn¡¯t know that it was a genetic disorder. Their understanding of various diseases was cut short. And the reason was magic.


    People relied on magic too much to the point that any form of ailment was solved healing. However, in truth, healing magic only returns a wound or condition to its previous and functional state. In the case of viruses, it was possible to lessen them and eventually eliminate them through continuous use of Detoxify. But in the case of genetic disorder, there was no cure in sight.


    This lack of knowledge had made Tineva clung to the potions that the people from Libet arrived with. They claimed it as an inferior form of Elixir from legends, Elixir Tincture it was named. This tincture relieved his son¡¯s disorder for a day or two at the start. It then grew between two to four days when a better quality of the tincture was used. The last straw was when he was offered a real form of the Elixir when he cooperates with Libet¡¯s plan. Then Tineva, wanting to cure his son so dearly, accepted.


    ¡°That is all, your Highness.¡± Tineva remained hunched on the floor. A tiny puddle of tears formed underneath his face.


    ¡°...¡± Silently, Amelia fixed her gaze on Tineva.


    ¡°I beg you. Please.¡±


    ¡°Lord Tineva.¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡±


    ¡°You are to face the people, both yours and the people whom you¡¯ve sinned against. You will face them in Piraeus¡¯s plaza. There you would be subject to shame for a day. The day afterward, your neck will serve the guillotine¡¯s blade.¡±


    ¡°I accept.¡± Tineva sniffed.


    ¡°Regarding your family,¡± Amelia paused.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°They will be spared.¡±


    Tineva¡¯s voice became hoarse. ¡°Thank you...¡±


    ¡°However, they will be banished from Piraeus permanently. The status of your house shall also be removed. From here on, your family would live as ordinary citizens with no hope of reclaiming your status.¡±


    ¡°That... is fine.¡±


    ¡°In light of your achievements in Piraeus, a third of your possessions will be given to your family to start their life anew. They will be placed in a newly established town in the east. There, they will serve as a support and a guide to the new Noble who owned the fief. Lastly, your son.¡±


    Tineva raised his head and stared in Amelia¡¯s sharp gaze.


    ¡°I loathe you Tineva.¡±


    ¡°Wha...¡±


    ¡°To subject your own son with an unknown drug. you¡¯re disgusting. You made him serve as a test subject. A live experimental subject of a drug you believed to be a cure.¡±


    Tineva¡¯s mouth gaped and closed repeatedly. ¡°B-but...¡±


    ¡°I will take your son to the Duchy. I will have my people check his condition. If in case you had made his condition far worse than it was, you may rest in regret.¡±


    At that point, Amelia turned to her heel and walked towards the exit. Behind her, Maize and Erina followed. They listened silently the entire time.


    ¡°W-wait! Your Highness!¡±


    Tineva slipped his arm through the railings. But Amelia did not give much as a glance. She then left the dungeon, mindless of Tineva¡¯s cries.


    Erina sighed as she finished the letter. She then began to fold it and sealed it with a blue wax. Afterward, she stood from her chair and turned her sight to Amelia.


    Still the same¡­ Then she shifted her sight towards the clock. It¡¯s time for her bath.


    Later, Erina returned with a warm pail of water, a few cloths, and a towel. This time, rather than calling to Amelia, she tapped on her shoulder. In response, Amelia halted after a few seconds. She turned to Erina and immediately realized what she intended. Promptly, she walked towards a stool and began undressing.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tire yourself,¡± Erina said. She began cleaning Amelia¡¯s body with the cloth dipped in water. ¡°The servants had begun to worry. So be mindful of your health.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Regardless, Amelia was silent. She kept her eyelids closed.


    The silence ensued while Erina moved from Amelia¡¯s arms to her body. During that moment, her figure vanished. Erina was surprised for a moment, but the feel against the cloth remained.


    ¡°Amelia, it would be hard for me if you kept practicing that.¡± Then her figure returned.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she muttered. In return, a ball of light manifested.


    Erina continued with dancing light balls around her and Amelia.


    Later that night, Amelia was bathing in the moonlight that came through the glass window. She sat on a stool with her horn manifested while the blue curtains swayed in the breeze.


    On the other hand, Erina remained a distance behind her. She fixed her gaze on the solemn scene. Shortly, Amelia began reaching for her necklace and had vanished like light absorbed by the necklace. For the nth time of the day, Erina saw Amelia vanish. And each time, she felt unease.


    Unable to do anything aside from waiting, Erina took a chair and stared at the stool where Amelia previously sat. A few hours ticked and she kept on waiting, but soon, sleep had visited her. And so Erina fell asleep while seated.


    When morning came, Erina felt heavy. She felt a weight burdening her body. However, when she opened her eyes, she realized something was amiss. She thought that she¡¯d be either seeing the floor or the room¡¯s wall, rather, the ceiling welcomed her.


    Soon, a warm and gentle breathing entered her ears. She shifted her sight towards her body and found a familiar figure.


    To think that she could carry me all this way¡­ Nevertheless, she smiled. She lifted her hand and caressed Amelia. I guess it¡¯s fine to rest for a while longer.

 Chapter 54: A Heros Answer 1

    ¡°What do you think of Heroes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me that after showing me this?¡± I said as I leaned my back on the twisted-tree-bench. ¡°Please give me time to re-evaluate them. The fact that you asked while I gaze at these countless tombs is¡­ unnatural? Or at least I think.¡±


    Beside me was Celes. We were sitting on a tree twisted and formed into a suitable bench for two. Regarding how it happened, or how it was done, I had no idea. In any case, it was useless for me to mind such mind-boggling event. After all, it was made by none other than a being that far surpassed my logic¡ªno, a being that far surpassed the logic of this world.


    Before us were countless grave markers, or tombs. What lied beneath were the bodies of dead Heroes and their companions. And the reason why I was gazing upon this unnatural sight was caused by¡ªobviously¡ªCeles.


    I intended to hide in that room in order to give my horn some time to grow, but when I clutched the necklace, this is where I ended up. In front of these graves, and in front of the massive tree that pierced through the sky in the distance. Its gigantic roots slithered across my field of vision, leaving small patches a land for the graves. It was a sight to behold.


    At first, Celes asked me what I thought about the tree. I answered with: Tree of Life, Yggdrasil, and World Tree. However, just as I suspected, I was wrong. Although I based my answer on the books I have read thus far, there was never any evidence or claim what the tree was. It remained as an unknown tree throughout history. A tree accessible only once in every five years. A time when portals around the continent manifest to invite beings to unravel its mystery.


    However, perhaps, I was the first partially ordinary being to know its true name. It was called Tree of Origin. But its mystery stayed the same, how it worked and what it was for was unknown. I tried asking Celes, but she refused to give me an answer other than, ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern you right now.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± again, she said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a sight to marvel at?¡±


    ¡°If I were to consider these countless weapon-turned-markers, which each had their own uniqueness, then I guess it is a sight to marvel.¡±


    The countless weapons were different from each other. Some had veins pulsing on its blade, block-like and root-like. The types also varied. Knuckles and claws, spears and halberds, great swords and long swords, bows and crossbows, staves and rods, all the types of weapons I could think of. Lastly, some weapons emitted a glow while some were somewhat translucent. The only similarity they shared was the vines that entangled itself on the weapons as it reached out to the black marbles resting on top.


    After a few moments of trying to appreciate the sight before me, I answered, ¡°A civilian? A civilian or a stranger dragged into a world waiting to become a place for their graves.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± She smiled. A breeze passed by and rustled her silver hair, carrying away the pink petals that fell off of her horn. It was another sight to behold.


    ¡°Why ask?¡± I shifted my sight to the group of gryphons soaring the sky. It was the complete opposite of the night sky where I had previously been.


    ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to know.¡±


    ¡°...¡± In my silence, I thought, Is she trying to check whether I will change my mind on how I would treat Hero Meiko?


    ¡°Maybe? Maybe not?¡± She answered. She then stood and walked a few steps forward.


    ¡°I forgot you could read my thoughts...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to sulk.¡± She giggled. ¡°And to answer your question on why I brought you here, come, I¡¯ll let you meet someone.¡± She turned around and offered her hand.


    Needless to say, I grasped it. By the next moment¡ªas opposed to my expectation of being transferred to a different location¡ªmy perspective changed.


    ¡°Wha?!¡± I yelped. I blinked my eyes a few times, no, it wasn¡¯t the eyes I owned. It was different. The view was different. The range of colors that I could see and detect was entirely different. There were also a few lights of different colors swirling from one place to another.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± Despite my view changing to that of an unknown creature, Celes¡¯s voice was clear as day.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m letting your consciousness borrow one of my puppet¡¯s body.¡±


    I tried moving around, and she was right. The body moved just like I willed.


    ¡°Amazing...¡± I muttered. A warm sensation was circulating throughout my real body. It felt unreal, illogical, but excitement welled inside me. It was similar to the time I figured out how magic tools worked.


    A thought then quickly struck me. ¡°Celes, is it possible to transfer your consciousness to a golem?¡± I asked like a child with gleaming eyes. The thoughts of how I could use a golem that had my consciousness was endless. Just the thought of a golem working without care for stamina was exciting.


    ¡°Yes, it is. But it¡¯s preferable if the golem had a mana source of its own.¡±


    Dasbalite and a Crystal Thread. If Mola and Glasses manage to work with the Dasbalite and the Crystal Threads I brought back, then it¡¯s possible. Yes. It¡¯s possible. The only problem now is how to get raw mana from those Dasbalites instead of energy.


    This time, Celes remained silent as I go over the ideas that came to mind. But after a few moments, ¡°Come now, Amelia. You can rummage through those ideas later.¡±


    I snapped from my delusions and said, ¡°Ah, right.¡±


    Afterward, I followed after Celes¡ªor at least an illusion of her. The place was the same, but we were on the opposite side of Tree of Origin. It was a wonder as to why Celes made me have my consciousness transferred into a puppet if she could have just transferred me completely.


    Nevertheless, we walked through an aisle in-between the graves similar to the opposite side. Shortly after, a silhouette of a large white wolf entered my vision. It was waiting at the end of the aisle, sitting up as tall as a two-story building.


    The moment we arrived before the wolf, it spoke.


    [So this is Amelia.] Its jaws didn¡¯t move even in the slightest.


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    ¡°She¡¯s a bit similar to Elena, isn¡¯t she?¡± Celes smiled, unbothered by the size difference before her and the wolf.


    [True.] The wolf turned its golden pupils towards me. [But it¡¯s a wonder why you had brought her just now.]


    ¡°The circumstances right now are different.¡±


    [Nevertheless, you boasted Elena in front of me and the True Divines as if nothing concerns you. That in its own sense is ridiculous.]


    Celes tilted her head with a finger pressed on her cheek. ¡°Well, Elena back then had no ties to any race so it was fine. However, this time, Amelia is tied to humans.¡± Then she turned around and met my eyes. ¡°At the least, you¡¯d save your kingdom when faced with a disaster, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s obvious,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m a Royal. It is my duty.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Celes turned her eyes to the wolf. ¡°Unless she cut off any ties she had with any race, I can¡¯t help her. And right now, her circumstances are completely unrelated to the rule I¡¯ve set. In case I help her despite everything,¡±


    [You¡¯d go against the rules set by the pact formed in the Divine Assembly.]


    ¡°Right. And it won¡¯t be fun seeing the kingdom Elena worked hard to build destroyed in mere seconds.¡±


    ¡°¡­ But didn¡¯t you help Elena in any case?¡± I asked puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, I did, but that¡¯s as my daughter. The day I¡¯ve set her free, and to love like all the other humans desired, I stopped meeting her.¡± A reminiscent smile floated on Celes¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, I could still remember Elena getting curious about a man adventuring in the mountains. I shouldn¡¯t have let her meet him.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ why didn¡¯t you made her attain the same state as me?¡±


    [Impossible,] the wolf unexpectedly answered. [Celestia had never let a single scratch reach Elena. That¡¯s how protective she was. Not even death dared approach someone under Celestia¡¯s careful watch.]


    Celes laughed. ¡°You put it like I was a doting parent.¡±


    [Weren¡¯t you?]


    Perhaps, maybe, the history of our family having numerous doting parents sourced from Celes herself?


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re blaming me now for your overprotective father?¡±


    I shuddered the moment Celes turned to me. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought. Haha¡­ Anyway, why am I here for?¡±


    ¡°Right, then, Fenrir, I¡¯ll leave things to you.¡±


    ¡°Eh? you¡¯re leaving already?¡± I asked Celes.


    ¡°There are things I need to quell for that three months I gave you. I¡¯d be busy for a while so Fenrir here will play with you for some time.¡± She then waved her hand and vanished like smoke.


    Then her voice resounded through my mind.


    Oh, another thing. The next time you come here, it¡¯ll be through this puppet, but I won¡¯t assist your movements the next time. That aside, your body would still be transferred to the same room you always end up with the necklace.


    [Now then, where should I start.]


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if you taught me? Doesn¡¯t that amount to Celes indirectly helping me through you?¡±


    [No, it doesn¡¯t. Although I¡¯m originally a divine made to protect the elves, I¡¯m not part of the pact. Besides, the other divines don¡¯t know I¡¯m still alive aside from Celestia and the True Divines.]


    Humans had the Angels and Elves had these White Wolves?


    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine if you teach me directly instead of giving hints like Celes did?¡±


    [Indeed. Celes is part of the assembly, and thus have limited capabilities to teach you. Another reason is if the other divines considering you as Celestia¡¯s direct kin.]


    ¡°Why?¡± I tilted my head, or in this case, the puppet¡¯s head.


    [Celestia have numerous enemies outside of the group of the True Divines. If they knew you were her kin, an infant Divine at that, you might become the target of their hatred.]


    I heaved a sigh. ¡°¡­ How many times does my life have to be in danger.¡±


    [You shouldn¡¯t mind the problem with the Divines for now. You¡¯d only be peeking your head in unnecessary danger.]


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I already have.¡±


    [Partly. Be thankful you have guardian willing to break a few rules for you.]


    ¡°Yeah, I really am.¡± I laughed dryly. ¡°But at the same time, it makes me feel powerless...¡±


    I can¡¯t live my life with Celes lending a hand every time it gets far worse.


    [Anyone is like a powerless child to Celestia. You shouldn¡¯t mind it.]


    ¡°Somehow, that makes me feel a bit lighter.¡± Then after a deep breath, ¡°I have a lot of questions on how you ended up here and vanishing in the face of the elves, but I¡¯ll put it aside for now,¡± I said.


    [Maybe after you grew up to face an Angel barehanded, then I¡¯ll tell you.]


    ¡°That¡¯s too much to ask. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that good enough to face Divines like the Angels. The last time was lucky. And right now, there¡¯s no trick up my sleeve to deal with them¡ªand so I have to get stronger, better, faster.¡± I gazed at Fenrir with burning ambition.


    Things have been heading south for me. But that doesn¡¯t matter. I shouldn¡¯t just stand and let the waves push me to whenever it wanted. I shouldn¡¯t let the wind dictate where I should be heading. For the people I care for and for me, I should keep moving forward.


    [Then let me tell you, though Angels are Divines, they aren¡¯t as strong as you think individually. Angels work with numbers, but the thousands they used to be are now in the hundreds. But numbers itself have an advantage, but at the same time, a disadvantage. Pick them off one by one, and they¡¯re a goner. And the fact that they signed the pact is a sign they¡¯re conscious of their number. It is an act of shielding themselves from needlessly depleting themselves to extinction.]


    ¡°Are you saying a Divine¡¯s abilities is inversely proportional to their number?¡±


    [Yes. The more they are in number, the less powerful they are. But be careful, though Angels are weak individually, the higher stratum is in their choir, the more powerful they are. The highest is Hayots followed by Ophanims and Erelims.]


    Fenrir continued to explain the ten stratas of the Angel choirs. And so far, it seemed the Angel I defeated last time was ranked sixth, a Malakim. Nevertheless, me having to trade off the rapier wasn¡¯t pleasing.


    Our conversation went on as Fenrir explained things to me one by one. Calmly, I listened and noted what I heard. It didn¡¯t take long before time drifted and had made me remember Erina still waiting in my room. At that point, I cut-off my studies with Fenrir and went back to my room.


    When I arrived, at around three in the morning, I saw Erina asleep on a chair.


    I went overboard¡­


    <hr>


    A messy and curly brown hair dangled at a girl¡¯s back laden with a white coat. She wasn¡¯t tall, but she wasn¡¯t too short either. However, her slightly roundish face bore a charming smile. It was Mola, and she looked several years younger than her actual age of twenty-one.


    ¡°Where are you going, Mola?¡± Kanna asked. Her feet were playfully kicking underneath a chair like usual.


    ¡°Academia,¡± she answered. She grabbed another one of her writing implements and placed it inside a leather bag. ¡°Orders from above.¡±


    Kanna suddenly stood from her seat. ¡°Oh! Then did Lia say anything for me? When would she arrive?¡± She barraged Mola with one question after another. Her questions revolved around Amelia¡¯s late arrival.


    ¡°Nothing in particular, but she said you and Meiko can come with me to Academia. The papers for your entry had also been prepared so things would go smoothly in our transfer.¡±


    Kanna pouted. ¡°So Lia won¡¯t be back soon huh.¡±


    Meiko, on the other hand, raised a question. ¡°I thought I should wait for her to hear my answer?¡± She wore a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Well, right now, Her Highness Elaine is within the Duchy. Soon, His Majesty and his Royal Mistress will arrive. So if you want to keep on concealing your identity, it¡¯d be best to leave now. In any case, if you stay behind, you have to keep your creed of shutting yourself in this room firm. The moment you leave this room, the risk of¡ª¡±


    Knock! Knock!


    ¡°Coming!¡± Kanna walked to the door and opened it. The figure that appeared behind the door was the least that Mola expected.


    ¡°Y-your Highness.¡± Mola bowed. Sweat immediately formed on her body. ¡°What brings you here?¡± she said with a strained smile.


    It was none other than Elaine, a girl wearing a frilly blue dress laced with white. Her short brown hair was neatly tied to the side of her head with a black scrunchy.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you, Hero Meiko.¡± She curtsied, wearing an innocent smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I had Elder Sister¡¯s permission to come here. Though I may not be as worthy as Sister, I¡¯ll hear your answer in her stead. But please rest assured, I didn¡¯t come here to spark any needless battles.¡±


    Elaine¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement. The great stories regarding Heroes that Amelia used to tell her flashed inside her mind. And right now, she was facing a real one.

 Chapter 55: A Heros Answer 2

    The scent of chalk lingered around the silent room. Pastel colors of white, blue, and pink were smeared across the dark-green blackboard. On the board was an illustration of a party popper with the words of ¡®Farewell Party¡¯ written in a bold and striking lettering.


    On the ceiling, fluorescent tubes remained lighted. It shone over the neatly arranged pairs of wooden desks and chairs. Underneath the desks was a waxed cement floor streaked with a few black marks.


    There was nothing out of the ordinary, but all the chairs were unoccupied.


    Save for one.


    Save for the chair I sat on.


    It was the chair I used to immediately head to every time I arrived in the morning. The chair which I used to carry along with the desk, lining it beside my classmate¡¯s desk during lunch. The desk which I used as a chair to chat with my friends.


    But now,


    It would belong to someone else. It would become another person¡¯s home or base. It would be someone¡¯s memory.


    ¡°Haah...¡±


    I placed my hands on the desk¡ªthe desk which I thought that was nothing but ordinary¡ªand propped myself up. My chair rattled in response. It felt like the numerous rattle of chairs each time the bell rang in the afternoon.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to go.¡±


    My lips curved into a nostalgic smile as I peered through the window, viewing a small oval. Along the pathway drawn in white, the school athletes ran while being timed by a coach.


    A step.


    My fingers brushed the side of my desk until it reached the edge. My hand then fell beside my hips covered in a long dark-blue skirt.


    A step then another. I chuckled.


    Images of me climbing up and down the wooden platform flashed. I also remembered the time when my classmates were forced to answer a question on the board due to them being caught asleep. But I recalled I was one of them. What a sad fate. It was the same for those who were in cleaning duty.


    My leather shoe clattered a sound of steps. I then reached for the edge of the sliding door.


    It felt foreign that I reached that place without a bag slung or hung on my back. I missed the weight of the strap that clamped on my white uniform. It reminded me of the books and notes stored in my bag.


    My feet took me to the corridor. The setting sun¡¯s light streaked through the windows on my right.


    Not long before I started descending a flight of stairs after passing through the corridor, leading me to one of the building¡¯s exit. Beyond the exit was the school gate. And in front of the school gates were a few familiar figures. They were my friends.


    ¡°Meiiiikooooo! Don¡¯t forget to mail us! Let¡¯s keep in touch!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s set-up a reunion too.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we visit Meiko during summer break?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯d be fun.¡±


    Each of my friends shared their opinion. They encouraged me that everything would be fine. That everything, our friendship, would stay the same¡ªunbreakable, fun, and simple. Though our circle was small, it never felt lacking. More than anything, it felt almost everything to me. It felt more of my home rather than my real home.


    At that time, phones were starting to boom in existence. In that regard, we, neither rich nor poor, had our own. We exchanged e-mails and promised to contact each other at least once a week. Though we haven¡¯t gone our separate ways, we already started planning for a get-together.


    In the end, ¡°I will miss you guys,¡± I said, shedding a tear. Each of us hugged one another with a tight squeeze.


    ¡°Meiikooo! Don¡¯t!¡± My friend tried to struggle, but it was futile. She could no longer escape from my grasp. ¡°It will get squished! Don¡¯t stunt its growth!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to squish,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Take that back! And look who¡¯s talking! Yours aren¡¯t even that big!¡±


    ¡°At least I have them.¡±


    We shared a laugh. We shared a giggle. We teased one another, trying to urge each other to confess to our school crush. We exchanged banters like we used to. Charms and pairing key-chains were passed between us, serving as a remembrance of our friendship.


    ¡°Meiko, have a safe trip.¡±


    ¡°You guys too.¡±


    And so we parted ways. Or at least, I parted with my friends.


    It was inevitable.


    I had to move with my Grandmother living in the province. My Father had to work overseas to earn a living for both me and my Grandmother. Although Father had apologized to me due to the lack of money, I never blamed him. I understood his situation. It was hard for a single father to raise a daughter. And so, even if it pained me, I had to move to the province and leave my school behind.


    Aside from him, my Mother was alive. But¡­ she was living under a different roof. She lived with a different family. A different husband, and different children. My Father and I were left alone. I never knew why, but I never dug deep into it. I just wanted to make my Father proud, and to reduce the burden that he was carrying. The thought of questioning her did not pass my mind because I grew up recognizing Father as my only parent.


    I tried encouraging my father to look for a different wife, but he refused. He said that it was enough for him to have me as a family. He said that he would feel like he was betraying me if he did up and found a different wife. He was stubborn, but I understood. It was my Father.


    And so I began living in the province with my Grandmother.


    Two years flew. Each year, at least twice or thrice in every six months, I traveled back to the main city and met with my old friends. At times, they visited me and took a few days of vacation in the province I lived in. Sometimes, I think it¡¯s because they still had not found themselves a boyfriend that they have enough free time to hang out with me. No, I was pretty sure of it, because we usually avoid places where couples publicly displayed their affection to each other. Damned normies.


    I was happy. I was satisfied.


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    My interest shifted into tea ceremony. It was the influence of the limited channels that I was able to watch on the television.


    My Grandmother, who used to prepare tea in the traditional way, had begun teaching me the ropes. In addition, she granted me the kimono she used to wear during the ceremony. For some reason, the kimono was a perfect fit.


    But on a sudden occasion, I found the world different from the last time I blinked.


    ¡°Welcome, O¡¯ Heroes.¡± A sweet voice echoed.


    I tried blinking a few more times, hoping that it was just a dream. But nothing happened. Nothing changed. The same flickering torches illuminated the dim room that seemed to be made by large slabs of stone.


    I searched my mind in hopes of understanding the unfamiliar situation. Heat started to rise within my chest. My breathing became erratic.


    When? Where? I still have my kimono on, so perhaps something happened before, during, or maybe after the tea making? But why? What did I do? No, this must be a dream. This can¡¯t be real.


    My mind was a little hazy, but my panicking forced me to think. I pinched my thighs with my nails. But despite the pain, the figure of the white haired-girl dressed in a thick white gown remained.


    The same was true for what seemed to be knights standing beside the girl. They wore simple plates of armor. Same for the robed men standing around the circumference of a large circular inscription glowing beneath my feet. No, our feet. It glowed in a solemn white.


    What¡¯s happening? Where am I? Who are these people? And the people beside me?


    I shifted my sight while my lips remained parted. There I saw two boys and one girl. One of the boys had a similar black hair and black eyes like me. The remaining two had platinum blonde hair. But the difference is that the girl had green eyes while the boy had blue. And just like me, it seemed that they were trying to comprehend the situation.


    Again, the sweet voice of the white-haired girl resounded. ¡°I know you have a lot of questions, but please bear those questions for a while longer. There is someone else more fitting to answer them.¡± She had a gentle smile plastered on her porcelain-white skin.


    As the girl ended her speech, the black-haired boy flicked his hand in the air. Then a wide smile erupted on his face.


    Similarly, the other two copied the boy in a somewhat different fashion. The boy snapped his fingers. The girl darted her eyes. And in the end, they both sighed and flashed a satisfied smile. Since I found their expressions far calm than before, I tried copying the gestures they used.


    I flicked my fingers, nothing happened.


    I snapped, still, nothing happened.


    I darted my eyes from one corner then to the center, then finally, nothing happened.


    Nothing changed. Nothing appeared. And so I fell into a deeper series of questions.


    What are they doing? What¡¯s going on? Please tell me. It¡¯s not fair if I¡¯m the only one here who doesn¡¯t know anything!


    The moment I finished rumbling with my thoughts, they turned to the white-haired girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s a standard, right? Please take us to the King.¡± The blonde-haired boy flashed a cheeky smile.


    ¡°Are you a Princess?¡± the black-haired boy asked. He showed an obvious interest in the girl.


    ¡°...¡± Likewise, the blonde-haired girl remained silent. She observed how the other two acted. But unlike me, she was somewhat relaxed and a tad serious.


    In response to the questions, the girl curtsied. ¡°Yes, I am Madeleine de La Montagne, second daughter of Libet¡¯s current King from the house of Montagne.¡± Her movements were elegant and refined. It felt like she was a character from fairy tales.


    However, things were beyond me. I balled my right hand into a fist and raised it into my chest. ¡°Uhm¡­ I don¡¯t think I understand any of this...¡±


    ¡°Do not worry, your questions will be answered in time. Perhaps later, perhaps tomorrow. But rest assured your questions will not remain a question forever. But in the meantime, His Majesty would like to meet you. In that regard, please follow closely behind. I¡¯d like to give you a simple tour around the capital¡¯s castle.¡±


    With nothing else to do, and with nothing in mind, we followed. We followed behind Madeleine as we passed through a series of hallways lit by similar torches fitted on the sides. The hallways were old, rustic, and dark. And as we turned from one hallway to another, it started to get confusing. Somewhere inside me thought that we were going in circles. But not long before we reached a large door fitted with iron locks.


    As the door sounded an eerie clacking, light filtered from the other side. It took us a few seconds before our eyes adjusted. But once it did, a flight of stairs welcomed us. Promptly, we climbed the stairs and reached a vastly different scenery from before.


    Stone archways lined the long and curved open corridor. On the left side, beyond the archways, a series of balconies made of stone and marble flaunted itself. Further beyond were extensive structures laid out. They were made from stones and wood, but primarily of gray stones.


    A sparse number of spires reached out to the sky. They neatly lined in-between the outer wall that protected the city, and the inner wall that protected the castle. Thin bridges extended from the inner wall and passed through the spires until it reached the watchtowers and the ramparts of the outer wall.


    ¡°Wow...¡± I muttered. Although I have seen modern structures in my life, the sight of an older type of architecture gave a strong impression.


    The other three were in a similar state as me. They held their breath as they took in the grand scenery.


    ¡°This is some top-class graphics. The amount of details is pretty damn impressive.¡±


    I could not remember which of the boys said those words, but I was sure that the other two agreed in unison.


    Graphics? Do they mean a game?


    Though I knew games, the point of applying the term graphics was far too removed from the scenery. And because of that, more questions piled inside my mind. But in the end, their mutter did not give me even the slightest of hints.


    Giving up trying to search for the answer on my own, I heaved a sigh. I then gazed beyond the city, where a silhouette of a mountain range was topped with ice caps.


    Alaska?


    Another moment passed peacefully. It went on while Madeleine explained to us a few details on what we were able to see. But in summary, all she talked about was Libet and their belief in a single God. That belief sourced from the Angels which served as the human God¡¯s messengers. And all throughout Libet, that belief was the only religion. It was called Liberian Faith.


    In the end, we reached the throne room. Libet¡¯s King sat on the throne decorated with gold. Gems were encrusted at the head of the throne. Beside the King, to the left, was the Queen. Both the King and the Queen bore white hair. On the other hand, Madeleine remained standing beside us.


    To the right of the King was a man in a priestly white robe. He stood with his plump body and observed our faces. To the sides of the throne room, in-between twisted pillars, men, and some women sat on lavishly painted chairs. They seemed to be the Noble¡¯s summoned to the King¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have brought the Heroes.¡± Flashing a gentle smile, Madeleine curtsied.


    In response, the King nodded. Briefly, he glanced at the man on his right and stood.


    ¡°Greetings Heroes.¡± His voice was low yet powerful. He spoke again after he struck the marble floor laden by a red carpet. ¡°I believe you are exhausted and puzzled of your situation, but rest assured. We of Libet are on your side. We will support your endeavors as you live in my kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s one of those long and boring speeches,¡± the blonde-haired boy muttered.


    ¡°To be precise, you Heroes were summoned into this world. You are the chosen ones handpicked by God. The chosen ones to save humanity. To save humanity from extinction. To fight against our enemy¡ªthe hateful and deceitful demons.¡±


    Summoned Heroes? Save humanity? Fight demons? What the hell is going on?!


    Maybe because of the unfamiliar situation or maybe due my mind overloaded by unanswered questions, I was not able to have a deep impression of the King¡¯s presence.


    ¡°For saving humanity, and for protecting us, you Heroes would be rewarded. I will give you my permission to take my son¡¯s or daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. You can even become the King yourself. Other than that, I can give you wealth, honor, and fame. I will give you land. I will give you a status befitting of your name. Everything, anything you ask for¡ªas long as it is within me and my kingdom¡¯s capabilities¡ªI will grant it. I will give it. It is the reward for saving us. The people. Our race.¡±


    After he finished his speech, he returned to his throne and urged the priestly man.


    In that moment, I and the other three tried to raise a question, but the priestly man proceeded by himself.


    ¡°You will be led to your quarters. There, you will be given time to contemplate and to sink in your duties as Heroes. Any further questions will be answered on the day after tomorrow. However, a servant would be visiting to try to answer your questions beforehand. So in the meantime, please have some rest. The servants would also be pleased to serve you, Heroes, so please order them as you will.¡±


    Shortly after, we left the throne room. We were then led to our quarters. But I didn¡¯t expect that each of us would be given a different room. At that time, I thought they were just giving us some time alone, but I guessed wrong.

 Chapter 56: A Heros Answer 3

    A few hours after I was led to my quarters, Talcott, along with a servant dressed similary to a Victorian Maid, entered after a few knocks. Upon entering, Talcott expressed a sudden greeting with a hug. To which I immediately responded by pushing him away. It made be back a few steps, thinking I would be assaulted. Fortunately, it was resolved after Talcott apologized and explained that it was Libet¡¯s custom. Even then, I thought it was not comfortable for me to suddenly receive a hug from a stranger.


    Talcott was a man in his early twenties. He said he was knight serving under Libet¡¯s fourth order of Knights¡ªthe Cataphracts. He had a handsome face coupled with a slightly spiky brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was on the light-brown side.


    From that point on, Talcott, along with the maid, started answering the questions I had in my mind. Though some were redundant, I wanted to confirm everything I heard from the King and Madeleine for a second time.


    The kingdom I was in was Libet. And the crown city, or sometimes called simply as The Capital, was named Issenheim. According to the map brought by Talcott, there are four other kingdoms aside from Libet. Academia, Brent, Laurel, and Niveria. But sadly, Talcott told me that Niveria had already fallen into the hands of the demons. At that time, he gnashed his teeth and scrunched his face into a visible anger.


    ¡°They take the lives of us humans so easily.¡±


    There was another place on the left side of Academia, but it didn¡¯t have a name. The maid told me it was composed of small city-states which lacked unity to form a kingdom of their own. Aside from that, they were scattered between Academia, Niveria, and the extensive desert at its west.


    Nevertheless, the moment the map was laid out to me on a low table, I realized that it was far too different from the one I knew. It was not a place that reminded me of a place on Earth. To be exact, there was never a continent named Randia on the world map that I knew.


    So¡­ I¡¯m really in a different world?


    I didn¡¯t know whether I should be happy or not. Because for one, I did not understand the reason why I was picked or chosen. And as a person who never knew how to wield a weapon aside from kitchen knives, and as a girl who liked to relax with tea in hand, fighting was beyond me. But I would be lying if I said that excitement for the unknown did not well up inside my chest.


    That aside, there was another thing I realized upon seeing the map. The letters, or perhaps characters, were completely unknown to me. However, for some reason, I could understand their meaning. I could make up the words inside my mind like some sort of automatic translation. It was rather convenient, but at the same time, scary.


    I had never expected such a thing. Because, since the time I met Madeleine in that room, the words they uttered were the ones I knew from the country I was born in. They spoke in my mother language. But now, I had confirmed that it was different.


    Since I was already on the topic of language, I tried asking for a pen and a paper, but they gave me a quill, a bottle of ink, and a slightly thick piece of paper. Again, based on the architecture they used, I was reminded that they were far from the modern day I was used to. Anyway, I started writing the letters I knew, but in the end, the letters I drew were the ones I was familiar with. On the other hand, Talcott and the maid could not read what I have written. They told me that they have seen the characters before but the exact meaning was still unknown until this day.


    So that weird translation doesn¡¯t work on writing?


    The fact that I could read, listen, and speak, but not write was uncomfortable.


    ¡°Hero Meiko, I believe that it was through God¡¯s blessing that you could read and understand what we are saying. The same is true for speaking.¡± Talcott said.


    He was sitting across the low table in a similar wooden chair. To my left was the maid that visited with Talcott. She stood there with a gentle smile on her face.


    ¡°A blessing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a blessing. A blessing is granted to each and every Hero summoned. Those blessings come in different forms, but we have confirmed some similarities. Included among those similarities is the ability to communicate except for writing.¡±


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t written communication crucial?¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me, I myself don¡¯t know.¡± Talcott chuckled. ¡°It might have a relation to Heroes sharing advanced knowledge to hasten our era¡¯s development. But there was one philosopher that gave a possible reason as to why Heroes are forbidden to communicate and share advanced knowledge with us. The reason he gave was, ¡®The people might end up not relying on Heroes if our technology is too advanced, hence the barred communication¡¯. Although he said that, I¡¯m not sure if that is the case.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I think that philosopher has a good point.¡± I nodded with a finger over my chin.


    The philosopher¡¯s words were not far from the truth. Or so I thought. But if in case these people were given guns, planes, artillery, ships equipped with cannons, trains for transportation, bombs that have large destructive consequences, the people might focus their resources in those things instead of Heroes. But because it was not possible, the people believed in Heroes who received God¡¯s blessing.


    Next.


    I asked them about demons. Although I was not interested in fighting them, I wanted to avoid them as much as possible. So it was better for me to know what they looked like. However, Talcott and the maid¡¯s answer was vague. They pointed out that the demons varied in appearance, but most of the time, they bore animal-like features. In some cases, according to them, some are almost identical to humans, but they still had features like horns, a tail, or sometimes, clawed fingers.


    While I was deep in thought regarding their vague answer, Talcott interrupted me.


    ¡°Hero Meiko, perhaps you have an idea about magic?¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡± I returned a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Yes, magic.¡± Talcott smiled.


    ¡°You mean magic tricks, right?¡±


    ¡°Magic tricks?¡± Talcott was bewildered. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Anyway, it¡¯d be better to show you instead.¡±


    Shortly after Talcott sang a weird chant, a ball of light appeared a few inches above the palm of his hands. It was at the size of a balled fist.


    ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°...¡± I was dumbfounded. There was not any sleight of hand from Talcott but a ball of light appeared in thin air. ¡°T-this is magic?¡±


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    I wonder if I can¡ª


    Suddenly, I reared myself in surprise.


    ¡°W-wha!¡± I threw my arms in a panic as I lost my balance. Then, along with the wooden chair was sitting on, I fell to the floor with a clatter.


    ¡°Ow!¡± A slight pang struck my back and my head.


    ¡°Goodness!¡± The maid hurried to my side.


    The same was true for Talcott. ¡°Hero Meiko, are you okay?¡±


    I blinked a few times while I stared at the ceiling where a small chandelier hung. The worried faces of Talcott and the maid peered from the side of my vision. They were offering me a hand while supporting my back to sit-up.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± But rather than reach out to their hands, or lift myself up from my somewhat awkward position, I contemplated on the words that appeared inside my mind.


    Light Ball¡ªsummons a ball of light on a specified location. It illuminates its surroundings. It is possible to move the ball at will. Possible modifications: scatter, size, and intensity.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± I muttered. Again, Talcott and the maid expressed worry.


    ¡°What do mean, Miss Meiko?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay, Hero Meiko?¡±


    Light Ball¡ªa basic level light magic.


    It seemed to respond to the thoughts I had. That aside, various other explanations were listed underneath. Or at least how I imagined it since it felt like it was a book that was deeply ingrained my mind.


    Anyway, it consisted of things such as the required chant and its mana consumption. But rather than numbers, the mana consumption showed a bar which I was able to compare to another bar that indicated ¡®Mana¡¯. It was a familiar bar from the Role-Playing Games I played on a console that I was able to borrow few times from my friends.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try something, please wait a moment.¡± As soon as I resolved myself, I started singing the chant. While I was chanting, the guide disappeared and was replaced by the words I needed to say. I tried imagining how the ball would appear with the modifications provided.


    Manifest, Light Ball.


    Then just like Talcott, but different, the Light Ball appeared. It appeared like scattered candle lights surrounding the small chandelier. It was little off, but I succeeded in making the magic appear.


    A smile erupted on my face. ¡°I did it!¡± I raised my arms and grabbed Talcott¡¯s and the maid¡¯s hands. They promptly lifted me up. ¡°I did it! Look!¡± Like a child, I pointed at the chandelier.


    ¡°My, what a talented Hero you are Miss Meiko.¡± The maid gave a light giggle.


    ¡°Ahaha. This is quite a sight. To succeed in your first try, that¡¯s true talent.¡± Talcott scratched his cheek.


    ¡°Eh? I just uttered the words that appeared in my mind. I don¡¯t think it has anything to do with talent. Besides, maybe it was my blessing? In any case, it gave me the requirements needed for the magic. In the end, I just followed the instructions that seemed to be stored in my mind. But mostly, I just coupled it with¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Partway, I stopped with my explanation due to Talcott and the maid wearing knit eyebrows.


    ¡°Miss Meiko, I¡¯m sorry but, if you were explaining about your blessing, I believe we won¡¯t be able to hear it properly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the words you spoke seemed broken. I couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it. Well, I guess that just proves that a Hero¡¯s blessing is something private or confidential.¡±


    This time, it was me who wore a knit eyebrow. ¡°Do you mean that, like explaining or communicating an advanced form of technology, I can¡¯t tell anyone about my blessing?¡±


    ¡°¡°Yes,¡±¡± Talcott and the maid answered in unison.


    ¡°Well, how to say this in another way. Err¡­ It felt familiar. Or more like¡ªit felt like a game guide.¡±


    That was when a thought struck me.


    Wait. Is this why they mentioned graphics? A game?


    I recounted the mutters of the other Heroes I was summoned along with. But still, the graphics they mentioned was removed from the ones I knew. It¡¯s completely different from the jagged pixels that I enjoyed.


    So this means this isn¡¯t a game¡­ In that case, the blessing is replicating a game I knew? But why? To make it easy to comprehend and be comfortable with it?


    Maybe I was lucky. Lucky that I was the first to realize that it wasn¡¯t a game. That the blessing was making things convenient.


    I have to tell them. They might get in trouble if they keep thinking this is a game.


    Although I had no idea why they thought of it as a game, I felt the urge to tell them.


    After a few praises and a few more exchange of questions and answers, Talcott left along with the maid. But after a short while, the maid returned with a service cart similar to those found in hotels. Then promptly, she served me my dinner.


    ¡°Please enjoy your meal.¡±


    While I went through the answers I received that day, I started eating.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Won¡¯t we Heroes be allowed to meet? I would like to talk to them.¡± The cutlery I picked up with the guidance of the maid clattered on the porcelain plates.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind it for now. Tomorrow morning, everyone would be given free rein to roam the castle. You could use that time to meet with the other Heroes.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    While I was eating, I tried looking for an appropriate magic that I could use to locate the others using the blessing I called Magic Rule Book. There were various recommendations that came to my mind, but the most appropriate seemed to be Clairvoyance¡ªa magic that allowed me to scout a location. However, the mana consumption was tremendous. It would leave me with less than an eight of my mana. But for me to freely look around the castle without moving an inch, it felt like it was a proper compensation.


    But I did not finish there. Since I had this nagging feeling of my grandmother being worried sick due to my absence, I started skimming through the Rule Book with the word ¡®transfer¡¯ in mind. The magic recommended were:


    Short Transfer.


    Long Transfer.


    Sigil Teleportation.


    Dimension Rift.


    ?????


    From the ones I found, only Short Transfer was available for me to use. The rest indicated that I lacked the mana to use them. Aside from those, the ????? was far too suspicious. And because of that, I checked the details regarding the magic.


    ?????¡ªa magic that enables the user to create a tunnel through the realm of the Gods. Possible uses: Hero Summoning, World Transfer, Soul Reconstruction, Vessel Destruction, and Invoke Deity.


    Requirements unmet. Soul requirements unmet. Insufficient mana.


    ¡°... What?¡± I could not remember how long I stared at the wall on the other side of the table with a blank state of mind. But one thing I was sure of, the ????? was the one I needed to return.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± The maid asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I shook my head.


    Unhesitatingly, I checked the requirements.


    Requirements:


    A Sacrifice of 200 lives.


    Soul Requirements:


    Soul and Blessing¡¯s complete merge.


    ¡°This is...¡± I muttered. Impossible.


    I shuddered at the thought of sacrificing 200 lives for me to return home. The amount of guilt would be impossible for me to bear. Just the thought of taking one life was already taxing for me. What more if it was 200? I have to be insane if I could shrug those 200 lives like nothing happened.


    Wait¡­ Didn¡¯t it mention Hero Summoning?


    A heavy and laborious thought dawned on me. Cold sweat peeked from my pores.


    If that¡¯s the case, then, lives were sacrificed when we were summoned?


    I slumped forward and hid my face from the maid. She tried calling my name, but I stared at the unfinished food on my plate, ignoring her call.


    I swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Four. Four of us were summoned¡­ If I were to base it from that, then¡­ 800 lives¡­ eight-hundred lives!


    The urge to puke welled in my stomach, but I resisted.


    No, it¡¯s different, right? The one listed needed a chant. And besides, that Soul Requirement is not possible for that inscription, right? That sacrifice requirement is probably an isolated case for that magic, right? That inscription was different from that unknown magic, right? It should be. It must be. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d sacrifice that many lives to summon Heroes. Right. Calm down. Nothing is proven yet. There¡¯s no evidence. Calm down.


    ¡°Miss Meiko?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I lost my appetite; I feel exhausted too. So I¡¯d like to sleep early if possible,¡± I replied while my sight remained on my unfinished dinner.


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling unwell, I could call for a healer.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± I waved my hand in dismissal. ¡°I just need some rest.¡±


    ¡°¡­ If that is your wish, then it shall be done.¡±


    I should forget about that magic and look for another way.

 Chapter 57: A Heros Answer 4

    By the next day, ¡°Uhh...¡± I wearily propped myself up on the bed.


    I sifted through the white sheets covered in numerous pleats and sat on the bed-side. My head nodded occasionally. My mind was light, my thoughts muddled. I began stretching my limbs as I yawned. As my arm plopped back to my side, a sense of drowsiness rushed to my heavy eyelids. I almost fell back to the bed, but I resisted. Until then, I found myself staring at the cuckoo-clock on the opposite side of the room.


    Six in the morning¡­ So this world has twenty-four hours a day too huh.


    The thought passed my mind in a half-asleep state, but I recognized the time I usually rise from bed. Six in the morning, or sometimes earlier. It was what my body-clock was accustomed to. After all, the day starts earlier in the province.


    A few minutes after, I stood and approached the wardrobe. I reached for the handle to check for the kimono I wore yesterday. Upon seeing the neatly folded tea-green cloth, I heaved a sigh.


    ¡°So it really wasn¡¯t a dream.¡± The sense of disbelief still lingered inside me. I could not fully accept that I was suddenly brought here, to a world I knew nothing of.


    Soon, the white night-wear fell onto my toes. I began undressing the clothes given to me by the maid. Then I reached out for my kimono. Although it was not appropriate to use a kimono as a casual wear, I began wrapping myself in its embrace.


    The kimono was the only thing I have left of me that reminded me of home.


    It was my only link to home.


    A memento.


    It took a while before I was able to fix myself¡ªjust like how I arrived in this world. But then, I stood there frozen in my feet. I stared at my sock-covered feet with a wooden sandal. I was lost.


    ¡°What should I do...¡± I pinched the sides of the kimono, hoping that various ideas would come to mind. However, there was none. No solution came to mind as I think about the current situation I was in. A situation that I could call impossible.


    They are hiding something. From me, From us.


    I bit my lips. I furrowed my brows and recalled what I saw last night. It was supposed to be a simple peek. It was just a peek, but some pieces of the puzzle fell into place.


    Late at night, Madeleine visited the blonde-haired Hero in his room. It was puzzling. It was Odd. I never imagined a Princess could casually visit a man¡¯s room unguarded. She pulled herself up on the door and shyly knocked. She seemed like a maiden-in-love as she entered. At the same time, a sense of guilt welled inside me as I spied on them.


    They exchanged a few greetings before they started their conversation in earnest.


    ¡°Hero Clark. Perchance, would you like me to join you in your party? I could provide support from the rear with the magic I¡¯ve learned from the academy. I¡¯ve also learned Light magic so I can tend to your injuries at any point in time. Other than that¡ªI could help ease your worries when dealing with persons of authority.¡±


    Simply put, Madeleine requested Clark to let her join his party. It was one of the things Talcott explained to me. A Hero should form a party of their own rather than a party of Heroes. It was meant to provide support to the Heroes and to divide the task among us four. But then, I was starting to doubt it.


    After listening for a few more seconds, I began to move. Or in a sense, I moved Clairvoyance''s scope with my will. It enabled me to pass through walls and listen to conversations. It also gave me a lighted view of a room despite the darkness of the night. It was fairly convenient, but the duration of eight minutes won¡¯t last that long.


    Soon, I found the next male Hero. However, just like the situation with Clark, a girl was inside his room. She was not familiar but judging from her pure-white dress and ribbon, she was a priestess. A priestess with a light-blue hair and a somewhat mature face. Her body was, in every sense, well-proportioned. Even by my standards, she would easily pass for a model or an idol.


    ¡°Oh Hero, please take me with you. The temple is not enough for me to reach out my hands to the poor, the weary, and the sick.¡± In her eyes, the embers of determination flickered. ¡°But with your help, I could travel and offer help to the people we pass by, save the people in dire need.¡±


    The Hero, Charles, was taken aback by the priestess¡¯s words. ¡°The journey will be dangerous. And hard.¡±


    ¡°If the need to offer my life arrives, then it shall be. For better, and only for the better.¡± She held a silver staff to her chest. The rings at the end of the staff clinked.


    It did not take long before Charles gave in. He buckled his knees and fell to the bed-side and agreed to let the priestess join his party. He wore a smile of both worry and joy. It was easy to see that he was pleased with his very first companion.


    Just like Charles¡ªwhile I listened to the priestess¡¯s speech¡ªI too was taken aback. It gave me a sense of relief that I was overthinking my thoughts based on the unknown magic.


    Ah, not good, not good. I listened for too long and wasted a minute more than I intended. On to the next.


    The walls of the castle flashed by and soon, I arrived in the room of the last Hero. And just like I began to expect, a person was inside her room. But similar to my case, it was a handsome young man.


    However, by the time I arrived, Evelyn, the Hero, had already concluded their conversation with, ¡°Fine. Do whatever you want.¡±


    The knight saluted while expressing a light smile. ¡°My gratitude, Hero Evelyn. On this day on, I pledge my loyalty to you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, leave me be for now.¡± Evelyn gestured him to leave. ¡°I want to be alone.¡±


    Tick!


    The sound reminded me of Clairvoyance¡¯s duration; I only had a minute left. Thus, I began to move towards the tall structure where we were summoned. I followed my memory of the vague path we took. Then soon, I found the stairs leading down to the dungeons.


    As fast as I could urge Clairvoyance to move, I went through the walls. I grimaced at the glances I took at each room I passed through. Weapons leaned on numerous racks. Hammers, sickles, chains, maces, and more. Most weapons were for bludgeoning.


    Aside from that, there were customized tables fitted with iron cuffs. They were tables smeared with black stains, and at times, maggots squirmed on the small chunks of meat left on the table. The sight of it slowed my pace as I resisted the urge to hurl.


    Don¡¯t tell me¡­


    Shortly, with a heart pounding like a drum, I reached the room where we were summoned.


    Huh? Why is it still glowing?


    Other than the glowing inscription on the floor, the large room was empty. No blood, no flesh, no dead bodies. It was just a simple room made of slabs.


    That point aside, it was too odd for the inscription to keep on glowing.


    Are they going to summon more? But the robed men aren¡¯t present. Maybe¡­ It¡¯s glowing because it has a mana source?


    My knowledge about magic was lacking, but it wasn¡¯t that hard imagining mana functioning like electricity. And so, with that in mind, I passed through the floor.


    Huh?


    Or so I tried. But the view would not move any further than the floor. I tried moving upwards and the view changed. But whenever I tried to pass through the floor, I get stuck. I tried it several times, within and outside of the inscription, but nothing changed.


    Tick!


    And before I was able to figure out anything, Clairvoyance¡¯s duration ran out.


    Immediately, my sight returned to that of my room¡¯s ceiling. Now that I no longer have enough mana, I couldn¡¯t do anything else but sleep. However, the room beneath the floor kept on circulating in my mind. It bugged me. It made me more anxious.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    But then, I remembered my Blessing. Right, I was capable of searching through a list of magic.


    Barrier (Advanced).


    Domain.


    Sanctuary.


    Seal of Space.


    Dimension Lock.


    Nesoi Isolation.


    Various others were also listed in my mind. They were the list of magic that is capable of interfering to fully blocking Clairvoyance. Among them, Sanctuary was the minimum to nullify Clairvoyance.


    As I reviewed each of the magic listed, I fell to my side and buried my head into the pillow. I pulled the pillow close to my body like an infant and trembled. My breathing became deep and slow as I realized the difficulty of achieving at least Sanctuary. In more ways than one, Domain was already above my full mana capacity to maintain it for more than two hours. For Sanctuary, I was only capable of maintaining it for a minute or two.


    Just who¡­ Just who could maintain such a thing¡­ Do they really need Heroes? What are the Heroes are for? Where would they use us?


    Thoughts crashed like a torrent. It made me question the reason I was summoned yet again.


    If there are beings more powerful than we Heroes, then what are we for?


    My new set of unanswered questions kept me at night. It left me muttering until my eyelids fell on its own. Until then, I was sound asleep.


    ¡°What to do...¡± again, I muttered. ¡°Maybe I should just bring this up to the others and find a way.¡±


    I snapped from my frozen feet and strode towards the door. Once I opened it, the figure of Talcott sitting on a chair opposite the hallway welcomed me.


    ¡°Err...¡± A wry smile rose on my face. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He flashed a gentle and reassuring smile. ¡°I heard you weren¡¯t feeling well last night so I took up the duty to guard the door. Well, just in case you needed some help with anything. Or in case something happened.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry to worry you.¡± I bowed. How do I deal with this?


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re up early. Do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°I want to visit the others so I woke up earlier than expected.¡± I laughed dryly.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± He stood at his feet and approached. ¡°But you look a bit tired. You should rest for a bit more.¡± He turned the knob of the door and offered me to enter.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just not used to sleeping in a place like this. Anyway, I have to go.¡± I waved my hand and turned away.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± He ran to my side and adjusted his pace.


    Please leave me alone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other duties?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There is none as of the moment.¡±


    ¡°Training? Or something else? I might be bothering you if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. All is well.¡±


    Partway, I gave up persuading Talcott to leave. He was too persistent. Consequently, we met the priestly man from yesterday.


    ¡°Ah, Hero Meiko,¡± he greeted in the middle of the hallway. ¡°Going for a tour?¡± His presence was somewhat oppressive.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ on my way to meet with the other Heroes. I want to speak with them and confirm a few things.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± He smiled. ¡°Then it would be best to head to the throne room for now.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why?¡± I furrowed my brows in confusion.


    ¡°There¡¯s an emergency summon from the King. The servants would arrive a few minutes from now to inform you and the others. But now that you¡¯re here, I might as well lead you there.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    I had no rebuttal or any appropriate reason to refuse, and so I agreed to head to the Throne room first. After all, it would be easy to speak with the others once we have gathered.


    Along the way¡ªTalcott still on my side¡ªthe priestly man started speaking.


    ¡°I have forgotten to introduce myself, have I?¡± He chuckled. His white garb brushed the cement floor. ¡°I¡¯m Bishop Aurelius, a substitute for the busy Pope.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    There wasn¡¯t much to talk about, but the Bishop brought up the topic about the Demons. He spoke in a reverent tone, hoping that the Demons would perish through God¡¯s salvation. He recounted the times the Demons breached a few forts and fortresses and took the lives of the people. He also told me about the brave soldiers who fought and took back what was lost from Libet.


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Aurelius muttered. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll take my leave, Hero Meiko. May God guide you through the night.¡±


    ¡°T-thank you.¡± I shuddered. Did he¡­ know? It can¡¯t be him, right?


    I recalled the details of Sanctuary and anything above it. Other than a barrier, it worked as an alarm if something or someone meddled with it.


    So it was at least Sanctuary¡­ My blood ran cold. I quickly checked my remaining mana¡ªonly to find out I have a little over two-thirds of the full capacity. In a panic, I started searching for a magic that I could use to escape.


    ¡°Hero Meiko?¡± Talcott stood beside the open door, urging me to go inside.


    ¡°A-ah, err¡­ Sorry.¡± I replied a little absentmindedly.


    I walked through the door at a slow pace and restarted my search. Numerous results appeared. But I filtered them based on my mana capacity, duration I could maintain the magic, and the number of usages before I ran out of mana.


    <table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4">


    <tbody>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Neutral


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Body Reinforcement. Body Exceed. Short Transfer.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Earth


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Mold. Stone Steps. Pitfall. Tunnel. Earth Wall.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Wind


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Fleet Foot. Silence. Air Cushion. Soar.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Dark


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Hide. Shadow Clone. Dwell. Night Shroud.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Light


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Flash. Blind.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Fire and Water


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Mist Cloud. Fog.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Earth and Water


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Vine Wall. Root Overgrowth. Mire.


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr valign="top">


    <td width="17%">


    Light and Dark


    </td>


    <td width="83%">


    Illusion. Cloak of Concealment. Dance of Shadows.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Then suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°Hero Meiko,¡± Talcott called with a worried expression. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? You seem pale.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    In response to my silence, the King sitting on the throne cleared his throat. ¡°Hero Meiko.¡±


    I hurriedly turned to the King, sitting on his throne like I saw yesterday. ¡°Y-yes! I¡¯m sorry. My mind was flying around for a bit.¡± Then I forced a laugh.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems you have some concerns. In case you¡¯re willing to speak, I will lend an ear.¡±


    I release my hand from Talcott¡¯s grasp and waved my hand in dismissal. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s nothing. Really. I¡¯m just panicking since I thought yesterday was just a dream.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I understand. It may not be believable at first, but you will soon be able to grasp reality.¡±


    ¡°I hope that I do. Ahaha.¡±


    From then on, a seat was prepared for me near the steps of the throne. I hesitantly took a seat while I waited for the others to arrive. While waiting, I tried to formulate an escape using a sequence of the magic available to me. Then, after several minutes of waiting in silence, the time came. At that point, I moved towards the others and line myself beside them.


    ¡°Heroes, you have my gratitude for answering my call.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re still around the castle, so that¡¯s obvious,¡± Clark commented in a mutter. However, this time, Charles and Evelyn responded.


    ¡°Keep it down, please,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°What a rude person,¡± Evelyn said.


    Clark silently knitted his brows, displeased.


    ¡°Well then,¡± the King continued after observing our figures. ¡°The reason behind my sudden call is to trouble you with a task. I want you to form a party of at least four for each of you. This is¡ªas you were informed yesterday¡ªdue to the outbreak of small skirmishes against the Demons.¡±


    Then the King stood from the throne and took a step and another down the platform. He then stopped a step higher from the floor we stood on.


    ¡°Each of you would be given a personal instructor in the art of fighting. There¡¯s an available instructor for Great Swords, Long Swords, the Rapier, Daggers, and several more. And with that, I hope that you can extend your patience before moving out of the castle on your own.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I remained silent. It was logical enough for us who have not handled a single weapon to train before risking our lives.


    Clark raised his hand. ¡°If I could prove myself worthy enough to be on my own without the training, can I leave ahead of time?¡±


    ¡°If the instructor does indeed deem you worthy, then yes, you may.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Clark pumped his fist.


    ¡°That goes for every one of you.¡± The King added. ¡°Later this day, the instructors will arrive. You may each pick one instructor you are willing to be under. I advise you to focus on a single weapon to make things easier. Other than that, consider picking your party members down the courtyard.¡±


    Sometime after we left the throne room, I closed in on Evelyn and asked.


    ¡°Say, do you think is a game?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± Evelyn replied in surprise. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Are you a troll or something?¡±


    ¡°Troll? By that you mean?¡± I furrowed my brows.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re one of those. Acting like some nuts who have only experienced VR for the first time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± a little more than plain rude. ¡°Ahehe. Can you explain to me what a VR is?¡±


    ¡°Virtual Reality,¡± Charles responded. I didn¡¯t notice that he had already lined beside me while Talcott remained a few paces from my back. ¡°That¡¯s rare, for you not to know a wide-spread tech. Are you perhaps at the pit bottom of the society? Anyway, you¡¯re experiencing it now. You could stay put and let your mind do stuff six times faster than your average day.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s probably trolling on purpose. And anyway, six times? Are you joking? That¡¯s the lowest setting there is nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Really, she might not be what you thought she is. And what are you on about? Six times is currently the latest.¡±


    ¡°In your country maybe. Your gear is too outdated.¡±


    From the exchange between the two, I started to lag behind. I watched them exchange terms that were foreign to me. ¡°Umm¡­ I really think it¡¯s our Blessing that¡¯s replicating a game we saw at least once.¡±


    Both Charles and Evelyn turned to me with a puzzled look.


    ¡°¡°Did you say something?¡±¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I said, our Blessing is replicating a game we knew, trying to make things appear as if it was a game.¡±


    ¡°Your voice is weird,¡± Charles replied. ¡°It¡¯s like a garbled sound from a corrupted recording.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Evelyn nodded.


    ¡°Eh?¡± And so I realized. It¡¯s impossible to inform them through words.

 Chapter 58: A Heros Answer 5

    ¡°Eh?¡± My mouth gaped. I can¡¯t believe I missed something so obvious¡­


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Evelyn knitted her brows, worried about my sudden halt.


    The same was true for Charles. ¡°You looked shocked. Maybe you expected us to understand your mother language? Sorry, but it¡¯s not familiar. Even at the slightest, I have no idea what you have just said.¡±


    ¡°B-but you can understand this, right?¡± I hastily waved my hands, warding off their worried faces.


    ¡°This time, I could,¡± Evelyn replied.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Charles added.


    ¡°Ah, then, don¡¯t mind what I just said. I thought you guys came from the country I lived in.¡± Then a forced laugh escaped my lips, intending to cover up my blunder. ¡°Anyway, can you teach me more about this game?¡±


    ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re new into this.¡± Charles gleefully shared a smile. ¡°Hey, Evelyn, why don¡¯t we teach her a few kinds of stuff before we reach the courtyard?¡±


    And so Evelyn agreed without qualms. At that time, I placed myself in-between Charles and Evelyn. They both gave me some know-how about the game they knew. However, just as I suspected from their previous exchange, their ideas clashed. Subsequently, I was able to experience the garbled sound they mentioned.


    ¡°Are you trying to copy Meiko?¡± Evelyn asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°I guess there¡¯s a bug.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s possible too. I wonder when the Devs will work on it. But well, for an LMO, I guess communication between players is the least prioritized.¡±


    Based on their explanation, LMO meant Limited Multiplayer Online. A game where a limited number of players are allowed to venture into the game. According to them, LMOs are popular from the place they came from. They said it was the trend.


    Compared to MMO or Massive Multiplayer Online that they used to enjoy, LMO was more expansive because it only needed to accommodate a few amounts of player per duplicate world or setting. They explained more about the advantages of LMO, but I wasn¡¯t able to catch up. It was hard to decipher the meaning of the words they uttered.


    However, during the entire conversation, I was able to remember a few words like skill points, stamina, health points, rest points, item pack, and level. Although I was familiar with a few terms they spoke of, I couldn¡¯t get myself to believe that it was just a game¡ªat the very least, I was hoping it was just a game.


    While Evelyn and Charles argued back and forth, we arrived at the courtyard. In the end, our conversation was interrupted half-way.


    In any case, the moment we arrived at the courtyard, our sight caught several human figures. From the top of the stair leading down to the courtyard, it seemed they formed into five groups. Males and females were numbered at about the same. Maybe it was because there are two males and two female Heroes.


    ¡°There sure are many.¡± Charles was the first to comment.


    ¡°Sure is.¡± Evelyn followed. ¡°I wonder how many would we need once we head out into the wilderness.¡±


    ¡°A-all of them are willing to risk their lives to join a Hero''s party?¡± The number was nothing to scoff at. At the least, they were around twenty with a few more lining up.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we need every role right now, right?¡± Charles grinned. ¡°We can always search on the go. Who knows? We might end up meeting a special character out there. If we¡¯re lucky, someone from the elves or dwarfs might join.¡±


    ¡°At the least, I¡¯ll get a support from this group, and probably a tank or scout.¡± Likewise, Evelyn smiled. Her eyes began to search the crowd.


    On the other hand, ¡°Err¡­ I don¡¯t think I understand any of this.¡±


    Apparently, the people in the courtyard were grouped based on roles. Namely, vanguard, support, mage, merchant, and scout.


    From what the knights that accompanied us said, it seemed that these roles are named in general. There seemed to be different specialties from within those five roles.


    As an example, the knight explained that a support could vary. A support may function as an all-rounder party member. From basic negotiations to battle, and to simple chores like cooking. A priest seemed to fall into this role.


    The same was true for a mage. But in general, a mage is a person who has the qualifications to read and write¡ªor someone qualified to be a scribe. In addition, a mage was required to know at least three chants from the basic level of the six elements. For those with a slightly higher qualification, one chant from each element of the intermediate level is required.


    A scout was a little vague, but most of the time, they were like supporters. But what made them different is their ability to observe the terrain, honed senses, and the ability to track beasts.


    The vanguard, on the other hand, was simply a front-liner. From their figures from afar, their build was large and was mostly equipped with plated armors. According to the knight, there were defensive types and offensive types.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Lastly, a merchant is a merchant. They specialize in negotiations and information gathering.


    Not long before we were introduced to the five groups that the atmosphere went tense. From then on, they started introducing themselves to us one by one. Each taking a turn from one group to another. In the end, the party selection went smoothly. At least for Clark, Charles, and Evelyn.


    In the end, I wasn¡¯t able to pick. I was too afraid that someone in the group¡ªlike the bishop¡ªknew that I tried to uncover the truth regarding the summoning. What convinced me was the figure of a black-haired man in the distance.


    Is he¡­ watching me? I trembled. My hair stood at its end.


    It felt he was observing me, at the least, that¡¯s what I felt the moment I glanced at his figure. I had no idea who he was, or what he was. But it wasn¡¯t normal for a man to have red slit irises. It was ominous. More so that he vanished the next moment I blinked. Was it just my imagination? Or was he just too fast? I did not know. I did not understand. But at every few minutes or so, his figure would appear¡ªlooking to my direction with a grin¡ªthen vanish like it was nothing.


    In the end, I was not able to focus on listening to the people in the courtyard. I was on edge the whole time that my limbs tensed.


    Myself aside, Charles ended up with a party of two, the priestess excluded. He picked a female scout.


    For some reason, Clark ended up with four. They were all females. Excluding the princess whose role was utterly vague, Clark picked one from each role except for the merchant group.


    On Evelyn¡¯s side, she picked two. One male and one female. The male came from the vanguard group and the female came from the supporter group. It seemed, in the end, she changed her mind in getting a scout first.


    The moment the party selection ended, we were made to split-up in order to converse with our new party members. When they left, I was asked by the knight to try to select at least one party member from the five groups. Because of the knight¡¯s urging, I ended up picking a random priestess. With Talcott hanging around me all the time, I thought having a female around would be reassuring.


    The next events passed by quickly and uneventful. I was led to guest chamber along with Talcott and the priestess to exchange our greetings. There was nothing out of the ordinary, nor was the priestess suspicious in any sort of way.


    When afternoon came¡ªwhile fixedly staring through the window of my chamber¡ªwe were asked to head to the courtyard again. This time, it was to introduce us to the instructors.


    Clark selected the twin-blades instructor. It seemed he was the offensive type.


    Charles took two instructors. One for the bow and one for a long sword.


    Evelyn selected the rapier instructor. Apparently, the instructor was an adventurer from Laurel.


    On my end, I selected the instructor for staves and rods. The moment I picked him, an old man that looked like a sage, he was overjoyed. Apparently, staves and rods were diminishing in numbers. It wasn¡¯t due to their scarcity, but due to the shift in preferences.


    From what I have heard from him, a mage nowadays preferred a dagger or a short sword. Especially in Academia and in Laurel, mages carrying staves and rods were extremely rare. However, back in the days, staves and rods were the usual weapons for mages.


    The main reason was the advent of shards. Or the so-called era of Shards and Crystals.


    Staves and rods functioned similarly to mana stabilizers¡ªwhich were now made into small metallic rings mixed with mithril. However, since they were usually made of wood, they were cheaper than the rings. Other than that, Libet had a variety of trees that allowed mana stabilization near the snow-capped mountains to the north. But since Laurel had a mine for mithril¡ªand the fact that Academia found a way to mix mithril with tin¡ªthe prices eventually dropped. That is to say, to Laurel and Academia.


    That aside, it was harder to identify a mage out in the field if they used a sword or a dagger. This made bandits, who lacked the knowledge to chant offensive magic, wary of blindly assaulting a group of merchants or adventurers.


    Usually, the staves and rods were replaced by accessories such as bracelets and necklaces. Some used earrings and piercings. Some anklets and some embedded it in their gloves. Or in case someone is wealthy, or in the military, they used a sword or dagger equipped with shards.


    The mage instructor kept on speaking non-stop. He vigorously declared that the old way has its charms and would always be the original. But he didn¡¯t deny the advantages of following the trend of shards.


    I tried suggesting embedding a shard on staves and rods, and he replied that it was possible. But he was against placing the shards near the head of rods or staves. It was too dangerous if the shards or crystals ended up cracking or breaking when it was used to smash an opponent.


    By the time he ended his speech, which made me utterly exhausted, I returned to my chamber. Various encounters happened in a single day that I immediately jumped on the bed. By the time I was pressing my face onto the pillow, I started chanting Clairvoyance.


    Once I finished, I closed my eyes. Then shortly, my view changed. Immediately, I started searching around the castle for entrances and exits. Next, I moved from the main spire into the moat surrounding the castle. One time. Two. Three. I took laps around the castle, trying to memorize its structure until the duration ran out.


    By the morning of the next day, I used Clairvoyance. When night came, Clairvoyance. And so in the next day. And the next. And the next.


    At each passing day, my mana capacity grew slightly larger. It seemed that the more I used my Blessing, the more my soul would merge with it. Along with that, my abilities increased. My handling of magic increased as well. The mana consumption decreased too.


    When I realized that, I felt a sense of guilt. My instructor, for more than twenty years of studying magic, had lower mana capacity than I. Even more so than the number of magic I was capable of using. But in terms of experience and technical know-how, I immediately lost.


    However, the thought of him studying years of magic¡ªfrom basic chanting to studying and memorizing the structure of the inscriptions¡ªwas overwhelming. But all of that years he spent studying was nothing compared the blessing I had. All of those years he spent studying, I acquired it all, if not more, in just a day. Or more accurately, the moment I was summoned.


    The Blessing was a cheat. It was too good to be true. Far too good and far out of the ordinary.


    It made me think there was a catch in it. No, it definitely has.


    As the days went by, Charles, Clark, and Evelyn still thought it was a game. I tried telling them through writing, but it was no use. The ink vanished the moment the tip of the quill brushed against the paper. However, I was able to gain something new. At times, they needed to enter a rest point before they could enter a sleep state.


    Lastly, I started to notice¡ªno, I was forced to notice. At times, when using Clairvoyance. That man, black-haired with red-eyes would look to my direction and grin. Sometimes close, sometimes far. But every time I caught sight of him, he would gesture something different.


    The first time was him pointing to himself and then to my direction.


    The second was pointing to his eyes and pointed back to me.


    On the third time, he zipped his ominous smile shut.


    Lastly, on the last day I used Clairvoyance, he slid his thumb across his neck.


    It was easy to comprehend. It only meant one thing. My life would end if I would not keep my mouth shut.


    <hr>


    ¡°I want to return.¡± My answer was obvious. ¡°I must return. But I don¡¯t want to use the people¡¯s lives for it. My father, grandma, and my friends won¡¯t be happy with it¡ªI think.¡±

 Chapter 59: A Heros Answer 6

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elaine answered with a bright smile. ¡°I have officially received your response, Hero Meiko. I¡¯m sure Sister could find a way.¡±


    Mola, in the entire time, was tense and quiet. She never expected Elaine to receive Meiko¡¯s reply in Amelia¡¯s stead. Since, in the first place, she was never informed. It all came to her as a surprise.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°Lia¡¯s little sister huh?¡±


    ¡°Stop there, Kanna.¡± Mola immediately raised her hand, stopping Kanna from approaching Elaine. ¡°Unlike Her Highness Amelia, you aren¡¯t that acquainted with Her Highness Elaine.¡±


    ¡°Eh? But I was just going to greet Lia¡¯s little sister?¡± Kanna tilted her head. Her orange hair tied in a ponytail followed. ¡°Is something bad about it?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No, nothing.¡± Mola shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    ¡°Then, hello little sis!¡± Kana cheerfully waved at Elaine. To which Elaine returned a gentle wave of her hand. ¡°The name¡¯s Kanna!¡±


    Mola, on the other hand, covered his face with the palm of her hand. ¡°Dimwit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Mola.¡± For her age, Elaine is quite mature in receiving Kanna¡¯s response. ¡°Lady Kanna¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just Kanna is fine. Lia calls me that too.¡±


    ¡°Then Kanna, please tell me more about Sister¡¯s exploits in the Tribe.¡± Just as she was curious with Meiko, she was curious about the events that happened in the Tribe. Though she heard a few from his brother, Argent, she found it lacking.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s share information about Lia!¡± Kanna pumped her fist, seemingly assured of her victory.


    ¡°Yes, let us.¡± Elaine nodded. She thought it was a fair trade, and an opportunity to get close to Amelia¡¯s friend. A friend unbounded by social hierarchy. As a matter of fact, Kanna was Amelia¡¯s first friend when disregarding the difference in their social positions. However, as a different persona, as Mia, it was different.


    ¡°Uhm...¡± Meiko was at a loss for words. She prepared herself for something grand, or maybe a speech of some sort coming from Elaine, but her expectations were betrayed. ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    Elaine brought a finger to her lips. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mola¡¯s eyes shot wide. ¡°There weren¡¯t any orders from Her Highness?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Meiko knitted her brows in silence.


    Elaine shook her head. ¡°None. In truth, Mother was the one who told me to receive Hero Meiko¡¯s response in Sister¡¯s stead. But Mother received Sister¡¯s permission so here I am. Other than that¡­¡± Elaine tilted her head from side to side, recalling the specifics of what Lara told her. ¡°Other than that, there¡¯s no news other than Sister getting ill.¡±


    ¡°Lia got sick?!¡± Kanna asked, but she restrained herself from approaching Elaine.


    ¡°Mother said it was just a slight fever, so it¡¯s okay.¡± Elaine flashed a smile. ¡°Sister has gone through more than just a fever, so she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Kanna sighed in relief. ¡°Then where is Lia now?¡±


    ¡°Sister is...¡± Elaine glanced at Meiko. She was somewhat hesitant to continue.


    ¡°Is there¡­ something wrong? Maybe, I¡¯m not supposed to hear it?¡±


    ¡°No, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡± Elaine bowed her head lightly to Meiko. ¡°I think it¡¯s best not to hide anything from you, Hero Meiko. But please understand what I am to say. Please try to put yourself in Sister¡¯s position before you think anything bad of her.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I-I¡¯ll try.¡± Meiko scratched her cheeks. She was caught unguarded by Elaine¡¯s determined eyes.


    ¡°You see, Sister is currently in Piraeus, a port city. She¡¯ll soon pass through other towns and cities along the coast of Formos.¡± Elaine shifted her sight to the window behind Meiko. ¡°Sister needed to hear out the guilty Nobles and punish them for their actions. But at the least, the head of the Noble houses will surely roll.¡±


    ¡°Death penalty...¡± Meiko muttered.


    ¡°Yes, an execution.¡± Though Elaine was not that well-versed in politics, she understood the penalties for the Nobles that breached the law. ¡°Right now, as per the law¡¯s original punishment, two generations of the noble¡¯s family should be brought to execution. But Sister is there to show leniency to the public. But she probably won¡¯t show that to every guilty Noble.¡±


    ¡°Leniency¡­ Is there no way to just, you know? Arrest them instead and put them in jail? And I think two generations is too much.¡±


    ¡°Right. Just as Mother said, a Heroes ethical and moral sense is different from ours...¡± Elaine frowned and looked at the floor. ¡°But you know? Things can¡¯t go unpunished. More so for people who were entrusted with the power to rule.¡±


    Then she lifted her head. Her eyes wore the same determined flare. It was the same eyes that chased after the fading shadow of her sister.


    ¡°We need to punish the guilty and to quell the people¡¯s desire for revenge. Someone needs to take the public¡¯s hatred. And someone to direct that. Hence, the order for execution from the ones above¡ªfrom us Royals.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong, Hero Meiko.¡± Elaine shook her head. ¡°It might be wrong from the world, the time, or the generation you came from, but this world is different. We don¡¯t have the same custom as yours. We aren¡¯t in the same age as the world you lived in. We don¡¯t share the same history as your world.¡± For a moment, Elaine paused. ¡°Hero Meiko, this is a different world. Please remember you were summoned.¡±


    For a girl this young to easily accept death penalty¡­ Meiko thought. But then again, she was reminded that this wasn¡¯t the world she was used to. Though she tried to hammer it down inside her mind, she still clung to that tiny piece of rock while hanging from a cliff leading down to the truth.


    ¡°Although you have a point, we can¡¯t immediately follow what you¡¯ve said. There¡¯s a need for proper steps, phases; a transition. But, right now, it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Meiko recalled her escape from Libet.


    Despite the warning from the black-haired man, Meiko continued in trying to inform the others.


    After a few more days of using Clairvoyance to find the shortest route to the southern wall of Issenheim, Meiko trained on using her Blessing. Or more accurately, the magic she ought to use for her escape. During those times, she tried convincing the other Heroes¡ªwho thought everything is just a mere game¡ªthat they were in danger.


    She tried drawing figures, but the result was the same to writing. She also tried charades, but the other three only laughed at her weird and unique movements. Lastly, she tried Telepathy and Wind Whisper, but the messages she sent did not arrive. In the end, it was futile.


    On the 12<sup>th</sup> day of her stay in Issenheim¡¯s castle, Meiko started her escape. The reason was the black-haired man. The man was directly looking at Meiko through Clairvoyance. And his figure, vanishing and reappearing, had gradually approached Meiko¡¯s chamber.


    The moment she realized it, she trembled. She had already been enduring the creepy man¡¯s grin on a day to day basis. Yet now, it came to approach her.


    She panicked. She tumbled. She rose from her bed, and as fast as she could, she opened the windows. The moment she opened the window, a breeze of the cold and dark night brushed her long black hair. On her back was a leather bag. It contained her treasured kimono and her wooden sandals.


    Biting her lips, she scaled the window and stood at its edge. Then with tears peeking from the side of her tightly closed eyes and quivering legs, she jumped. The window was located at about four stories high, so she was afraid of her legs breaking and bones rupturing out of her skin. However, just as she prepared herself from the days that passed, she chanted a spell before she reached the ground.


    Manifest, Air Cushion!


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    A gust of wind howled. Gradually, her descent slowed, and her feet reached the ground without problems. But her heart was pounding. It was palpitating.


    ¡°Ahaha. I¡¯m alive.¡± Meiko released a strained laugh. Numerous beads of sweat peered from her pores. She thought it was the end for her if she failed to finish the chant before she reached the ground. Or maybe, she would end up as a disabled.


    [Want to play? Hide and Seek it is.] A somewhat childish voice of a boy rang inside her mind.


    Meiko, reminded of her pursuer, urged her stiff legs.


    Come on! Come on! Move!


    Rather than taking the next step, she fell on the ground. She couldn¡¯t help it. It felt she was on a suicide job just from jumping from the window. Nevertheless, she crawled. She grasped the weeds growing in the garden she ended up falling onto.


    Reach it! Reach the wall!


    Gradually, her stiff legs loosened, and as immediate as she could, she stood up to a sprint. Almost falling back to the ground, she adjusted her center of gravity. Upon turning left to the hedge she passed by, her bare feet touched the cold pavement. Following the path, she soon turned to the south.


    In her mind, she memorized it. The layout of the castle, and Issenheim¡¯s gate to the south.


    Approaching the first wall, Meiko began chanting. When her fingers tapped on the stone slab of the wall, her lips parted.


    Manifest, Short Transfer!


    In the blink of an eye, Meiko vanished. Her figure reappeared about five meters away from the eight-meter wide moat surrounding the castle. She chose to use transfer rather than scaling the walls due to the active Guards roaming the wall¡¯s ramparts. In addition, it would be hard to get permission to pass through the gates. After all, she was escaping.


    Slightly dizzy from the sudden change of her surroundings, Meiko held her head in place. ¡°Ugh...¡±


    [¡ªFive. Four. Three.]


    The young voiced echoed in her ears. It made Meiko snap from her dizziness. With her chest heaving due to her deep breaths, she resumed her escape. She ran through the quiet, lamp-lit streets as fast as she could. However, she didn¡¯t use any magic to increase her speed.


    Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t.


    She convinced herself not to use any.


    A few minutes. I need to recover more mana in a few minutes!


    Based on what she saw during her scouting, it was too hard to climb the second wall. In addition, the wall was thicker than the first she passed through. And to get through it, she decided to use another Short Transfer. And to be able to do so, she needed to recover a few more mana. After all, it was the easiest and surest way of passing through the wall.


    [¡ªOne. Here I come.]


    Meiko held her breath. She urged her searing legs to move faster than her limit. ¡°No, no, no!¡±


    Weaving through the few residents awake at that time of the day, Meiko ran. Her throat began to dry, yet she ran. Her lungs longed for rest, but she ignored it. Her heartbeat was about two-three times faster than her cycle of steps.


    [Peek-a-boo!] The man, or now a boy, peeked from the hands covering the sides of his fair skin. He stood in the path Meiko was about to take.


    ¡°¡­!¡± Meiko squeezed out her voice, but nothing came out. However, since she couldn¡¯t reduce her speed too suddenly, she tried to tackle the boy. Fortunately for her, the boy took a step to the side and let her pass.


    In the eyes of the witnesses, it was only Meiko running through the streets. Or in this case, a black-haired girl. The figure of the boy that stepped aside and gave a path to Meiko was never seen.


    It was only Meiko and Meiko alone that saw and heard the boy. An illusion only known to Meiko.


    After a few more minutes of running, Meiko eventually reached the second wall. Without hesitation, she used Short Transfer and was able to escape Issenheim. Nonetheless, she kept running, or more likely, walked in a hurried pace.


    ¡°Hhaaah¡­ Hhaaah...¡± She was exhausted. The cold air of the night felt like the cool sensation of mint as it passed through her lungs. No sooner than later, her cheeks embraced the moist grass. Then gradually, her consciousness faded.


    A few seconds later, a clap came from nowhere. In the next moment, a limited Dimension Lock began to cover her body. In an instant, Meiko vanished from sight. Her scent, her presence, and the depression she left on the grass were all gone.


    Meiko never knew that the man, or boy, had nothing to do with Libet. But she never questioned it. She couldn¡¯t due to fear and the lack of information.


    The church and the Angels never thought of driving Meiko away. To them, it was but a fool¡¯s errand. A folly. Even though they knew that Meiko had a hint of the truth behind the Blessing and the summoning, they did not care. For they knew, it was impossible to pass the truth behind the Blessing. And if they able to, they could silence the Hero from within their stronghold.


    But someone passed underneath their noses. Someone interrupted their plans and drove Meiko away. But at the same time, the Angels were pleased. Meiko kept on using her Blessing. And if she kept on using it to escape, to save herself, and to find her way home, it won¡¯t be too long before it happened. For a God to take root in the vessel called Meiko.


    By the time Meiko woke up, she was surprised that she was unharmed. But rather than bothering on knowing how it happened, she continued her escape. Down south, she continued to travel, but now, wearing the wooden sandals she kept inside her bag.


    During her escape, she often manifested a ball of water to quench her thirst. And with an illusion to change her appearance, she bought food from stalls in the towns and villages she passed by. She made use of the coins she kept. It was the coins given to them as Heroes. Twenty large coppers, five silvers, and two gold coins.


    Although she was able to escape from Issenheim, Meiko was unhappy. She was burdened even. She was alone. Without a person to talk to or to lean to, she naturally cried herself to sleep at night. At times, she recited the names of her father and grandmother. Included among those were her close friends. She feared she might forget them the longer she stayed in Origin.


    During her travels to the border of Libet and Brent, she found it odd that a lot of children were working at an early age. In Meiko¡¯s eyes, they were more capable of being a Hero than her. They could take the harsh lash of life and stand firm.


    Compared to me¡­ I¡¯m too weak¡­


    Meiko accepted that as a fact. She was weak. Her will is not strong enough to be a Hero. To be someone who should shoulder a great amount of responsibility.


    What is a Hero? The thought ran through her mind over and over, but no answer came.


    By the time she crossed the border between Brent and Libet with the easy-to-use Short Transfer, things got heated up. Rumors ran through every town and villages she passed by. The rumors indicated that a Hero was working in incognito. Of course, Meiko immediately understood. They were hiding the fact she escaped.


    I wonder how the others are doing¡­


    Not long before that, the guards from the towns and villages became active. At times, paladins joined the gate guards in inspecting the people entering and leaving through the gates.


    Too fast¡­ Meiko started to worry. Or maybe I was just too slow¡­


    Although Meiko was able to scout a portion of Issenheim, she knew nothing beyond the walls. And even with the help of Clairvoyance, she needed a day to scout ahead before deciding her path. She tried to complement her memorization with a map she bought from merchants, but the map was inaccurate.


    From then on, day by day, she ran. She was chased by paladins, by knights, and sometimes, by adventurers. She had no one to help her. Even the merchants are out there to swindle a few coins or sell information about her. Everyone was her enemy.


    Soon, she found a group of refugees traveling to the border of Brent and Laurel. And from what she heard, the church had almost no influence in the kingdom of Laurel. It was her respite. Her hope. The last light in the dark clouds that loomed over her day.


    And so, without hesitation, she disguised herself as one of the refugees. It was then she was caught in a trap. A trap that gradually tried to break down her sanity.


    The trap was simple. Poison the refugees and make Meiko treat them. Rinse and repeat. Meiko¡ªbeing an ordinary girl she is¡ªnaturally treated the refugees. She couldn¡¯t bear seeing the refugees who already lost their home and family to suffer even more. And lastly, knowing that she was the only one capable of treating them as of the moment, she borrowed strength from the title unfitting of her. The title of a Hero.


    To Beatrice¡¯s side, the plan was flawless. Though it was a vague order to make Meiko use as much as magic as possible, she followed.


    It was then the unpredictable happened. A Princess rescuing a Hero.


    [Hero Meiko, I don¡¯t know what Blessing you have, but think. There should be a magic to dispel a slave collar.] While Amelia was muttering harsh words to Meiko, she subsequently used Wind Whisper. It was Amelia¡¯s gamble in predicting the Blessing Meiko had.


    Meiko, trembling from the dagger pressed against her neck, did not know what Amelia meant.


    A slave collar? Why? She thought, forgetting to reply with Wind Whisper.


    [If you can¡¯t, control your mana. Compress it around your neck. Avoid letting your mana touch the slave collar. If that¡¯s too much for you, try making a string of mana. It doesn¡¯t matter where the magic circle is located. Just lash the string around the collar. If you¡¯re lucky, you might be able to scratch the magic circle and deactivate it.]


    Amelia knew it was extremely hard to string mana around the neck for ordinary humans. Especially without the help of a high purity mana stabilizer. But she hoped. She wished that Meiko could do it. If not, she¡¯s good as dead.


    By the time Amelia left, Meiko slumped herself on the ground. Her mind was blank, but she no longer had an option for herself. And so she asked Beatrice to return her to Libet.


    Beatrice, wary of Amelia¡¯s actions, and knowing that she no longer had the time to dilly-dally around the settlement, agreed.


    Before the next day came, she realized what Amelia meant. It was none other than the black collar Beatrice latched around her neck. And when Beatrice locked it in place, she began following Beatrice¡¯s order like a doll.


    It was unbelievable for her at first, but she endured the pain that tried to rob her of her consciousness. Along the way, while she was rocked by the horse¡¯s movements, Meiko concentrated on her mana.


    After Kanna and Birby cleaned up Beatrice¡¯s Observers, Meiko was successful in stringing her mana and deactivating the collar. Although there was a specific magic to deactivate the collar, Meiko couldn¡¯t speak, much less chant.


    From then on, Meiko began to recover. But the series of events left a deep impression on her mind. She could not stand up and declare that everything was fine.


    However, upon hearing Kanna¡¯s story about Amelia, Meiko recalled the face of the girl that brought a dagger to her neck. By any means, she was saved by her, but the first impression she got was not pleasant.


    Other than that, Young. She¡¯s younger than me and she was already able to do this much¡­


    Meiko was overwhelmed. Amelia was younger than Meiko by three years, but Amelia already had numerous achievements that dizzied her.


    Just how? Meiko knew a tad about magic. Her knowledge came from her instructor. And she knew. She knew how hard it was to maintain an illusion. Even harder if it was utterly close to reality. Other than that, having the knowledge about the element it required, she understood that Amelia¡¯s mana capacity was far from the norm.


    Her handling of the dagger. Her movements¡­ it¡¯s too far removed for a Princess.


    As Kanna continued to boast about Amelia, Meiko gradually realized that it took Amelia a full five years to attain what she had. Of course, it was complimented with the use of her authority and connections.


    At the age of nine¡­ Too young¡­


    Those same words came to mind when she faced Elaine.


    Although she¡¯s a bit late, Elaine is¡­ trying to catch up?


    It was obvious at a glance. Elaine¡¯s eyes. It contained the shadow of Amelia.


    ¡°That aside, I think it¡¯d be best if you go with Mola to Academia. Sister would be heading there anyway.¡± Then Elaine returned to her innocent smile. ¡°But before that, can you tell me about the other Heroes?¡±

 Chapter 60: This and That 1

    ¡°Ugh¡­ H-how long are we going to stay here?¡± Hilda said weakly with a pallid face. She was lying on a wooden bed with her forearm covering her eyes.


    ¡°Maybe in a few hours,¡± Kasta replied, sitting on the bedside next to Hilda. ¡°Her Highness is in the city and the preparations are in progress.¡±


    Kasta¡ªalong with his comrades, Hilda¡¯s family, the slaves, and a few men ordered by Maxwell¡ªremained on the sea of Formos. They were a few hours away from the ports of Piraeus.


    Now Hilda, who was just an ordinary village girl, had never been aboard a ship. To put simply, she had been seasick.


    In any case, they were not in the same ship that Maxwell lent. Before they crossed the maritime boundary, their first ship hoisted a courtesy flag of Brent and the flag of Brent¡¯s royalty.


    This was unexpected of Brent. At least, that was what the naval patrols thought. And since the ship was hoisting the flag of Brent¡¯s royalty, they could not demand a thorough inspection. Having no other choice, the patrols simply questioned the ship¡¯s reason for crossing the border. And their answer was,


    ¡°Gifts from His Highness Maxwell for the recent success on the diplomatic alliance. As well as the betrothal between His Highness Argent and Her Highness Clarissa. From what we were informed, Her Highness Amelia would be able to confirm this.¡±


    And so the Navy sent a messenger to Amelia, who had recently arrived in Piraeus.


    Amelia, surprised of the unexpected ship from Brent, mulled over the reason for a few hours. Tracing the fact that she sent Kasta, and the fact that Maxwell returned to Brent several days ago, she concluded it was indeed Maxwell¡¯s ploy.


    And thus Amelia sent a messenger back, confirming the identity of the ship.


    However, since she was busy in partly managing Piraeus due to the lack of a Lord¡ªand the fact that the temporary lord sent by Diane was not accustomed to Piraeus yet¡ªshe made Maize handle the situation. Her orders were simply,


    ¡°Time their disembarkation with the announcement of the Lord¡¯s execution.¡±


    Maize immediately understood.


    They were going to use the announcement to direct the public¡¯s attention. Because in truth, even though slaves were forbidden in Laurel, the people¡¯s disgust and wariness towards a different race remained. It was not something that would easily vanish in a few generations. More so if they were not actively living side by side with non-humans.


    To achieve what Amelia wanted, Maize made Kasta and the others transfer into a ship borrowed by Amelia¡¯s Guards. It was a move that would reduce suspicion once the ship reached the port.


    Knock! Knock!


    ¡°Kasta, it¡¯s time to leave.¡± It was one of Kasta¡¯s comrades.


    Facing the closed door, ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be there in a few moments,¡± Kasta replied. Then turning to Hilda, he found her with a slight smile.


    ¡°Finally...¡±


    Kasta chuckled. ¡°Good for you.¡±


    At that moment, Kasta seemed like a father to Hilda.


    <hr>


    With the recent heat dying down, the progress of Amelia¡¯s cleanup was proceeding smoothly. One by one, she tackled the tasks from management down to the transfer of the fief to the next lord.


    With the new Lord in line singing thanks and praises for the transfer of the fief, Amelia kept a constant distance.


    ¡°Ah, your Highness, maybe you would like to meet my son? He¡¯s quite skilled in several areas.¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me.¡± Amelia flashed a wry smile. ¡°There are still several workloads I have to handle, and so, if not for the constraint in time, I would have liked to meet your son.¡±


    This was never new to Amelia. In truth, she had been too accustomed to such dialogues that she found it tiring. However, it was not a talk she could avoid unless she was betrothed. Which is why she had been enduring.


    It would have been easier to outright deny and inform the other party that she was not interested in marriage as of the moment. But Amelia kept this form of situation. It was something along stringing around hopeful nobles aiming for her royal blood. To tame them, and to curry their favor once in a while.


    It was quite a task, but it was something she must do. After all, needlessly creating enemies within her home is undesirable. Much more that she was now uncovering the truth behind the church.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    After a day, the announcement of the Lord¡¯s execution commenced.


    Amelia stood on a platform with a black dress. Around her, in Piraeus¡¯s plaza, countless people attended. Their reasons varied, but the most prominent reasons were Amelia¡¯s attendance and the announcement itself.


    ¡°My people.¡± Amelia roamed her eyes in the crowd, hinting a tinge of sorrow. ¡°I lament to inform you, but we were not able to retrieve the missing people.¡±


    Naturally, the mood turned sour. The villagers transferred into Piraeus were especially downtrodden.


    ¡°I did not know their names, nor their faces¡­ But they too are my people, my family from a different mother and father.¡±


    Amelia clasped her necklace for a moment and closed her eyes. Soon enough, a tear ran across her cheek. They were genuine tears. However, the tears she shed were not only due to the loss of her people. It included the loss of a few of her Guards and the grave sin she would soon commit.


    ¡°I did not wish for battles¡ªfor the lives of my people to be needlessly lost. But they did not care. They were selfish and ignorant of the ordinary people¡¯s wishes. To live a stable and peaceful life.¡±


    And so her vying for sympathy continued. Little by little, she grabbed the people¡¯s attention, condensed it, and fleshed out their hatred. And while the smolders of hatred grew, gradually¡ªwithout a direct mention of Libet and the church¡ªshe directed it. Towards the fools who sided with the church and brought a disaster to their own home.


    During Amelia¡¯s announcement, just as planned, Kasta and the others disembarked on the port. As soon as they alighted the ship, they were led by Amelia¡¯s Guards to the prepared carriages. From then on, they started traveling towards the Duchy.


    Along with them, unsurprisingly, were gifts from Maxwell. They were composed mostly of dresses for both Amelia and his sister Clarissa.


    <hr>


    A week after the announcement of the execution of Piraeus¡¯s Lord, Tineva, Amelia arrived on the third and last city along the coasts of Formos.


    The Lord of the third city was somewhat new. And according to the reports Amelia received during her stay in Tervin¡¯s dukedom, the Lord had committed mismanagement and plunder. Adding up that the Lord had secret ties with the church, Amelia brought down the original punishment to the Lord¡¯s family.


    Though ruthless the decision was, it was a good example to the Nobles who might have ties with Libet and the church.


    On the other hand, during that week, Amelia had been visiting the Tree of Origin. And during that course of the week, she noticed a slight change in her body. It was her ability to remain in a normal condition despite the lack of sleep. In addition, due to the numerous tasks she had been tackling, her food consumption has decreased. However, still, her body remained normal.


    She had begun to notice these changes after she looked at herself in the mirror. There and then she noticed that the buds that were growing on her horn had slightly grown. In her mind, maybe in about a month or two, the buds would start to bloom. Then maybe, in about half a year, the petals would start to fall.


    And then... I¡¯ll become immortal.


    Immortal in a sense of age. Body regeneration, or cell reconstruction.


    In a different place, someone else shares her thoughts.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be too long before it starts huh.¡±


    It was none other than Celestia.


    ¡°About a year then,¡± Fenrir replied, curled around as usual. ¡°But don¡¯t expect everything to proceed well. At worst, you¡¯d appear and take the life of that girl.¡±


    ¡°Meiko.¡± Celestia gazed on the Tree of Origin while sitting on the twisted-tree-bench she prepared before. ¡°You don¡¯t have to refer to her as that girl. Even if she became a God¡¯s vessel, she still has her original soul within her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a habit. But needless to say, that girl would become someone else once the God manifests. So it isn¡¯t that far off to refer to that girl as that.¡±


    ¡°Then refer to that girl as simply Meiko, and the God that tampered with her body as Nesoi.¡±


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve already deduced the name of the God?¡±


    ¡°I tampered with her mind a tiny bit.¡± Celestia smiled. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect someone to force himself in trying to manipulate that girl¡¯s mind.¡±


    ¡°Someone is breaking the pact huh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing new.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    In several occasions, a few Divines had already perished for breaking the pact. In a somewhat lucky occasion, the hunt for those who broke the pact happened on a different continent. And therefore, there were no traces of those battles in Randia.


    ¡°But what do you plan on doing? Would you inform the other divines?¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. This time, it¡¯s an Ancient¡¯s doing. But if I dig deeper, maybe I¡¯ll find out who is pulling the strings. However, right now, I have my hands full.¡±


    Heroes to observe, pests trying to enter Origin¡¯s atmosphere from space, Tree of Origin¡¯s growth, additional protection on Charon, acting as an Overseer for the divines and several more. It was all on Celestia¡¯s plate.


    ¡°Anyway, how is she faring?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ As a human, she¡¯s doing quite well.¡±


    ¡°As a Divine?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s very little progress.¡± Fenrir lifted his head and gazed at Celestia. ¡°Her progress would have been better if you would tell her the truth.¡±


    ¡°That would be the least convenient.¡± Celestia frowned.


    ¡°Inconvenient in what way?¡± Fenrir sat up. ¡°In my eyes, teaching her what mana is, what magic is, and how Origin works is the most convenient method for her to progress as a Divine.¡±


    ¡°I want her to learn it by herself. I don¡¯t want her to hear everything from me. There¡¯s no effort and learning in that. At best, I¡¯ll give her hints.¡±


    ¡°She won¡¯t learn anything if she dies.¡± Fenrir shot a glance on Celestia, trying gauge her reason behind the minimal information she was passing to Amelia. ¡°Sometimes, I really don¡¯t understand how you think. But mark my words, she won¡¯t be able to match up to those Angels alone¡ªnot with the progress she¡¯s showing.¡±


    ¡°True, she won¡¯t be able to live after a fight of that scale.¡±


    ¡°Then why? Weren¡¯t you glad that would finally have someone to treat as your daughter without reservations?¡±


    Celestia shook her head. ¡°I am. From the bottom of my being, I am thoroughly glad Amelia came into existence. But unless she had accepted everything, I shouldn¡¯t let myself be too elated.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Fenrir kept silent.


    ¡°Because, who knows? Maybe after everything is over, and after everyone she treasured dies, she might end herself. In the least occasion, have me end it for her.¡±


    ¡°The concept of life and death of mortals...¡±


    ¡°Even Elena refused to attain immortality, much less grow her horn.¡± A tinge of sorrow left Celestia with a slight smile. ¡°And so, giving her hints, and tickling her curiosity to unravel the truth, might give her a reason to continue living once her job as Princess Amelia is over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ quite a tightrope.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than having me end her life.¡±


    For some unknown reason, Celestia assumed the worst case.


    But she knew. Celestia knew that Amelia would be interested beyond the six main elements of magic.


    ¡°Aether or Erebus? I wonder which she would be able to utilize once she reaches maturity.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking for too much?¡± Fenrir worried. ¡°Utilizing a phenomenon outside of Origin¡¯s capability. That¡¯s beyond us Divines other than you.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? She might be able to.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe in a millennium or so.¡±

 Chapter 61: This and That 2

    ¡°Do you have everything you need?¡± Mola asked. In her hands were two leather sacks.


    In turn, Meiko replied, ¡°I don¡¯t have that much stuff with me, except for my clothes. So I guess I¡¯m all set. But...¡±


    Meiko turned around. There she saw Kanna. However, unlike her usual cheerful self, she simply stood at the center of the room with her back facing the window.


    ¡°Kanna, are you really not coming?¡± Meiko frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mei.¡± Kanna shook her head, her countenance apologetic. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for Lia here. With Birby and the two other Enarfs and White-tails.¡±


    ¡°Are you not really coming?¡± Mola asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t Her Highness told you to come to Academia?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lia said that in the letter, right? But I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll wait for her here. Because I think Lia needs me more than Mei right now. It may sound weird, but it¡¯s the truth. I feel uneasy. No, I¡¯m really worried. There¡¯s something happening out there, to Lia, and I have no idea what it is. But I¡¯m sure, Lia needs me right now.¡±


    Kanna turned to the window. Her silence indicated that she would not budge.


    Mola was taken aback by Kanna¡¯s serious tone. The same was true for Meiko.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Mola scrunched her eyebrows. She placed the leather sacks to the side of the room. ¡°It was an order from Her Highness, right? Why are you going against it? Are you just playing dumb again?¡±


    ¡°Wait, Mola, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Kanna interrupted Meiko. ¡°True, Mola, it¡¯s logical to follow orders from someone higher than you. But that¡¯s what you are used to, right? In the Tribe, though we have Chiefs¡ªLia included among those¡ªwe value everyone¡¯s opinions. And because of that, we respect everyone¡¯s decision.¡±


    ¡°Then what purpose does the Chiefs have?¡±


    ¡°To direct everyone, guide them to a better day. Or in times of emergency, be the people to lead the residents to safety. That¡¯s simply it. Nothing more, nothing less. It¡¯s just a title, a position that can be used in emergencies. And in some cases, a few special privileges. But at the end of the day, we value skill more than the position.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know that much.¡±


    ¡°Mola¡­ I think you should stop.¡± Meiko understood. It was Mola¡¯s nature to look down on others far less intelligent than her.


    ¡°Mei, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll sort out Mola¡¯s misunderstanding.¡± Kanna looked straight at Meiko¡¯s eyes. Then she turned to Mola with an irritated expression.


    [You know, Mola, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m a big idiot or something.] Suddenly, Kanna spoke in the language of the Dwarfs. [But let me prove to you that I¡¯m not what you think I am. It¡¯s just that our field of specialization is different.] This time, it was the language of the Elves.


    Mola listened in silence. It was the first time Kanna spoke to Mola in either the Dwarfs or the Elves language.


    ¡°Do you really think someone as dumb as me could speak three languages fluently?¡± And obviously, it was the language of humans. ¡°And Mola, our environment is different. I lived in Alabaster, flying around on the backs of different wyverns. In some cases, hunting dragons.¡±


    ¡°Kanna, you too. This won¡¯t do any of you good.¡± Meiko inched closer to Kanna.


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    ¡°I scout half of Alabaster by myself. I reduce the number of beasts now and then so they won¡¯t explode in numbers. I tame beasts that are useful to the Tribe, but it¡¯s true. I¡¯m not that good with magic. But I too can feel spirits like the Elves, you know? Maybe, someday, I¡¯ll be able to form a contract with one and might even best you in a single element.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Fine, I give up.¡± Mola sighed. Then she turned towards the sacks in surrender. ¡°You¡¯ve proved your point. And I¡¯m sorry for thinking you¡¯re dumb.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not done yet!¡± Kanna lashed.


    Wide-eyed, Mola turned around. Meiko, on the other hand, hurried to Kanna and held your shoulders.


    ¡°Kanna, it¡¯s okay now. Please make peace with Mola. It¡¯s just a small issue.¡± A wry smile was plastered on Meiko¡¯s face.


    Despite Meiko¡¯s actions, Kanna peeked from Meiko¡¯s side and took a step forward. In response, Meiko gave way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it! You¡¯ve been with Lia for quite some time, but you still don¡¯t get it! Position this position that! Do really think Lia cares that much about social hierarchy?!¡±


    It was like Kanna erupting from her pent-up anger. At that point, Meiko thought it would be best for Kanna to let it all out.


    ¡°I hate how most of you humans think!¡± Kanna pointed at Mola. ¡°Why can¡¯t everyone just see Lia as Lia! Not someone to be revered! Or a trophy to grab! I do get that Lia¡¯s position is something special! But! But can¡¯t you look beyond her royalty?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?!¡± Mola couldn¡¯t take it. She thought Kanna was wrongly accusing her of something she did not do. After all, there was nothing wrong with her treating Amelia as her superior.


    ¡°Nothing! Nothing is wrong with it! But do you really think that¡¯s what Lia needs most?! No! Lia is just a child like everyone else! It¡¯s something so simple but why can¡¯t any of you see that?!¡± Kanna ruffled her hair in frustration.


    ¡°Hah, as if you know her than most of the people in the Duchy!¡±


    ¡°I do! Way more than anyone else here in fact!¡±


    ¡°Then prove it!¡± Mola balled her hands and took a step forward. ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know about Her Highness!¡±


    ¡°Lia is stubborn! Way too stubborn! She keeps on prioritizing her position more than herself! She¡¯s aiming for the ideal ruler! Ruthless to her enemies but kind to her allies and people!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her job, isn¡¯t it? it¡¯s natural for her to do that! She¡¯s a Royal after all!¡±


    ¡°Then what about her brother Mark?! That dunce who just spend his days lavishing around!¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I can¡¯t refute.¡± Mola took a step backward.


    ¡°See?! Not all Royals would want to prioritize their people before their self! And more than that! Lia is so easy! But everyone else thinks she¡¯s someone very difficult to reach!¡±


    ¡°And what makes you think that?¡±


    Kanna caught her breath for a moment. ¡°You see, if you approach Lia while disregarding her position, she would easily let her guard down. Then, even though she says a few harsh words, you have to remain persistent. You could take it as Lia¡¯s unconscious defensiveness while measuring your true intent. If your intent isn¡¯t harmful, she¡¯ll let you approach even closer.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m surprised you know this much. But I can¡¯t verify all this. Besides, I still don¡¯t get the point why you¡¯re telling me this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a tamer, I observe patterns in different kinds of beasts. And Lia¡¯s actions is not that far from one.¡± Kanna smiled. The previous anger seemed to have abated. ¡°Be Lia¡¯s friend, Mola.¡± Then she turned to Meiko. ¡°You too, Mei.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll try,¡± Meiko responded.


    ¡°And what does that have to do with anything?¡± Mola scrunched her eyebrows, puzzled.


    ¡°Mola, have you met Lia between the age of seven to nine?¡±


    Mola shook her head. ¡°No, but I heard a few rumors. But rumors from then can¡¯t be trusted. So I guess you could tell that I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Lia from back then is several levels different from now. But I guess the largest difference is the shell she grew up with, and the claws and fangs she now bears. But back then, she¡¯s just an ordinary girl. A typical, cute, silly, and clumsy girl.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t anything convincing.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? But you see, even now, you may see glimpses of that childish girl. Because, deep inside, she¡¯s still in there, that small girl she used to be. Lia can be silly. You¡¯ll be surprised at how she acts in the Tribe. Especially that time when she was offered those fried beetle larvae. She refused to take it by excessively trying to swat it away! In a few times, she tried to act like a cute granddaughter around Garfin. But afterward, she felt a bit guilty so she was trying not to do that anymore.¡± Kanna sniffled a laugh.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all far removed, right? I can see that too. Ever since we left the Tribe, it felt like Lia returned to her shell. At least, that¡¯s what she displays in public. But believe me, if you get a glimpse of her genuine smile, you might think what I¡¯ve said is true. You might even start acting childish around her once you see it!¡±


    ¡°I still think that¡¯s only true for your case, Kanna,¡± Meiko commented.


    ¡°True,¡± Mola added.


    ¡°¡­ You two, come here.¡± Kanna cracked her fingers.


    ¡°As if!¡± Grabbing the leather sacks, Mola took off.


    ¡°Ah, wait!¡± Meiko tried to run away, but,


    ¡°Mei!¡± Kanna jumped on Meiko and caught her from the back.


    ¡°W-wait! It was a slip, Kanna! My tongue slipped! I didn¡¯t mean that!¡±


    Afterwards, something painful happened.

 Chapter 62: By Kannas Side 1

    I heaved a sigh. ¡°Erina, I keep telling you, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Like the usual, Erina sat opposite me in the carriage.


    It has been three days since I arrived in the third city for the Lord¡¯s punishment. Although it was faster than it had been when I was in Piraeus, it was convenient. Or to say, just as what I have expected. All because the delegate Mother sent was given enough time to sort things out before I arrived.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken a word, Amelia.¡± In a manner befitting of her position as a maidservant, she sat with her hands on her knees.


    ¡°Your gaze is enough to tell me, you know?¡± I leaned my head beside the window, watching the scenery pass by. ¡°Besides, you were able to check my condition every time you need to give me a wash. Isn¡¯t that enough proof to you that my body is fine?¡±


    Erina had been worried. Since my sleep has been cut from the usual eight hours, down to three to four hours, Erina began to wonder about my health. The fact that she was calling me by my name instead of ¡®Her Highness¡¯ was proof.


    ¡°The signs or symptoms may not be visible in the early stages, Amelia,¡± unsmiling, she said. ¡°It would best be cautious and prepared once you suddenly knock yourself unconscious.¡±


    Again, I sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t faint. Or at the least, I haven¡¯t felt that I would faint recently.¡±


    Me fainting on my own wasn¡¯t a rare case. Or should have been.


    It started out when I was nine to ten years old. During those times, I was juggling magic study, basic physical movements, politics, land management, and several more. However, since I wasn¡¯t back to full health, and the fact that I was severely ill after Grandfather¡¯s death, me fainting from time to time was uncommon.


    At that time, I was reprimanded by not Erina alone, but by Mother and Father. But Erina gave me the most number of lectures.


    And currently, the gaze she shot me back then, was similar to the gaze she was giving me.


    ¡°Anyway, were almost there.¡± By that time, I sighted a large river-fed moat. Across it was several structures of stone. Either reinforced by metals or wood.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Erina closed her eyes and smiled.


    This, at the least, is where we could rest at ease. My fief, the Duchy.


    <hr>


    The moment I alighted the carriage, my sight was greeted by familiar faces.


    ¡°Welcome back, Amelia.¡± With a wide grin on his face, Father, wearing leather padded silk, approached.


    By his side, Lara greeted similarly.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Father, and Her Royal Highness Lara.¡± I returned a smile. ¡°How was your stay?¡±


    ¡°Nothing to scoff at.¡± Father chuckled.


    ¡°Like always, there are surprises,¡± Lara added.


    Then a lynx ran up to Father¡¯s side. It was wearing a blue coat over its body. [Welcome! Welcome!] Then the lynx placed its paw over its nose, then quickly, a little below its ear. It was Marco.


    ¡°Thanks, Marco.¡± It has been a while since I last saw Marco. ¡°Say, Marco, can we speak later?¡±


    There was something bothering me. And I was sure it had something to do with Father. Because, for all I knew, Marco wasn¡¯t as round as he was back then. Basically, he turned plump.


    [Okay!]


    A little after we exchanged greetings, I excused myself with Marco. We were not that far from Father and Lara, but I made sure I spoke to Marco in a whisper.


    ¡°Marco, you have grown quite a lot.¡±


    [Thanks, Lia!]


    At the least, Marco¡¯s speech was still the same. Butchered as always.


    ¡°No need to thank me.¡± I patted Marco¡¯s head. ¡°You were doing your job properly, right? That¡¯s your reward. But tell me, what can you say about Father?¡±


    [Runs away?]


    In a few seconds, I took a glance at Father, then to Lara. For some reason, when Lara met my eyes, she smiled. And her hand pointed to Father unknowingly.


    I nodded and returned my sight to Marco. ¡°Marco, has Father been giving you a reward?¡±


    [Yes!] Marco readily nodded. [Additional for catching!]


    I knew it.


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    Father acting like always. It was reassuring, but something like this won¡¯t pass through me.


    I leaned closer to Marco¡¯s ear and whispered. ¡°Marco, if you get too fat, you won¡¯t be able to chase down Father. By then, Mother would exchange you for someone else.¡± It was like the sweet words of a devil. ¡°From then on, no more bucket of fishes for you. So don¡¯t let Father deceive you with those tempting fishes.¡±


    [W-wha¡­] Marco froze.


    ¡°Think about it. Eternal supply of fish or a large amount in a limited number of days.¡±


    [W-what should I do, oh great Lia?]


    I was slightly surprised by Marco¡¯s sudden change in the manner of speaking.


    Maybe that was too dire of a situation for Marco?


    ¡°Go on a diet, Marco. Do it. Exercise more and get those limbs and body moving. Lose those fats. For the eternal supply of fish.¡±


    [For the eternal supply of fish.] Marco lifted his trembling paws. [For the eternal supply of fish.] He muttered while glancing at his balled paws.


    At that point, Father¡¯s plans to lose Marco started to crumble. But I did not care. I did not want any more siblings than I already have.


    ¡°Now then.¡± I lifted myself up and dusted my skirt. For a moment, I observed Marco who was mumbling the same words. Taking my leave, I approached Father and Lara. With a smile, I said, ¡°This will reach Mother.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Father frowned.


    ¡°And Father. Regarding the Order of Scales, I refuse.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Your reason?¡± Maybe he knew that Marco¡¯s issue was already a lost cause that he readily accepted the change in topic.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an expert in riding wyverns right now. Aside from that, I have several responsibilities to take care of from here on. But I¡¯ll try to speak with the Tribe if they are willing to lend a hand.¡±


    I¡¯ll take time to train them. My time too will be consumed in the process. I can¡¯t have my time shortened right now.


    Father crossed his arms. ¡°I see. About how long would it take the knights to ride a wyvern?¡±


    ¡°It depends, but first, we¡¯ll need specialized saddles. Other than that¡­ the species of the wyvern in question? Though I knew you were able to retrieve wyvern eggs, I don¡¯t know what kind it is.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s no choice but to rely on the Tribe huh.¡±


    I knitted my brows. ¡°Why are you against it? I¡¯m a chief there, you know? Even at the least, I have some influence there. It won¡¯t be that far-fetched for them to lend a few Enarfs that could give our knights some pointers about wyverns. In addition to that, it might open up trade for tamed beasts.¡±


    ¡°The treaty had only been revived recently.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just stubborn. Even though it was just revived, there¡¯s no harm at all in having a continuous exchange with them. Even now, I¡¯m trying to set up a distillery in the Tribe itself to receive the favor of the Dwarfs.¡±


    ¡°Amelia, there are some things that should be taken one step at a time. Trust must be built from the base and up.¡±


    I heaved a sigh. Isn¡¯t that why we were hiding the fact that the treaty was partly severed from five years ago? And what do you mean trust? Is the Tribe that hard to understand?


    Afterward, Father and I transferred to a private room. We had our discussion there. However, as things were, it was decided that I would be allowed to do as I please. In short, Father gave up in persuading my decision to pass the responsibility of training the Order to someone else.


    Shortly after Father and I ended our discussion, a servant told me that someone wished to meet me.


    ¡°Is it from the merchant¡¯s side? Maybe Tineva¡¯s child? Or maybe Hilda that Kasta wrote about?¡± Those were the immediate personalities that I thought that would want to meet me.


    ¡°It came from Lady Kanna of the Tribe, Your Highness.¡± The servant bowed.


    ¡°Kanna?¡± I was puzzled. For all I knew, I expected Kanna to come along with Meiko and Mola. ¡°From which building is she staying?¡±


    Based on the servant¡¯s words, it seemed that Kanna remained in the same room she stayed with Meiko and Mola. A room located in the quarters for guests. It was a small structure beside the main research facility inside the Duchy.


    ¡°Welcome back Lia.¡± She stood there with a smile. She wore the same set of leather clothing she used when we parted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you wait, Kanna.¡± It has been a week and two days since Mola and Meiko departed.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°If it¡¯s for the promised nap, waiting isn¡¯t even an obstacle!¡± Like a victor, Kanna raised her right arm into the air.


    My lips curved into a wry smile. ¡°I thought you would forget.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d forget such an important matter!¡±


    ¡°Your priorities sure are something.¡±


    A nap. That was what I promised when I parted with Kanna. The only condition was to retrieve Meiko. The idea came from the words she muttered while I was rummaging my mind for a solution to the previous deadlock.


    ¡°Sorry Lia, I don¡¯t think can help with this issue. But if there¡¯s anything within my capabilities, let me know.¡± Those were the words she muttered.


    Within Kanna¡¯s capabilities¡­ What if, the situation turned into something that Kanna could move?


    And so Kanna deployed the Enarfs and White-tails after rushing to the Duchy while accompanied by one of my Guards.


    ¡°Well, you earned it.¡± I was still reluctant to the idea of having a nap with Kanna. More like I was not ready and used to sleeping with someone other than Erina. ¡°But Kanna, if you do something funny, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    Kanna waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°No worries. I just want to feel Lia¡¯s warmth.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Kanna, that¡¯s not that pleasing to hear.¡± I covered my face with the palm of my hand. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re here in the Duchy. Kanna, will you fly with me back to the Tribe? I have something to apologize to Garfin.¡± I turned my sight to my feet.


    Kanna frowned as she inched closer. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I destroyed Garfin¡¯s gift.¡± From that point, Kanna nuzzled her head against me.


    ¡°I wonder if Garfin would be angry with that.¡±


    Allowing her to do as she pleased, I asked. ¡°Why not? He probably took time and effort to craft such an amazing piece.¡±


    [¡®Weapons are meant to be used, not kept.¡¯] Kanna spoke in the language of the Dwarfs. ¡°That¡¯s probably what Garfin would lecture you about. No, more importantly, I think he would be happy that used his weapon to the point of breakage. He¡¯ll probably think you were in a dire situation that you couldn¡¯t help but overuse it.¡±


    ¡°Kanna, that¡¯s not the point. It was Garfin¡¯s gift for my coming of age. Aside from that¡­ nothing remains of the original. It¡¯s completely destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have to see for yourself.¡± Kanna looked up to me from my chest. Her expression was something akin to the feeling of bliss.


    ¡°...¡± Silently, I reached out my hands and pinched both of Kanna¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re indulging yourself way too much.¡±


    ¡°Bwhut I chant hellp itt.¡±

 Chapter 63: By Kannas Side 2

    ¡°Fuu¡­ Fuu...¡± Faint mists formed as I breathe, dissipating as it brushed against my cheeks. My fringes fluttered as the wind whistled into my ears. Then I sank myself into my scarf. ¡°Kanna, I¡¯ll rest for a bit,¡± with half-closed eyes, I said.


    I rested my chin on Kanna¡¯s shoulder. My hands snaked around her waist as I pressed my body against her back. Then my eyelids fell. The last that I saw was rich brown and yellow leaves from the trees past Birby¡¯s black wings.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we still have a few hours of gliding. I¡¯ll wake you up once we¡¯re about to descend.¡±


    Kanna was probably holding onto Birby¡¯s reins. But I could not completely tell whether she needed to or not. Because, for all I knew, Kanna could sit on Birby without the help of the reins.


    ¡°But Lia, do you want me to wake you up once the sun rises?¡±


    ¡°Fuu¡­ I¡¯ll try.¡± Then came a yawn.


    ¡°Is it really fine to leave without informing anyone?¡±


    ¡°I left a letter to Erina, telling her to explain the circumstances of my sudden leave. But I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get a scolding once I return. Anyway, I¡¯ll deal with that later. First things first, I need to go to the Tribe.¡±


    Since I did not have any official business with any of the fiefs in Laurel, I could now freely fly back to the Tribe.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t get why you suddenly came up with the idea of immediately leaving. I mean, we could always leave after a day or two of your return.¡±


    ¡°Fuaah¡­ I¡¯ll explain later. For now¡­ I¡¯ll sleep.¡±


    At that time, I forced Kanna to come with me to the south of the Duchy. Using my own seal, and an illusion to disguise myself, I had the Duchy¡¯s Guards open the personnel gate and let me leave with Kanna.


    Although the Guards themselves were of my own, I avoided revealing my identity. It was all because of the presence of my Father. Though I was the Lord of the Duchy, Father could still exercise his rights. With that in mind, it was necessary to not directly inform the Guards of my whereabouts¡ªleading to the scenario of the Guards barring me from leaving while my Father is present.


    And in fact, not even Maize knew that I left. The trick was simply to use Cloak of Concealment in a chant-less manner.


    It took me a while to get a hang of chant-less magic, but even then I was not complacent. Because the ones I got a hang of forming, were the basic forms of the magic circles¡ªadding the fact that I could only manifest a select few. The modifications, additional runes, and additional inscriptions were still in progress. More-so the concentric, layered, or the overflow forms of magic circles. However, I could still manifest the magic at its base form.


    In any case, with the help of the Concealment, I escaped. I fled with Kanna down south¡ªjust before the forest by the foot of western front of Alabaster. By then, it was a whistle away in calling Birby from its temporary nest. It all happened a few hours before sunrise.


    ¡°But Lia, have you not slept yet?¡±


    ¡°Other than the nap¡­ none¡­¡±


    ¡°Eh? What were you doing at night? Are you studying again?¡±


    ¡°Kind¡­ of¡­¡± Then my head buried deeper onto Kanna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Suu¡­ Suu...¡±


    Kanna nestled her cheeks against Amelia¡¯s head. ¡°Good night Lia,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I guess you won¡¯t be able to greet the rising sun.¡±


    Kanna looked ahead, to the east. Though faint, the clouds on the horizon started to paint itself into a bluish red. Along with it are the stars shying away from the light.


    Kanna clutched Birby¡¯s reins with two hands. ¡°Birby, although it might be a bit of a burden, let¡¯s maintain this for now.¡±


    In consideration of Amelia, Kanna made Birby glide at the average gliding speed for most wyverns. Any more than that would exponentially increase the brunt of the cold wind. ¡°It¡¯ll be winter soon, Birby. It might be best for you to sleep for a while. Maybe look for a mate while at it.¡±


    Birby responded with a short and low growl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, two months is quick when you sleep most of the time. And it¡¯s not like Lia is going anywhere again.¡± Kanna flashed a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll try to convince Lia to fly with you after she finishes what she needs to do in the Tribe.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°...¡± Erina stared at the letter she had just read. She did not know how many times the clock ticked, or the number of thoughts that passed through her mind. But in the end, she heaved a sigh. ¡°Goodness gracious Amelia. What are you up to now.¡±


    Her voice was indifferent, and her expression distraught. Despite that, the manner she was holding the letter was somewhat restrained. Or simply, the letter remained intact.


    Erina¡¯s worries had recently begun to pile up. And obviously, the main reason was Amelia. Though she partly understood that Amelia was changing, in a way she had no idea of, she couldn¡¯t repress her emotions.


    While she was calming herself in silence, a knock came from the door.


    ¡°Amelia? Are you there?¡±


    Erina, familiar with the voice, hurriedly opened the door. ¡°Apologies, Your Royal Highness, Her Highness Amelia seemed to have left early this morning.¡± Then Erina offered Lara an opened letter. ¡°This is what she left behind.¡±


    ¡°Left, you say?¡± Puzzled, Lara took the letter and read it. ¡°I see.¡±


    Erina waited in silence, but deep inside, she was preparing a logical excuse for Amelia¡¯s sudden absence.


    ¡°Say, Erina, would you like to tour the Duchy with me?¡± Lara, wearing a comfortable one-piece dress, looked to Erina with a smile.


    Erina hid her surprise by playing an unperturbed expression. ¡°Pardon?¡±


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    ¡°Would you escort me around the Duchy?¡±


    Erina did not understand Lara¡¯s reasoning, however, she complied. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Within an hour, Erina and Lara met by the antechamber inside the Duchy¡¯s mansion. Following closely behind Lara were eight Guards wearing short swords and light-armor.


    ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± Lara smiled.


    ¡°As Your Royal Highness pleases.¡± Erina bowed.


    ¡°When we¡¯re outside, you may call me by Lady instead. Calling me as ¡®Your Royal Highness¡¯ is too long.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Lady Lara.¡±


    Then Erina and Lara¡¯s unexpected tour began. Starting with the mansion, which was at the center of the Duchy, they headed towards west. Obviously, using a carriage.


    ¡°It sure has grown.¡± Lara roamed her eyes as soon as she alighted the carriage.


    ¡°True.¡± Waiting diagonally beside Lara was Erina.


    Here and there, from the corners and from the windows, ears peeked. Some were long, some were round, and some triangular. Gradually, the ears emerged and revealed the faces of the citizens. Just as their appearance said, they were not ordinary citizens of the Duchy. For they, who used to be slaves, were mostly Half-beastmen. And although extremely rare, there were Half-elves.


    Despite that, Erina and Lara were not surprised. They looked at the non-humans just as how they looked at ordinary humans.


    Shortly after, a small group of the non-humans approached Lara and the others. The Guards surrounding Lara and Erina placed their left hands on the scabbards of their sword.


    [Welcome to our residence.] The being who spoke was followed by three others. The being itself was a purebred. He had the features of a bull, but at the same time, he had a body structure similar to a human¡ªa Minos. However, despite his overpowering appearance, his horns were broken. He was the standing chief for the non-human residents of the Duchy.


    The other three that followed behind him was a Half-elf, a pure Lycaon, and a Destolion. The Lycaon, the Destolion, and the Minos were the only pure non-human residents of the Duchy.


    The Lycaon was more of a bipedal wolf. However, his fur mainly revolved around golden brown and black. That aside, the Destolion was in every bit distinct from anyone inside the Duchy. In fact, there were no Half-destolion around. The same was true in the other Human kingdoms.


    The main reason was its appearance. It had an appearance similar to Damselflies or Dragonflies. It also had an exoskeleton taking a dark-green shade.


    Often times, the Destolions were mistaken as beasts. But through and through, they are able to speak and understand language just like any other race.


    However, unlike the small Damselflies and Dragonflies, the Destolions stood on two well-developed legs. In addition, its body width was similar to an adult human male. Its four arms, accounting for an overall of six limbs, had claws suited for digging. Its eyes were more repressed rather than the large round hexagonal eyes that flies usually had. Lastly, its four wings were small. They seemed like small gills jutting out from their backs.


    ¡°Thank you for your kind greetings,¡± Lara replied.


    [The pleasure is ours.] Though somewhat rough, the Minos bowed. The other three followed. [May I ask what reason does our Lord¡¯s guest had for coming here?]


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anything special.¡± Lara shook her head. ¡°I simply wanted to see the current state of this residence.¡±


    It had been three years since non-humans had started taking up residence in the Duchy. The first two years were more of the construction of the Duchy and the facilities it needed to preserve life. However, despite those three years, the wall separating the humans and non-humans have yet to be fully broken.


    Maybe it was due to trauma, or something else that made the non-humans hesitate in communicating with the humans. On the human side, maybe it was baseless fear that hindered them from treating the non-humans like how they usually treated others.


    But there was hope. For three years, the relationship between the humans and the non-humans gradually softened. Although it comprised of only a few steps, it was a huge step to diversity. Sadly enough, Amelia was not usually around to be able to observe these changes. It was through reports that she was informed of the usual situation in her fief.


    ¡°In any case, could you suggest a few places where you think we could get a good sight of the place?¡± Lara smiled. ¡°A place where unique meals are served would be fine too.¡±


    The Minos look behind and asked the Half-elf, [Could I leave this to you?]


    [Yes.] The pale-green haired Half-elf nodded. Her hair was trimmed to her shoulders.


    The half-elf approached Lara and stopped at about a meter away. [My name is¡ª]


    Lara and Erina¡¯s tour continued. They roamed the western part of the Duchy and visited various establishments suited for entertainment. Among those were establishments that tried to provide the natural habitat of the Beastmen.


    There were also musical pubs that provided a distinct form of music. Hurling ranges, fields for rabbit hunts, farms for cattle, altars made of stones or wooden logs, and more. It was a mix of a human culture and the culture of the non-humans. However, the human traits were more prominent. It was the result of having multiple races in one spot while being influenced by humans.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Lara turned to Erina who sat opposite her in the carriage. ¡°Have you had enough time to prepare an excuse to Auguste?¡±


    ¡°It is all thanks to you, Lady Lara.¡± Erina bowed.


    Lara turned back to the window. ¡°A place that shouldn¡¯t have existed.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Erina was puzzled.


    ¡°This place, the Duchy, it wouldn¡¯t have existed if not for that tragedy.¡±


    Erina kept silent. She was trying to probe Lara¡¯s intent for uttering such words. Because, for one, she lost Gust and Lily during that event. Ria and Mira too.


    ¡°The life of others served as a stepping stone for others.¡±


    ¡°Excuse my words, Lady Lara, but I do believe that pertaining to the lives that were lost during that event wasn¡¯t anything pleasant.¡±


    ¡°True. It isn¡¯t anywhere pleasant. But isn¡¯t this what the Late King would have wanted to see? A place where humans interact with non-humans.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Erina shared the same thoughts, but the way Lara pointed out to the lost lives was not the least appealing.


    ¡°In that case.¡± Lara turned to Erina while bearing an unsmiling expression. ¡°Won¡¯t you stay here and have this place secured in place of Amelia?¡±


    Erina was thrown into confusion. The sequence of Lara¡¯s words was not forming a coherent point inside her mind. Much more of the reason why Lara suggested that she stay in the Duchy.


    ¡°Something happened, right? It¡¯s not you to dish out a broth and serve it to the Guards and the other servants.¡±


    Erina froze. It was true that Amelia issued a gag order. However, the matter of the broth¡ªwhich could be deemed nothing but trivial¡ªwas not included among those. In fact, even if an order was issued, the Guards would not able to help but have an idle chatter regarding the broth.


    ¡°Something happened. Something that Auguste mustn¡¯t know.¡±


    Erina squinted her eyes. ¡°What are you after? Is this perhaps a struggle¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± Lara shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not for Elaine. It is not my intention to separate Elaine from Amelia. Such a pointless battle for power is nothing but a waste of time. And besides, Amelia would easily notice if someone was trying to use Elaine against her.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± Lara brought her right hand to her chest. ¡°No matter what it is, I¡¯ll be your ally.¡±


    Erina closed her eyes. That was when she thought that her agitation got better of her. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Lady Lara.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by me staying in the Duchy? What reason do you have to suggest such?¡±


    ¡°I may be wrong, but I think the reason Amelia left you uninformed is a sign that she doesn¡¯t want you to get involved. In fact, it is also the reason that more or less confirmed my doubts from our recent meeting. Now that I think about it, it wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched for her to trick Auguste using illusions.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ might be true.¡± Erina clenched her fist.


    ¡°So, do you think she could succeed by her own?¡±


    Erina mulled in silence. ¡°¡­ No.¡±


    Although Erina believed that Amelia would make it through with her wits, the uneasy feeling dwelling inside her did not. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she would.¡± She knew it was a gamble. And a gamble would not ease her worry. Not at a time that she might lose her daughter. Not for a second time.


    A gentle smile emerged on Lara¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Erina. Please leave everything to me. I¡¯ll guarantee her return.¡±

 Chapter 64: Request 1

    Weak. Too weak.


    I laid on a patch of grass, facing the sky where a huge tree pierced through the clouds. My chest heaved. No, it was not my chest altogether, but even so, it did. Because, based on what Celes said, it was a body of her puppet. Although she called it a puppet, its traits were too close to a human. Or more like, it was far too similar to my body.


    At least, that was what I inferred from how the body looked. Regarding the face, I had no idea. But more or less, since it was Celes, it was probably similar to my actual face. Knowing that fact, it was kind of creepy. Using a body of a puppet that was all too similar to my original, it was nothing but weird.


    [Taking a rest?]


    I did not need to look to the person who spoke. After all, the only beings who could speak in this place were only me and Fenrir.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Then my eyelids fell.


    The training with Fenrir was thoroughly exhausting¡ªbe it mind or body. Other than that, I was getting used to being numb. Numb from pain.


    If Amalthea would end my life in one strike of lightning, and Celes knock me off unconscious in a single beat, Fenrir would tear a limb or two. I was nothing but a toy to a dog. A jerky perhaps.


    I was at the point that I could not differentiate losing my whole arm or just my hand. But maybe, just maybe, the reason Celes made me use a puppet instead of my real body was this. And in fact, the pain of losing a limb was not as painful as I feared. Again, maybe, it was not my actual body that lost the limb which made the pain more bearable.


    In addition, the limb would recover itself as soon as I take a rest.


    Regarding the reason why Fenrir came with such a horrible form of training or more like a playground, was to experience an actual battle with a Divine. As it was, losing a limb was nothing but normal. But looking at how I fought the Angel last time, maybe I was plain lucky. If that pillar of light struck me, there might even no more of my body left.


    What a dilemma.


    ¡°Fenrir, why can¡¯t Celes just finish off the other Divines? Wouldn¡¯t that be better for everyone? There won¡¯t be insurmountable beings pulling the strings from behind the races. In fact, I think that is the best solution to this world¡¯s problems.¡±


    The world need not be saved. It was the races that needed saving. At least, on Celes¡¯s watch.


    [The Gods that left this world. They left a blessing, remember?]


    ¡°Yes.¡± I recalled what Celes told me and the books I have read in Academia. ¡°In different forms, but the most common was Hero Summoning if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±


    [Correct. But ask yourself this, ¡®why can¡¯t the Divines summon the Heroes themselves?¡¯.]


    ¡°¡­ Because something is stopping them from doing so?¡± I practically had no idea in mind.


    [That is one way to put it. But there is one particular reason as to why Divines avoid using the ritual by themselves.]


    ¡°And that is?¡±


    [Divines sustain their body with Origin¡¯s mana.]


    ¡°Does that¡­ include me?¡± I propped myself up and looked towards Fenrir¡¯s direction.


    [Partly, yes. But in any case, Celestia is collecting the souls that merged with the God¡¯s blessing. Though I don¡¯t understand for what reason, she does it anyway. As a result, she¡¯s reaping what the other Divines sowed. Which is why she does not have an ally outside of the True Divines.]


    ¡°Those black marbles are the souls of the Heroes? But partly huh¡­ Is it because I¡¯m a half?¡±


    [Precisely. Even if the time comes that your Divine half dwarfs your human half to something insignificant, your human trait would never vanish. It is a part of your body. Nonetheless, you should ask Celestia herself regarding her farm work.]


    ¡°I understand. But what¡¯s the difference between Divines and ordinary beings?¡± I knitted my eyebrows. ¡°Doesn¡¯t ordinary beings recover mana on their own? Doesn¡¯t that mean that ordinary beings needed mana to sustain themselves too? Because everyone, even if they can¡¯t manifest magic, has mana within them. They only needed time to learn how to manifest that mana into magic.¡±


    [Ordinary beings sustain themselves through food intake.]


    ¡°That¡¯s undeniable.¡±


    [But ordinary beings does not sustain themselves with mana.]


    ¡°But why? How come we recover mana over time?¡±


    [It has something to do with the body¡¯s compatibility with mana. But the nature of mana itself is a discussion that would take too much time. However, the knowledge that ordinary beings are able to store mana is a lie. Mana being maintained within the being¡¯s body is nothing but a continuous failure to utilize mana for sustenance. And as a result, mana, which the body keeps trying to utilize unconsciously, remains in the bloodstream until the body could not take more.]


    ¡°But how come mana herbs increases a person¡¯s mana capacity?¡±


    [It doesn¡¯t. Mana herbs serve as a drug that cleanses the mana within your body. As a result, the mana¡¯s purity increases, which you people acknowledge as an increase in capacity.]


    ¡°Ah...¡± My sight fell to the blood-drenched grass.


    Then the purer the mana is, the less mana it actually needed to manifest a magic? Then there¡¯s mana exhaustion too. Maybe it has something to do with the body trying to recover the mana it couldn¡¯t process? That makes sense...


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    One by one, the facts that I knew were being thrown into the pit of lies.


    ¡°Then¡­ how about element compatibility? How is it decided? Why does mana¡¯s purity affect one''s ability to manifest a greater form of magic?¡±


    [That is something to be discussed along with the nature of mana.]


    ¡°Then...¡±


    [Move those limbs. The time is up for short discussions.]


    Again, I was left hanging. Fenrir had this nature of setting a fixed time frame for discussions that disprove my knowledge. Anything beyond that is a question to be answered for another time. In any case, I lifted myself up while controlling the mana within the puppet.


    It was not an easy task. Ever since Celes stopped aiding my movements, my body, the puppet¡¯s body, became cranky. It felt like I was moving an aged cog. Nonetheless, I was able to move about satisfyingly.


    The most difficult part of moving the body was replicating the functions of muscles. I needed to rest and contract the mana dwelling inside the body and replicate how muscles worked. But in the end, my knowledge of it is severely lacking. And so, at times, the body ends up in a very weird disposition. In some cases, stiff as an iron rod.


    But whatever the case be, I was trying to compromise in my own way. I experimented with the body itself and got blown away by Fenrir. Again and again, I would be thrown into the air like a dust cloth. At times, I have nothing to do but admire the passing Gryphons while I wait for my body to land. It was but a simple and short time of bliss.


    However, recently, the number of mistakes I made decreased. Maybe it was because I was used to using my imagination to portray illusions that helped me in imagining how and where to contract and relax the mana. I even had Erina stretch my body to know which and what muscles move when I use a part of my body. Nonetheless, the difficulty is extreme.


    But given the difficulty, I managed to make Fenrir use a move that he has not used before. He called it as the second phase. But sometimes, a passing though that Fenrir is a block-head would come. Because the second phase he called, was a leap in difficulty rather than a step.


    His comment was, [This amount is bearable.]


    It was bearable to him. And that I was sure of. Because who among the humans would fight against the limitless weapons that Heroes used to wield?


    Though simple the strategy was, it was terrifying. He used vines lying around to uproot the grave markers¡ªthe weapons the Heroes left behind¡ªand turned them into limbs.


    While me, who was practically using an ordinary sword, could not clash directly against the weapons imbued with spirits and magic. It was essentially an obvious mismatch. But in the end, it gave me an idea of what I should be focusing on next.


    Amalthea¡¯s horn shedding.


    The lost rapier.


    And something I could use against the Angels.


    Garfin.


    The thought naturally came. While I did lose my rapier, I still have a decent amount of the stuff I received from Amalthea. Perhaps it was luck that I did not have the time to experiment with it myself that I still have the stuff with me. But, in any case, that made me decide to leave to the Tribe immediately.


    A weapon. A weapon great enough to go against Divines. The time it would take to be created was¡­ I had no idea. But it was the cause that made me rush back to the Tribe. The issue with wyvern riders came as a second priority. But maybe, while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll visit Amalthea.


    Ah¡­ that¡¯s rare. Are those Pegasi?


    <hr>


    Meanwhile, in the Duchy. ¡°Amelia left?¡± Auguste asked with crossed arms. ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°She was apparently in a hurry to meet your request.¡± Across a low table, Lara took a seat opposite of Auguste. ¡°Order of Scales, was it?¡± She reached for the cup and saucer of hot tea. ¡°It has a nice ring to it, but isn¡¯t it too obvious?¡±


    ¡°It was meant to be obvious.¡± Auguste snorted. ¡°I intend for it to strike doubt on Libet¡¯s defenses. Maybe have them spend several golds for several more high-angled ballistae.¡±


    Lara took a sip. ¡°Is that so? Are you still planning to mount an attack on Libet? Anyway, there was this report of an explosion in Libet this past week, did you have something to do with that?¡±


    Auguste shook his head. ¡°None. It was a surprise for me. Maybe it was the Beastmen¡¯s doing? But regarding Libet, I¡¯ll have the soldiers prepare. They can¡¯t just sweat the forest they¡¯ve burned.¡±


    Little did they know, it was the explosion caused by the second crystal Amelia threw during the transfer. In fact, the explosion incurred several casualties in Libet. But those casualties were mostly of the church¡¯s servants. In addition, a few beasts that Libet took in were freed by the explosion¡ªturning it into an issue that reached Clark, Charles, and Evelyn.


    ¡°I see.¡± Lara placed the cup down and a maidservant came to pour a new one. ¡°But have Diane think it over before you move. The war with the races is quite a precarious situation after all. Might as well wither Libet down before striking them in a single blow.¡±


    ¡°Might as well.¡± Auguste chuckled. ¡°But that boy, how is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lara looked to Auguste with the cup nearly touching her lips. ¡°Who do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Maxwell. He¡¯s still chasing after Amelia, is he? Too persistent.¡±


    Lara chuckled. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. Aren¡¯t you a persistent one too? Stubborn as well. You even have me, a mistress, remain by your side despite the disapproval of the Nobles.¡±


    ¡°Ha. Those leeches could say what they want, but I¡¯ll make it a point that my family stays with me.¡±


    ¡°A King who does not know what it meant to have a family is a lonely King, was it?¡± Lara placed the cup down. ¡°It has a good sound to it, but it would be better if you weren¡¯t known to be playful one. Better tone down on it before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    Auguste sighed. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone believe that I¡¯m no longer after such entertainment? Those days are over.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you even trying to escape? What are you after? Even Diane couldn¡¯t guess what¡¯s inside your mind nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Cracking down that bastard son of mine.¡± Auguste balled his fist. ¡°He¡¯s too lax for a Royal. He spends too much. He entertains almost any girl from any Noble family. It¡¯ll be too late if our blood spreads like a disease. Or in another case, our image as Royals would fall.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just call out to Liz?¡±


    Auguste shook his head. ¡°Liz would defend Mark no matter what. So it¡¯s useless. Unless I see his actions with my own eyes as evidence, I can¡¯t call out to that son of mine in court.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lara placed a finger to her chin and looked at the ceiling. ¡°I think Diane has it covered already. Remember Mark¡¯s coming of age this coming year? I think Diane has something prepared. And anyway, isn¡¯t Argent¡¯s position as the next King cemented already? And I¡¯m pretty sure the Nobles are currently currying his favor for his betrothal with Clarissa.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll teach Mark a lesson by myself. I¡¯ll show him how much of a disgrace he is.¡±


    ¡°Now that we mention betrothal, as well as Brent, are you still that against in Amelia marrying Maxwell?¡±


    Auguste crossed his arms and remained silent.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t Maxwell one of the very few that you approved of marrying Amelia? Why don¡¯t you let the past be past? I¡¯m pretty sure both sides would be willing to pursue the broken engagement.¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t happen. Not until Brent stabilizes its position against the Nobles and the church.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re up for it.¡± Lara smiled.


    ¡°Unless Amelia rejects him herself, I have no qualms.¡± Auguste looked to the side, seemingly impatient. ¡°And if Maxwell could show me that he can protect Amelia on his own, then I guess there won¡¯t be any complaints from me.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Lara silently took a sip, but her eyes gleamed with expectation.

 Chapter 65: Request 2

    Birby stretched his wings. And with his neck reared, he parted his jaws.


    ¡°GYAAAAAAA!¡± Then came a piercing roar.


    Birds scampered from their nests. They chirped and crowed in confusion. Leaves rustled and wings fluttered. And in a few seconds, nothing but the sound of Birby¡¯s flapping wings were left. Shortly, a thud came from Birby¡¯s feet upon reaching the ground.


    As soon as Birby leaned lower, I detached myself from the saddle. Then with a jump, I planted my toes and dashed. At the next moment, I was between a boy and a girl.


    ¡°Rick! Fae! What are you doing?!¡± I raised my arms on both sides, stopping them from doing any further actions. But never did I thought that there would come a time when I would scold the reserved twins. However, it was necessary.


    Rick lowered his spear, a spear made not out of wood, but steel. ¡°Training.¡± Rick frowned.


    ¡°U-uhm...¡± Fae was flustered by my sudden appearance. ¡°Magic training?¡± As soon as she answered my question, the rock bullets floating around her fell to the ground.


    I roamed my eyes and checked for any other presence.


    Did they sneak out?


    First, I turned to Rick with a glare. ¡°Rick, why are you using a real spear for training? I understand that using a real one would be a good experience, but using it against Fae¡­ are you out of your mind?¡±


    Rick remained silent as he stared at his feet.


    Next, I turned to Fae. ¡°Now Fae. Since when did you learn attack magic?¡±


    I remembered leaving Fae with basic hints on how to manifest magic, but there was never an instruction pointing out to an attack magic.


    ¡°I-I was taught by the Dwarfs...¡± Fae fumbled her fingers.


    I sighed. ¡°Fae, you shouldn¡¯t use attack magic like how you used the others.¡±


    It was a rule. Children should never be taught any kind of attack magic. They could not be held responsible for any accident they may commit if they did. More so for Fae who barely knew anything about magic. Much more that she had never seen or experienced an accident due to magic.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Fae turned to the ground similar to Rick.


    I gave a sigh of relief. It could have been a disaster if Fae unleashed the rock bullets and Rick failed to properly intercept them. But given that Rick was nothing but untrained to do so, it would have ended badly. No, in the first place, intercepting with a spear was already insane. Using a barrier was always the easiest and most convenient choice.


    ¡°Both of you, I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡± I gestured on both of them to come closer.


    </a> ¡°¡°Yes...¡±¡± At about half a meter away, Rick and Fae halted. It seemed that they were afraid to approach any closer.


    ¡°That was a close call.¡± Kanna approached after telling Birby to do as he pleased for the moment.


    ¡°It was,¡± I answered.


    Children were only allowed to learn a select few of magic chants. Those magic fall under Necessity Magic. Examples are Cure, Cleanse, Light Ball, Heat, Bubble, and Pour Water. However, magic like Tinder and Earth Mold¡ªthough they could be considered as a necessity¡ªwas not being taught to children.


    The reason was simple. We could not have children playing with fire, especially for the children whose homes are primarily made of wood or any other material that could easily burn.


    Regarding Earth Mold, there were cases were children damaged a structure''s integrity. Although it could have been fixed in a matter of hours or days, the price for such was too high for a simple prank.


    To put simply, children are not supposed to learn magic that could harm a person or a property.


    ¡°Rick, Fae, come closer.¡± Again, I gestured. Hesitantly, they came forward. As soon as they were within my reach, I raised my hand and gave both of them a light chop on the head. ¡°Learn from this, okay? I can¡¯t have you both being in an accident.¡±


    In response, Rick covered his head in silence.


    ¡°Uuu...¡± Fae pouted while mumbling a cry.


    <hr>


    After dealing with Rick and Fae, we headed back to the Tribe. It was a surprise that the gatekeepers immediately opened the gate for us. Maybe because of Birby¡¯s roar, they expected Kanna to arrive shortly. In particular, one of the gatekeepers ran off upon seeing me and Kanna. It was probably to inform the other Chiefs.


    In any case, we headed towards the lodging. When Kanna opened the door, and I entered with Rick and Fae holding my hand from both sides, startled faces greeted me.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness?!¡± My servants ran around in search of Ark. ¡°Forgive us, Your Highness, it seems that Sir Ark is away at this moment.¡± One of my Maidservants bowed before me.


    Maybe, in a panic, they forgot that Ark was not around.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. My arrival was unannounced nor was it scheduled so this much is a given. But for now, could you call Camille for me?¡± After I asked, I glanced at Rick and Fae. ¡°Please tell her to come to my room afterward she arrives. I wish to talk in private.¡±


    A few minutes later, Camille knocked on the door. ¡°Y-Your Highness, I heard you called for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. Please come inside.¡±


    The moment Camille entered, a bothered expression emerged on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not something to be afraid of.¡± I smiled and gestured to the seat opposite me. Beside the seat were Rick and Fae quietly waiting. When she sat down like a proper maid, I continued. ¡°It¡¯s regarding Rick and Fae. We found both of them when we landed in the forest clearing. During that time¡ª¡±


    I explained the situation to Camille. It seemed that she was oblivious to the whereabouts of the twins. I also asked about Fae¡¯s progress in magic. Just as Fae answered, she was taught by the Dwarfs after she finished the lessons I gave her. Elves were not an option because Fae could neither see nor feel spirits. Although somewhat late, I received some knowledge about spirits from Fenrir.


    In any case, regarding Rick, it seemed that the spear he held previously was a gift from my Mother. Although I knew Rick was chasing Father in the recent month, I did not know he was receiving a compensation. That aside, the recent training was supposed to be Rick¡¯s first time in using the spear. Therefore, he was eager to test it out. And knowing he won¡¯t be allowed to leave the immediate premises of the Tribe, he discussed it with Fae and arrived at the previous situation.


    Anyway, the issue was resolved peacefully. However, Rick and Fae would now be restricted in leaving the premises of the Tribe. Not if they did not have anyone to look after them.


    ¡°Your Highness, have you heard of the problem with the Goblins?¡± After Rick and Fae went downstairs, Camille asked.


    ¡°Goblins?¡± I knitted my eyebrows.


    ¡°Yes, according to Sir Ark, there was an issue with Goblins from the east.¡±


    ¡°Is it anything major?¡±


    Camille shook her head. ¡°I apologize, but I have no idea.¡±


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    I nodded. ¡°I see. I guess I¡¯ll have to ask Sylvar.¡±


    Afterward, I left the lodge and met with Kanna. Upon meeting, we agreed to head towards the Tribe¡¯s council. As we headed towards the council, Kanna and I were greeted by Dwarfs, Elves, and Enarfs alike. Obviously, we returned their greetings with a smile.


    When we arrived in the council, we climbed the stairs and sat on the nearest table for six. Kanna then remembered that we have yet to eat breakfast, and so she asked a nearby Elf servant to fetch us anything available. While we were waiting, I told Kanna the reason for our rush.


    ¡°How long do you think Garfin would take to create a weapon like that?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kanna scratched her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know how long it would take to process the shedding.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lost with words to utter, I slumped myself forward. I rested my chin on my palm and stared blankly at the wall. Obviously, there was nothing of significance on the wall other than the displayed bones of beasts.


    Would three, no, two months be enough?


    As I was lost in thought, pairs of footsteps came from the stairs. Shortly after, an unusual pair emerged. One was a female with blonde hair. Her ears were long but typical of an elf. The clothes she wore were mainly made of leather and silk.


    The woman waved her hand. [Nice to see you again, Amelia, Kanna]


    Following behind her was a medium built man at about half a head taller than the woman. His black hair streaked with a few strands of white was neatly combed. His clothes were of fine black and white silk. A clothing befitting of a butler.


    ¡°Your Highness, your posture.¡± The man bowed.


    I fixed my posture and waved back. ¡°Nice to see you too, Chief Ran, Ark.¡± I gestured towards the empty seats in front of me and Kanna. ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    Ran and Ark complied.


    ¡°Ohh, that¡¯s rare. For Ran to be apart from Kan, is this a new age?¡± Kanna cheerfully asked. ¡°Did you and Kan fought over something?¡±


    [¡­ Kanna, you know I¡¯m not that attached to Kan.] Ran sighed.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you worried when you leave Kan on his own? He does some weird things now and then. He might even be doing one right now.¡± Kanna chuckled.


    Ran brought the palm of her hand to her forehead and sighed. [You might be right. I wish he could learn a thing or two from me.]


    Ark raised his arm and coughed to the side. ¡°Pardon.¡±


    Then for some reason Ran, was flustered. [T-that was nothing, right? Right?!] She pushed and pulled on Ark¡¯s shoulder like a child. [You didn¡¯t see anything, right?!]


    ¡°I have no idea by what you meant, Lady Ran.¡± Ark was calm and composed as usual.


    On the other hand, by chance, My and Kanna¡¯s eyes met.


    Something is different.


    I was confident enough that something was amiss. And I was sure Kanna had the same thought in mind.


    I faced forward and raised my hand to my mouth. ¡°Ahem.¡± My lips naturally curved into a smile.


    Ran halted, and for a moment, she went silent. Afterward, with a straight face, she sat straight. [Please tell me you saw nothing.]


    ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Kanna commented.


    ¡°I happened to not see every¡ªanything,¡± I replied.


    With a bright smile on her face, Ran spoke. [Ah, Chief Amelia, regarding your arrival, it seemed to be unscheduled. But it¡¯s fine. However, right now, I¡¯m the only Chief around. And so Sylvar and the others could not meet you today. But rest assured, Garfin, Arkand, and Dresbon would probably return tomorrow.]


    Letting the change in the topic slide, I spoke after Ran. ¡°I see. But if that is the case, then something is happening?¡± I could not imagine that five out of six Chiefs would leave the Tribe at the same time.


    [You see¡ª]


    ¡°Lady Ran.¡± Ark interrupted. ¡°Could you please give me the honor to explain the situation? If there¡¯s anything amiss with my words, please do correct me.¡±


    [Ah, I guess it¡¯s fine.] Ran nodded. [Yeah, I¡¯ll support you on the side.] Ran then relaxed.


    As soon as she did, the breakfast Kanna requested, arrived. One by one, plates with roasted strips of meat and fresh vegetables were laid on the table.


    [Oh, you haven¡¯t eaten yet?]


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Kanna nodded. ¡°We were gliding for a few hours early this morning.¡±


    ¡°Then, Your Highness, please have your meal. I¡¯ll explain the details afterward.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it, Ark. Explain the situation while I¡¯m eating.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Ark closed his eyes. ¡°But first¡ª¡±


    ¡°Erina,¡± having Ark¡¯s next words in mind, I responded. She¡¯s in the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Ark placed his clasped hands on the table. ¡°Goblins, Your Highness.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I heard it from Camille too. But please continue.¡±


    ¡°Further east, numerous groups of Goblins were sighted. Mostly in groups of five, they were found to be heading towards west. This was first documented when Your Highness returned and cited the events you¡¯ve been through during the proving.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember. There was goblin captain among the ones I met.¡±


    [Yes, that¡¯s it.] Ran said. [But it¡¯s weird, isn¡¯t it? Mostly, goblins are found near a race compatible with theirs. Well, if you know what I mean¡­]


    Now that she mentioned it, it really was weird. Maybe I was too focused on returning that it never crossed my mind.


    ¡°Yes, I know. Copulation, isn¡¯t it? No, forced breeding.¡±


    Ran nodded with a straight face. [But there¡¯s a problem.] Ran shifted her sight towards Kanna.


    [¡­]


    I turned my sights towards Kanna as well. ¡°...¡±


    Then naturally, Ran and I sighed.


    No wonder why she¡¯s quiet¡­. Maybe, just maybe, Ran had the same thoughts.


    Kanna was wolfing down on her food. Obviously, she was oblivious to the situation.


    ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s with those faces? Oh, Lia, try this one.¡± Kanna reached out a fork of lettuce wrapped in bacon.


    ¡°Fine.¡± To get over it with quickly, I leaned towards Kanna and took the food into my mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s good, right?¡± Kanna smiled brightly.


    ¡°Yes it is,¡± after taking my time savoring the food, I replied. ¡°Anyway, Kanna, I think Ran has something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, Ran. I¡¯m all ears.¡± Kanna took another piece of the food and offered it again to me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m listening. I¡¯ll just feed Lia.¡±


    ¡°I can eat on my own, Kanna.¡± I stared at Kanna with half-closed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not your pet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come on, Lia. Just a few bites.¡±


    ¡°Ran, please continue.¡± I gave in and took another bite of Kanna¡¯s offer.


    [¡­ I never thought you¡¯d give in to Kanna. But anyway, the gist of the situation is, we can¡¯t locate the Goblin¡¯s nest. Kan and Sylvar are out there trying to communicate with spirits to extend our scouting range, but I doubt they could get that further in.]


    Kanna offered her fork again. ¡°It¡¯s because of the High Dragon, right?¡±


    [Yes.] Ran nodded. [It¡¯s because of the High Dragon that we can¡¯t approach any further. The spirits could get close, but not enough to reach the dragon itself. For the moment, we are speculating that the dragon itself was commanding the goblins, but it seemed unlikely.]


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s too unlikely,¡± I commented. ¡°But by coincidence, the dragon and the goblins are from the east. And with the information at hand, that¡¯s the only plausible premise.¡±


    ¡°Just as you said, Your Highness.¡± Ark offered a glass of water.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    [Our best bet is to slay the dragon itself or skirt around its territory. But we¡¯ll have to descend Alabaster and pass through Laurel to do that.]


    ¡°I can give permission if needed.¡± This time, I ignored Kanna¡¯s offer and took the fork and knife on my plate.


    [That¡¯s reassuring.] Ran shifted her sights to Kanna. [However, slaying the dragon would open up more possibilities.]


    ¡°Too difficult.¡± Kanna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the dragon in the east. It¡¯s a type that remains mostly on the ground rather than fly to the sky¡ªa Woodland Dragon maybe. Well, unless we can drag the dragon to the sky and do simultaneous dives, it¡¯s too difficult. Otherwise, we are doomed to lose a lot of our population in order to succeed. And at the Tribe¡¯s current condition, losing a lot of us would be fatal.¡±


    [True.] Ran nodded. [We can¡¯t afford to lose too much of our population.] Then she sighed. [But other than you, there¡¯s pretty much a select few who could match up with dragons alone.]


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone though? I have the wyverns and the beasts.¡± Kanna crossed her arms. ¡°The difference in taking down a dragon without them is staggering. Much more if I don¡¯t have Garfin¡¯s weapons.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Aren¡¯t spirits a great way to deal with dragons?¡± I commented.


    Wait, if the spirit is¡ª


    [Not if the spirit in question is in the lower ranks.]


    ¡°Figures.¡±


    [And most of us here in the Tribe mostly have a contract with low to intermediate ranked spirits. Well, High ranked spirits are quite rare anyway so that¡¯s nothing new.]


    ¡°And among the Elves, only Sylvar has a contract with a high spirit,¡± Kanna said.


    ¡°That¡¯s difficult,¡± I muttered.


    A moment of silence followed. It was soon broken by a cough.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ark said. ¡°Putting the Goblins aside, there¡¯s the matter with the Dwarf Chiefs.¡±


    [Ah, you¡¯re right,] Ran said. [But I¡¯ll leave this one to you. Since, after all, I don¡¯t know that much about the caves of Alabaster.]


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± Ark smiled lightly. ¡°Well then, Your Highness, Chiefs Arkand, Dresbon, and Garfin returned to the Endless Chasm. It seems there was an unsolved matter regarding the previous event.¡±


    I tilted my head to the side. ¡°Unsolved matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the complete disappearance of the Devourer and the tunnels it left is still a mystery. It left Arkand, Dresbon, and Garfin curious and have been investigating the cause. Especially the tunnels that were left.¡±


    ¡°Now that you think about it, that¡¯s weird.¡± I nodded with a curious expression.


    That¡­ makes sense. But Devourer huh. I clenched my hand into a fist underneath the table. I need to look for one.


    Deep inside me, I knew where the Devourer disappeared to. But explaining it was far too difficult.


    But the tunnels it left huh. I never thought of it. But then again, I don¡¯t think I have the time to explore it. Haah¡­ If only things were peaceful¡­


    ¡°And Garfin and the others would be returning tomorrow?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Most probably.¡± Ark nodded.

 Chapter 66: Request 3

    ¡°Pikyaa! Pikyaa!¡±


    ¡°...¡± I stood before a White-tail hatchling.


    ¡°Pikyaa! Pikyaa!¡±


    It was round, black, and fluffy. The sharp jaws peeking from the fluff ball seemed out of place, but it brought a sense of ease in my mind. Maybe I was nostalgic about its appearance. However, despite that feeling, I heaved a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe its name was wasted.¡±


    ¡°Says the one who gave the same name.¡±


    Of course, as naturally as possible, I ignored Kanna¡¯s remarks. I truly believe it was not me who gave such a unique name. That is the truth and would always be the truth.


    ¡°But why a chicken coop?¡± I crossed my arms and wondered.


    ¡°Maybe Rick and Fae thought it would act like one? They named it Birby after all. The second, that is. So I don¡¯t think the idea of connecting a bird to a chicken would be far from what they actually thought.¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡± I nodded. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough rest.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    After the meeting at the council, Ark, Kanna, and I returned to the lodge. Afterward, I had a short briefing with Ark. He informed me of the recent developments of the distillery and the progress of interacting with the Tribe. So far, the progress was satisfactory. And other than the problems mentioned in the council, there did not seem to be any other problems concerning my servants.


    Since I knew that the progress went well, I ordered Ark to write a letter addressed to Mother. The content was a request for at least four citizens who are willing to live in the Tribe under Ark¡¯s supervision. Maybe this time, a blacksmith, a tailor, a historian, and an alchemist would suffice.


    However, since Garfin and the others have yet to arrive, Kanna and I were left with nothing to do but rest. While resting, I remembered the White-tail which was supposed to be gifted to me. Which was why I ended up going to the yard of the lodge and visited the coop.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Lia, now that I think about it, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve put off your study regarding the Tribe¡¯s history. As well as languages.¡±


    ¡°True, but not now. In the meantime, let¡¯s return to the clearing.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Just a quick round in Alabaster.¡±


    Like I said, I left the Tribe with Kanna. This time around, I was the one holding onto Birby¡¯s reins.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since.¡± I rested my hands between my thighs while clutching the reins.


    ¡°Birby sure is delighted.¡±


    Birby growled in response.


    I reared Birby towards the east, shuffling over and under the low-level clouds.


    ¡°It really looks like a different place in fall.¡± It was the first time I flew over Alabaster in fall. I never expected that the view would be far different from viewing it from below. Nevertheless, I roamed my eyes in search of a specific area.


    ¡°It¡¯s over there, north-east of us.¡± Kanna pointed to a lake. It was the same lake I had my first training with Celes.


    Promptly, I led Birby to the near the edge and circled around twice.


    ¡°This is difficult.¡± I knitted my brows. Although it was not obvious at a glance, there were various bulges near the edge of the lake. They were the same beast that disabled me in the past, Snapmaws.


    ¡°They are aggressive. They¡¯ll try their hands even on wyverns so we can¡¯t get too close to them.¡±


    ¡°How about the waterfall upstream?¡± I asked. ¡°I think there¡¯s enough space to land there.¡±


    Kanna shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t. In this season, the Queen Phiptere returns to its nest to copulate with the males. Due to that, the male Phipteres would be aggressive in competing. Although they are easy to deal with, their number would be overwhelming. The Queen might even come out of its nest to pursue us.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± Kanna chuckled. ¡°Emergency landing.¡±


    Kanna reached her through my sides and grabbed the reins.


    ¡°This might be a bit harsh, but let¡¯s do it!¡± Kanna declared. ¡°Birby! let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°...¡± Knowing how outrageous Kanna could be, I kept quiet and prepared myself.


    Birby accelerated towards the direction of the waterfall. Gradually, Birby¡¯s altitude lessened up until we were flying at about a meter above the canopy of trees.


    At about a fourth of the river before we reached the waterfall, Kanna shouted. ¡°Now!¡±


    Birby began to tilt to the side. In just a second, I felt my rear separating from the saddle. However, unlike the first time I rode with Kanna, where I was locked in place on the saddle with ropes, I felt myself separating from the saddle further and further.


    What is the sense of nostalgia?


    When I looked up, the surface of the river closed in. Shortly, followed by a splash, my body was submerged.


    <hr>


    Wooden swords clashed in the distance. Sand clung to iron greaves. Voices and sweat drowned the surroundings.


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    ¡°So Her Highness left huh,¡± Maize muttered. He stood with his hands rested on the pommel of a drawn sword.


    Maize was overlooking the training of his men. It has been a while since he returned to the Duchy. And doing so, he made the guards of the Duchy¡ªall under Amelia¡¯s personal army¡ªto train in daily shifts.


    Maize sniffled a laugh. ¡°I was even looking forward to it.¡±


    Amelia promised to have a spar with Maize as soon as they returned to the Duchy. But as it is, Amelia failed to comply. Obviously, Maize understood that Amelia had more than just a sword practice to attend to. After all, she was a Royal. A Royal who refused to indulge. But in the case of Maize, he was excited. He was eager to see what Amelia was capable of.


    ¡°Barriers as footholds huh.¡± It was not a common practice in using barriers. But from how Maize saw Amelia used it, the method was viable for battle. ¡°It might be a good idea, but not for something on a large scale.¡±


    Maize assessed how Amelia used the barrier. Although it seemed impractical to open fields, where enemy archers could freely target the user, it was viable for closed spaces.


    ¡°But still, it won¡¯t work against anyone who knew the trick.¡±


    Maize imagined how he would obstruct Amelia whenever she used the barriers as footholds. The idea he had in mind was simple. Fight Barrier with Barrier. However, rather than using it as a foothold, he thought of using the barrier as a wall. As an obstruction to impede or trip Amelia during, before, or after she jumps.


    Maize closed his eyes.


    But barriers to impede huh.


    Maize then ordered a guard to fetch him a shield with an embedded shard. When he was about to ask for training opponent, Kasta arrived.


    ¡°Captain, it¡¯s nice to see you¡¯ve returned.¡± Kasta approached while grinning. Following closely behind him was Hilda and her brother Kyle.


    ¡°Oh, Kasta, it has been a while.¡± Maize smiled


    Kyle was admiring the guards in training, while Hilda looked up to Maize. She made sure to hold Kyle¡¯s hands so we would not run around and do as he pleased.


    ¡°Nice to me you uhm¡­ Sir Maize?¡± Hilda bowed her head.


    ¡°Maize it is. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Hilda. Just Hilda. And this is my brother, Kyle¡± A strained smile emerged on Hilda¡¯s face.


    Maize chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be nervous. There aren¡¯t any formalities in this hall.¡±


    Kasta and Maize exchanged a few words afterwards. Maize commended Hilda for aiding Kasta, but Hilda answered that she was the one who was aided.


    A few meters away from Hilda and Kyle, Maize spoke to Kasta. ¡°Kasta, if you wanted, I can place you under the Duchy¡¯s patrol groups.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sir, why the sudden offer?¡± Kasta was puzzled.


    ¡°It seemed that child took a liking to you. And from what I heard, her Mother was widowed, right? This might be your chance to start a family of your own. Or maybe adopt that family into your house. You needed someone to manage the empty land you were rewarded, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Sir that¡¯s...¡± Kasta scratched his cheek with a wry smile.


    It was true. Kasta, as a knight under Amelia, had a small land of his own. However, since he did not know anything regarding land management, it was left empty. Though small his land was, it has enough space for a small village to fit in.


    In addition, due to his willingness to spread awareness of the church¡¯s practices, he had no family. And as a knight who often roams around, the girls he was closest with are only the guild receptionists and tavern waitresses. Basically, he had never thought of having a family of his own.


    After Kasta mulled over his choices, he answered, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. If ever I did decide to take Hilda under my wing, I¡¯ll have to speak with her Mother.¡±


    Maize tapped on Kasta¡¯s shoulder with a smile. ¡°Yeah, think about it first. But don¡¯t let that child hanging. I¡¯m sure she at least wanted to meet you now and then. You are, after all, her savior.¡±


    Kasta sighed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Now, that aside, let¡¯s have a spar.¡± Maize grinned. ¡°I have something I wanted to test out.¡±


    It did not take long before Kasta and Maize stood against each other. Both were using a sword and a shield. However, unlikely of a usual training, they were using steel swords rather than wooden ones.


    ¡°P-please be careful.¡± Hilda was worrying at the side.


    ¡°Oooh!¡± Kyle, on the other hand, was eager to watch from start to end.


    Then it began.


    Kasta dashed then lunged at Maize with a thrust. In return, maize side-stepped. As soon as he successfully dodged Kasta¡¯s thrust, he jumped backward. He was just in time before Kasta swiped to the side after the fake thrust.


    ¡°Eager to display a good show huh.¡± Maize grinned.


    Kasta smiled. ¡°Can¡¯t break their expectation.¡±


    The battle continued. This time, Maize took the initiative. With his shield up front, he delivered a diagonal slash. Kasta blocked and returned a similar strike. One after the other, Kasta and Maize exchanged blows. However, each blow either missed or was blocked.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough show for the kids.¡±


    Maize pushed forward with his shield, bashing against Kasta¡¯s. The bash left Kasta with a sore arm, but he endured. It was not something he could not handle. And so, when his shield was bashed to the side¡ªleaving him open¡ªhe slashed with his sword coming from below. He was intending to ward off Maize. However, something unusual happened.


    ¡°What?!¡± His arm stopped. His elbow struck something hard and destroyed his momentum.


    ¡°So it worked.¡± Maize pointed the tip of his sword to Kasta¡¯s neck with a wide smile.


    Kasta realized his loss, and for a moment he observed the object that obstructed his movements.


    ¡°A¡­ Barrier?¡±


    It was indeed a barrier. Maize placed a barrier where Kasta¡¯s elbow was supposed to move into. It was a simple trick, but such a simple trick is life-threatening. Especially to those who have yet to know such a style of fighting.


    ¡°The other knights of the Nobles might look at it as something dirty.¡± Maize laughed. ¡°But this will be helpful. We can be unstoppable in small operations whenever we use this.¡±


    Kasta was still bewildered. He never knew that a Barrier, which was supposed to protect could be used for combat.


    ¡°The idea came from Her Highness¡¯s unusual use of Stone Mold.¡± Maize declared ¡°As well as using barriers as footholds.¡±


    Kasta chuckled. ¡°Yeah, using Stone Mold to trip opponents, is quite an unusual practice.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, it¡¯s effective.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Now then.¡± Maize roamed his eyes towards the crowd that watched his and Kasta¡¯s fight. ¡°Listen, men! You have a rough day ahead! Now get those legs moving and assemble!¡±


    And so it began, a rather unusual form of combat.


    <hr>


    ¡°A meeting with a Hero?¡± Maxwell knitted his brows. ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Lester, Maxwell¡¯s butler, bowed. ¡°Hero Charles made his way here in Spere and asked for a meeting with you. Currently, Her Highness Clarissa is having a conversation with him in the guest chamber.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Maxwell nodded. As soon as he confirmed the events with Alex and Alessia¡ªand made a few arrangements for the next priest in Sardon¡ªhe returned to Spere. ¡°Well, for now, please inform my sister that I¡¯ll arrive shortly.¡±


    Lester nodded and walked opposite the direction of Maxwell.


    Charles huh. I was expecting to see Clark rather than him. But isn¡¯t this too soon? If I remember, they still have a training before they are allowed to leave the premises of Issenheim.


    Maxwell tried to guess what was in Charles¡¯s mind.


    But if he¡¯s here, then he was able to receive permission from his two instructors?


    Even after Maxwell arrived in his chamber, he kept thinking of possibilities as to why Charles immediately headed towards Brent instead of the front lines.


    Could it be that priestess? No, there isn¡¯t any information related to her, but she¡¯s the most suspicious as of now. Disregarding that, he probably passed his test ahead of the other two.


    Maxwell sighed. ¡°Really, this is quite a difficult task, Amelia.¡± Then he chuckled. ¡°But I can¡¯t back down now that you promised.¡± Maxwell tapped his cheeks with the palm of his hands. ¡°Now then, time to pull as much information I can.¡±

 Chapter 67: Request 4

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun?¡± Kanna grinned.


    On the other hand, I kept my silence and walked towards the bank. While ignoring Kanna¡¯s mutters, I began wringing my dress.


    I have no spare¡­


    As I thought that, Kanna approached while accompanied by sloshes.


    ¡°Hee hee. It could have been better if we dived at a higher altitude with a help of wind spirit. It¡¯d be a great experience to suddenly halt before hitting the surface of the water!¡± Perhaps she noticed I was ignoring her that her joyful tone died down. ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess I went too far? But I¡¯m pretty sure most people would be thrilled to try it out even once.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if I have a spare.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I forgot about that.¡± Kanna chuckled. ¡°But we can always dry your clothes in the sun. Oh, I¡¯ll dry mine too. But that Fire Ball trick of the Dwarfs might be good.¡±


    ¡°Fire Ball huh?¡± I snickered. ¡°Right, a Fire Ball. A Fire Ball to dry our clothes. Aha Ahahaha.¡± It felt like something inside me snapped.


    I turned around with a smile and lifted my hand as if to present an object to my side. ¡°Here, dry yourself with this.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Lia?¡± Kanna backed away. ¡°Are you really that mad?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to be mad, right?¡± I kept my unwavering smile. Then, in a moment, a white ball manifested at about half a meter over my palm. It was at about the size of a large pebble.


    ¡°Eh? Ehhhh?¡± Kanna froze. ¡°H-hey isn¡¯t that? Is it really?¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll dry you in a moment.¡± I made the white ball move towards Kanna.


    Kanna broke into a run. ¡°Sure my clothes would get dry with that, but I¡¯ll get dried too!¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t that be better?¡± I walked towards the fleeing Kanna while increasing the ball¡¯s speed. ¡°Come one, it won¡¯t take that long!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Kanna dived back to the river. The ball was waiting over the place she dove at. Then in mere seconds, a faint mist began to form underneath the ball.


    Kanna resurfaced at a short distance farther. ¡°Since when did you learn that?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I tilted my head to the side. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to decipher that book for nothing?¡±


    Although I found it hard to decipher the book regarding Mana Forging, it was not a case without results. True, I still have more to learn about the dwarf¡¯s language¡ªthe same was true for the language they use for chants. However, just like any other magic, a magic circle exist. It did not exempt the dwarfs and the elves. And so, having skimmed over and over the book about Mana Forging, I found one particular magic¡ªSun¡¯s Seer.


    ¡°Come on, Kanna. Drying you will be quick. I¡¯ll even add another one to make sure both of your front and back would dry at the same time.¡±


    A short moment afterward.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kanna laid on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m really, really sorry.¡± Her face was somewhat pallid. It was the result of holding her breath numerous times just to escape the Seers. ¡°Ahaha. I guess I¡¯ll have to note that Lia is quite a brute when pushed too hard.¡± She was laughing weakly in-between her mutters.


    I heaved a sigh. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine now.¡± I found a compromise and stopped chasing after Kanna. But rather than a compromise with Kanna, it was a compromise with myself.


    ¡°But I never knew I¡¯d be using this again.¡± At the side were my clothes folded as neatly as I could. Practically, I was naked. Well, naked without the dress that could I could manifest indefinitely whenever my horn is out. Simply, it was the dress Celes incorporated into my necklace.


    ¡°Well, whatever. It¡¯s not like I could hide it to Kanna anyway.¡± I crouched beside Kanna and formed Cure within my hand. ¡°Kanna, it¡¯s time to go.¡±


    ¡°Lia¡­ I-I¡¯m¡­ Sorry...¡± Then her head fell to the side.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to play dead, might as well make it real.¡±


    ¡°Waiiiit!¡±


    It did not take long before we restarted our journey.


    ¡°So it didn¡¯t recover at all.¡±


    I roamed my eyes around the area near a small crevice. Surrounding it used to be brown, thick roots and healthy shrubs. However, right now, it was nothing but dried roots and sediments. The place no longer bore the life it used to have.


    After the short recall, Kanna and I headed deeper into the crevice. The result was a dead end, but the goal itself was right in front of us.


    ¡°The broken crystals still remained.¡± Kanna picked up a shard gleaming in black and white. ¡°But maybe we could call these things as your shell?¡±


    It was the same crystal I hid myself to accelerate my growth. The crystal itself formed with Celes¡¯s aid. However, after I entered, everything was on my own. And because I was forcing my horn to grow, I had Kanna leave and return now and then. The reason was simple, the growth acceleration was not all but advantages.


    ¡°It really did suck out the life of the surroundings,¡± I muttered. After Kanna and I left the place¡ªwith no idea how to restore it¡ªI hoped it would revitalize on its own. However, not a single speck of life was present. At that time, I thought, What if I stayed until my horn grew to its limits? Would I end up sucking Alabaster to the last drop?


    ¡°So, why did we come back here?¡± was Kanna¡¯s question.


    ¡°I want to confirm a few things.¡± I stepped over the piles of crystals and stood at the center. ¡°How did it felt again?¡±


    I tried to gather my mana on the surface of my skin. However, immediately after I have completely covered myself with a layer of mana, a voice echoed.


    [It¡¯s useless.]


    ¡°Hmm?¡± I recalled the voice. ¡°Amalthea?¡± I roamed my eyes, searching for any clue about the Golden Goat.


    ¡°Was that the Great Amalthea?¡± Kanna asked. Similarly, she searched the area.


    [It won¡¯t work, Amelia. That one is no longer functional.]


    ¡°Figured.¡± I had a premonition that it would not work anymore. But I hoped it did. ¡°Say, Amalthea, could you tell me why?¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I guess I¡¯ll listen for now.¡± Kanna sat down.


    [That one was made using coagulated souls.]


    ¡°Souls huh.¡± For some reason, I did not feel any remorse. But still, I was curious. Curious about the source of those souls Celestia gathered. ¡°From where did those souls come from? Was it from a Hero?¡±


    Kanna cocked her head in response. Still, she remained silent.


    [No, it was not from a Hero. A Hero¡¯s soul has a specific use. In any case, to answer your question, the souls used to create that crystal came from the Fairies.]


    ¡°Fairies...¡± Kanna muttered.


    ¡°¡­ From¡­ those three?¡± I could remember it as clear as day. There were three Fairies that Celes tortured. The fourth was still within my grasp.


    [No, it came from a population of Fairies. You may even consider them endangered in this age¡ªat least in this continent.]


    ¡°¡­ So I need at least that much to create one of my own? Would souls of beasts suffice?¡± It did not matter what method I should use. What I need is an insurance for the incoming battle.


    [It¡¯s not easy as you think, Amelia. But true, it¡¯s possible for you. You are, after all, Celestia¡¯s child.]


    ¡°Then could you explain how it works? I¡¯ll try to find a way on my own since I¡¯m sure Celes would only give me hints. So, as much as possible, I need to gather information.¡±


    [¡­]


    Amalthea explained how the Crystalline Egg worked. It did not have a name but that was what I called it. In any case, the Crystalline Egg worked like a normal being. That is, it gathers mana and tries to process it for sustenance. However, since the souls were modified, and the souls did not have a body to support, the mana it gathered was passed to me. And then to my horn.


    That specific mana was unlike the mana ordinary beings processed. After all, the souls were modified to process it similarly to a divine being. In addition, since I was no ordinary Divine, the process takes another step. That step incorporates life. And with life, comes death and rebirth¡ªthe same process that my and Celes¡¯s horn symbolized.


    As a drawback, the nearby area is drained of life. And the larger the area which was devoid of life, the harder it gets to procure mana imbued with life. Overall, it was not efficient to prolong one¡¯s stay in the Crystalline Egg.


    [Now that I have explained what you sought after, I have a request.]


    ¡°A request?¡± I tilted my head.


    ¡°A request from the great Amalthea huh.¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°This one shall surely deliver!¡±


    [I would like you to request the Tribe to refrain from slaying the dragon.]


    ¡°¡°Eh?¡±¡± Kanna and I were surprised.


    [You see, the issue dates back even before Elena was born. It was a time when Celestia eliminated the threats surrounding Alabaster.]


    Wouldn¡¯t that be beneficial?


    [As a result, I am left with a few competition around Alabaster. Sure, there are a few ancients far underneath Alabaster, but their number does not even cross the number of my hooves.]


    ¡°Are you saying that you want the dragon to grow stronger?¡±


    [Yes. It may not be understandable in your viewpoint, but this is my way of passing time as an immortal. And I believe you do understand my frustrations, no?]


    I¡­ don¡¯t?


    ¡°Then why not vent out on Celes? Wouldn¡¯t that solve your problem?¡±


    [There is no joy in knowing you would only lose, Amelia. I too have a pride.]


    ¡°Right. Understandable. It¡¯s Celes after all.¡±


    [Indeed. It is Celestia.]


    ¡°Uhm...¡± Kanna muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t quite get who this Celes or Celestia is?¡±


    True enough, Kanna has yet to meet Celes.


    [Celestia aside, I have another request.]


    ¡°Does this one concern the Goblins?¡± Kanna stood and patted the dirt from her rear.


    [Indeed. In return, I¡¯ll explain the situation.]


    A disc suddenly formed before Kanna and I. It was like a transparent mirror, but the image it portrayed on the other side was completely different.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°This is¡­ the dragon?¡±


    It had green scales with a touch of brown. On its head were horns similar to a tree branch. But unlike a branch, the ends were round.


    [I¡¯m bored.] The disc also allowed sound to reach us. [Bored. Bored, bored, bored, bored! Booooooriiing!]


    The high-pitched voice came from a little creature¡ªa blue-haired Fairy.


    The Fairy stood up and then sat. Again and again, she repeated her actions and begun to ruffle her hair in frustration. She did all those while staying on the dragon¡¯s head. Even so, the dragon seemed unmindful of the Fairy.


    [Hey, hey! When would they return?! It¡¯s has been more than a month and I haven¡¯t heard anyyyythiiiiing!] She pointed to a cage made out of thick brown vines.


    [¡­ I have no idea of what you meant.] The one who responded was a female with a pale-green skin. Her rough black hair was cast around the cage. [But if you would release my kin, I might have an idea.]


    [Hah, as if a Goblin like you would know.] The Fairy crossed her arms. [It would be better to use your slaves to gather information.]


    [They aren¡¯t my slaves.] The female goblin glared.


    [Then try to talk some sense into those block-head goblins of yours. If they aren¡¯t your slaves, they wouldn¡¯t be so willing to offer me their service just for your safety, right?]


    [You wretched.] The goblin spat. [I swear¡ª]


    [Swear what?] The fairy cocked her head and looked down on the goblin. [Swear that you¡¯ll start producing more of those goblins like a breeding house? And then what? Take me down? Hah, as if you goblins can take down a dragon.]


    The Fairy tapped on the dragon¡¯s horn. [You know it, right? This one follows my orders. I might as well exterminate you when I get really bored.] Then she chuckled. [Oh! Now that I think about it, the beast collars that we¡¯ve been spreading, I wonder how the races would react if they knew we Fairies could override their control?]


    I wonder how she¡¯ll react if she knew that she was one of the few Fairies left, was what I thought.


    [I¡¯m sure that is enough information regarding the situation.] The discs vanished as Amalthea¡¯s voice reverberated.


    ¡°Actually, not quite.¡± I did understand that a Fairy was in control of the dragon, and the dragon was being used to imprison a female goblin.


    A female goblin huh. Maybe a Princess? A Queen? I have heard of rumors regarding the highest ranks of goblins, but I have yet to meet one of those kinds.


    ¡°But I think that Fairy has a relation to the recent event?¡±


    [Yes, it has a relation. That Fairy was supposed to lie in wait if ever their plan to devour you failed. However, since Celestia intervened, she was left without any orders.]


    Kanna knitted her brows. ¡°I think I¡¯m missing a lot here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it Kanna. I¡¯ll try to explain later.¡±


    [And so, I want you to release the dragon from the Fairy.]


    I was puzzled. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t you taking care of it be the easiest way out?¡±


    [If I don¡¯t mind my prey fleeing from Alabaster, I would have made my way to that dragon¡¯s lair.]


    ¡°¡­ Right.¡±


    [This is a suggestion. Take the tunnels that the Devourer left behind. It will lead you the heart of the lair.]


    Kanna frowned. ¡°This is¡­ difficult.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°What do you mean Mia has dropped out?¡± A girl in a dark-green mantle asked. Her reddish-brown hair was long enough to slide behind her shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s just as you heard,¡± Mola replied. She wore a similar mantle like the girl. ¡°She dropped out.¡±


    The girl sighed. ¡°Mola, of course, I¡¯m asking for the obvious. Why did she drop out?¡±


    Mola scratched the side of her head. ¡°Well¡­ stuff happened is all I could say.¡± Her brown eyes wandered to the girl and then to Meiko on her side. ¡°Anyway, this is my new assistant, Mei.¡±


    Meiko wore a brown mantle unlike the two. She timidly waved her hand to the girl. ¡°Hello.¡±


    The girl squinted her eyes in silence. ¡°We¡¯re not finished yet, Mola. I¡¯m sure Halbert would ask the same thing if he heard about Mia¡¯s circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Please stop him before it happens.¡± Mola sighed. ¡°And you know, you¡¯ve been ignoring my assistant who just greeted you.¡±


    The girl¡¯s emerald eyes shifted towards Meiko¡¯s direction. ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯m sorry for being rude, but my name is Liscia, Liscia Stalwart.¡±


    Meiko shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. My name is Mei. And currently, I was assigned as Mola¡¯s assistant.¡±


    ¡°But an assistant huh.¡± Liscia looked to the ceiling. ¡°Considering Mola, it¡¯s a rather rare occurrence.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised though,¡± Mola commented.


    ¡°I did consider it at one point but discarded it. But knowing you¡¯re under the command of Laurel¡¯s First Princess, I thought that it might be possible one these days. After all, the Duchy is growing day by day, right? You¡¯ll have to manage a lot of people soon.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s a hustle.¡±


    Liscia and Mola¡¯s chat went on. It was mainly a talk about her late attendance in Primeria, an academy in the Kingdom of Academia.


    While Liscia and Mola were having a chat, Meiko roamed around the nearby vicinity.


    This place is amazing.


    Unlike Issenheim, Academia looked more of a kingdom abundant in minerals. Everywhere Meiko looked, there were bound to be a spire made of metal. However, unlike steel, iron, or lead, the structures gave a reddish-brown hue. They were like aged copper, but they did not smell of rust. In fact, there were little to no red rust to be found in Academia.


    That aside, Meiko kept on glancing at the walls that surrounded Academia. She could not help but admire its natural beauty.


    It was the first that Meiko asked of Mola before they reached Academia.


    ¡°Is that Academia?¡± Meiko peeked from the carriage¡¯s window. ¡°And is that¡­ a dome wall?¡±


    Meiko has seen walls and ramparts, but Academia¡¯s walls were far different. They were not built for humans to tread on. Also, they had uneven heights. In all similarities, it was more of an eggshell cracked open on the top.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Academia.¡± Mola took Meiko¡¯s side and pointed to the blackish walls. ¡°Those walls are natural. They are made of molten lava.¡±


    ¡°Lava?¡± Meiko¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°So Academia was submerged in lava once?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s just once, but I¡¯m sure it was submerged¡ªnot completely submerged though. If it were, the dome wall would entirely cover Academia.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a true fantasy...¡± Meiko muttered.


    ¡°Yeah, it looks like something that¡¯ll come out of fairy tales.¡±


    ¡°But how? How come it had a smooth interior? Was it a barrier?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Mola nodded. ¡°After all, the top-most level¡ªthe surface of Academia¡ªis a large city mimicking a huge magic circle.¡± Then she smiled. ¡°But that¡¯s only one of Academia¡¯s wonders, Meiko. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find Academia very interesting.¡±


    <hr>


    Note: Underneath is completely unrelated to this chapter, but related to the story. I''m pretty sure you can guess what it is immediately. But read at your own risk. Also, it is yet to be completed, but it''s more of a teaser. There''s also a note by the end of it.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Chapter 1: The Girl Named Amelia


    ¡°Grandpa! Grandpa!¡± A girl ran with a bright smile. Her small feet took her before a man at about three times her height. ¡°Grandpa! I want to come too!¡± Then she spread her arms wide, waiting for her Grandfather to take her by her armpits.


    Her Grandfather chuckled as he turned his broad shoulders. ¡°Amelia, you seem full of energy.¡± The silver hair he bore was similar to Amelia¡¯s.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She crossed her arms over her chest clothed in a frilly green dress and tilted her head. ¡°But wasn¡¯t it Grandpa who told me to keep going as is?¡± And again, she tilted her head, letting her shoulder-length hair brush her shoulders.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I did.¡± The man expressed a smile over his thin-bearded jaw. ¡°Now then.¡± He kneeled over a patch of grass and offered his arms. ¡°Where does my precious Granddaughter want to go this time?¡±


    Amelia threw her fair arms into the air. ¡°Anywhere! Anywhere is fine as long as I¡¯m with Grandpa!¡± Her large blue eyes gleamed as it anticipated her Grandfather¡¯s response.


    The man, Randolf Laurel, laughed once more. ¡°Well, well, what a fine Granddaughter you are.¡± His blue eyes flashed a gentle glint. Then he lifted Amelia to his embrace, unmindful of the creases that formed on his black coat.


    ¡°Say, Grandpa, when will Grandma return?¡± Amelia roamed her eyes. What she saw were the usually trimmed hedges around the Palace¡¯s garden. The flowers, crocuses, fritillarias, and hyacinths, were in full bloom.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± Shifting his hold on Amelia, Randolf walked towards the stone-paved pathway. ¡°But maybe one day, when the butterflies return to this garden, your Grandmother will turn up by herself.¡±


    His eyes looked past the garden and into the horizon¡ªinto the setting sun. Gradually, the stars peeked into the night.


    ¡°Grandpa, I want to try traveling around the world like Grandma.¡± Amelia looked up with asking eyes.


    Randolf shook his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, Amelia.¡± He returned Amelia¡¯s gaze with half-closed eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t leave everyone behind. Your Mother, Father, Argent, Mark, Elaine, and everyone else will be saddened. And besides, what would Erina, Mira, and Ria do without you?¡±


    Amelia sank her sights to the palm of her hands. ¡°I guess so...¡±


    ¡°Now, now.¡± Randolf placed Amelia on the ground. ¡°Show me that smile again.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Amelia reached her hands towards her cheeks and pinched it. ¡°Heeee.¡± Stretching her cheeks, Amelia imitated a smile.


    Randolf snorted a chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Then with a smile, he ruffled Amelia¡¯s hair.


    Amelia giggled a laugh. ¡°Gee, Grandpa! Erina would scold me if it gets too messy!¡± Despite her retort, she expressed a smile.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s ruffle it more!¡± This time, with two hands, Randolf played with Amelia¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Eh?!¡± Amelia crouched, covering her head with her arms. Every time she was able to block her Grandfather¡¯s hands, she giggled. Again and again, they went on it until Amelia was exhausted.


    ¡°Uuu¡­ Erina would surely scold me for this...¡± This time, however, she was frowning.


    ¡°Then, as an apology, let¡¯s visit the forest tomorrow.¡± Randolf climbed to his feet and offered his hand to Amelia.


    Amelia looked up in disbelief. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    Then gradually, the corner of her lips rose into a wide smile. ¡°That¡¯s a promise!¡± As quick as a cat, she pounced on Randolf¡¯s hand. ¡°A promise is a promise, okay?!¡±


    ¡°I swear by Laurel¡¯s throne.¡±


    ¡°Then that settles it!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all?¡± Randolf covered his mouth, trying to suppress his laughter.


    ¡°Eh? Why?¡± Amelia tilted her head.


    Randolf lifted his left hand and pointed behind Amelia. ¡°Look over there.¡±


    ¡°There?¡± Amelia blinked her eyes. Following Randolf¡¯s hand, Amelia turned around. There she found a familiar face. ¡°E-erina.¡± Her face grew pale. Her body quivered in fright.


    ¡°What is it, Her Highness? It seems like you have seen a ghost or some sort?¡± Over her oval-shaped face, was a twitching smile. Her long blonde hair trailed over her black and white clothes fitting for a Royal Maidservant.


    ¡°N-nothing!¡± Amelia tucked her hands behind her straightened back. Beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.


    ¡°I see, nothing huh.¡± Erina nodded and turned her eyes to Randolf. ¡°Well then, Your Majesty Randolf, I will be taking Amelia with me.¡±


    ¡°S-sure. Go ahead.¡± Still, he was restraining his laughter.


    ¡°G-grandfather, you traitor!¡± Amelia immediately turned around a ran away. But alas, she was too slow.


    Randolf burst out laughing.


    ¡°Where are you going, Your Highness?¡± Holding her by the hand, Erina expressed a mischievous smile. ¡°We still have some studying to do, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll do that tomorrow!¡± Amelia protested. ¡°I still want to play!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Randolf brushed his tears with his fingers. ¡°So you won¡¯t be coming along tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Eh?! I can¡¯t do both tomorrow?!¡± Amelia froze; her mouth gaped.


    ¡°Hmm? A trip tomorrow?¡± Erina glanced at Randolf. ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed of this, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It was only decided.¡± Randolf waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°But if Amelia already has plans for tomorrow, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll definitely go tomorrow!¡± As Amelia protested, Erina released her hand. ¡°Now take me, Erina! I¡¯ll even skip dinner!¡± Her eyes closed tightly, Amelia stretched her hands wide. Perhaps she thought she was offering herself to a demon.


    This is! For my freedom! Amelia thought.


    Erina raised a finger. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s add breakfast to that.¡±


    ¡°Noooooo!¡± Amelia¡¯s knees buckled and fell to the ground. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! I¡¯ll starve to death!¡±


    ¡°You can live without food for a day.¡± Erina reached for Amelia¡¯s hands. ¡°Now, Your Highness, your dress will become dirty if you stay there.¡±


    ¡°Uuu...¡± Amelia pouted as she rose to her feet. ¡°No fair.¡±


    ¡°Well then, Amelia, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Randolf waved goodbye.


    Amelia returned a wave while she was being led away by Erina. ¡°It¡¯s a promise!¡±


    Waiting for her near the entrance to the palace were two other Maidservants. Ria and Mira. Both were also part of Amelia¡¯s personal Maidservants.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°¡ªlia. Her Highness Amelia. Wake up.¡± Someone, a sleek arm, shook my shoulders lightly. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived Amelia. It¡¯s almost time to alight.¡±


    A dream huh.


    As I lifted my eyelids, Erina¡¯s face greeted me. ¡°Erina, how much longer?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Her golden fringes swayed lightly as she returned to her seat.


    ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Promptly, I shut my eyes. ¡°Then just a little more.¡±


    But even in a dream, dear Grandfather, it¡¯s nice to see you again.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Erina called in an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± I stretched my arms and yawned. Then I shifted my eyes beyond the glass pane¡ªbeyond the structures of wood and stone and into the sky. ¡°Sunset huh, the same time as then.¡±


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Sitting opposite me, while the wheels clattered, Erina glanced at the direction I was looking.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I just had a dream with a similar time as now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Erina began to rummage through the leather sack beside her. After taking out an ornamental comb, she sat by my side. ¡°What was the dream about?¡± Then she began to comb my hair.


    With a wry smile, I replied, ¡°about Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Was it a pleasant one?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I closed my eyes and recalled the scene. A time when I used to play with Grandfather, the previous King of Laurel. ¡°Truly, it¡¯s a time for me to admire.¡± A smile naturally emerged on my face. ¡°Erina, you were there too. As well as Ria and Mira.¡±


    Erina chuckled into a smile. ¡°Then indeed it is something pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A few minutes after the carriage rattled through the streets, I alighted. As soon as my feet reached the ground, a line of servants bowed before my presence.


    ¡°Welcome back, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Beyond the line of servants was a manor. The manor¡ªmade of cement and a mix of iron and wood¡ªwas not too large, neither was it too small. However, the space for the garden and other building facilities, covered about two-thirds of the land.


    ¡°Milady, I welcome your return.¡± As soon as I reached the antechamber, a medium-built man¡ªwearing a black tail-coat¡ªgreeted me. His black hair revealed several strands of white.


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Ark.¡± I returned a smile. ¡°How are things going around Aves?¡±


    ¡°I have prepared the reports in your room, your Highness.¡± Ark gestured towards the staircase past the antechamber. ¡°But would you like me to give a brief summary of the current situation.¡± His clear brown eyes shifted back to me.


    I waved my hand in dismissal. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just read through them later. But for now, could I ask you to prepare a small number of coins for tomorrow? About one gold, three silvers, and five large coppers would be enough.¡±


    Erina, who stood by my side, commented, ¡°Amelia, are you perha¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return before it gets dark.¡± Then I reached into my pocket and brought out a small clip. ¡°Besides, I brought this with me. You could also inform the Royal Guards that I¡¯ll be roaming around Aves tomorrow. And if you¡¯re still uneasy, it¡¯s fine to tail me from behind.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Surprisingly, Ark answered instead of Erina.


    ¡°...¡± On the other hand, Erina remained silent.


    I nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Amelia, aren¡¯t you going t visit the palace first? The King and the Queen could be waiting,¡± Erina asked. It was about an hour away before dawn.


    Meanwhile, I climbed the carriage and sat behind the coachman. ¡°Erina, it¡¯s fine. There isn¡¯t anything urgent in Tercel right now. But maybe tomorrow, I¡¯ll visit the palace. But for now, I¡¯d like to roam Aves. And you know? There might be a chance I meet Father along the way.¡± I giggled.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take after your Father¡¯s example,¡± Erina said indifferently.


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ve heard that too many times now.¡± Amelia rolled her eyes. ¡°But rest assured, I¡¯m not like Father. He¡¯s actually a good model to not what to become.¡±


    ¡°Says the girl who is about to do what her Father does.¡±


    I heaved a sigh. ¡°Unlike Father, I¡¯m not running away from my duty.¡±


    ¡°But you are running away right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Anyway, I should go. See you later, Erina.¡± I waved my hand.


    ¡°Take care, your Highness.¡± Erina promptly returned a wave herself.


    And so the carriage began to move. The horse¡¯s hooves clopped against the pavement. And the iron fence that surrounded the manor began to run past me. Meanwhile, I looked at the sky and said, ¡°Seems like it¡¯s going to be a clear day, huh.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is, Your Highness,¡± the coachman replied.


    <hr>


    Note: The re-write has a progress of its own. it won''t affect the current flow of the story. In fact, the re-write might turn out differently, so rest assured that this one would still continue as a story of its own.

 Chapter 68: Request 5

    Celestia leaned forward and muttered, ¡°How charming.¡±


    She was sitting on a spike-shaped boulder while observing a man and a woman in the distance. Beside them was a lifeless Sanguine Dragon¡ªa dragon on the rank of Elders.


    ¡°But unfortunate.¡± Even so, Celestia remained seated. Around her, and around the two figures, were numerous boulders that were similar to what Celestia was seating on. Basically, the land was ravaged.


    The man coughed a fit of blood. ¡°We won. We actually... won.¡± Despite his grievous wounds, the man smiled.


    The woman supported the man to sit. ¡°Yes, we won. We averted a calamity and saved the kingdom. There''s nothing more the people could wish for.¡±


    The man reached out to his shoulder¡ªonto the hand of the woman.


    ¡°Please.¡± The man looked up to the night sky. ¡°Please restore our lost glory.¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°Leave everything to me.¡± She tightened her hold on the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So rest at ease, Rein.¡±


    While the woman was speaking, the man¡¯s eyelids fell.


    ¡°Rest at ease,¡± the woman repeated.


    The woman laid the man down. Soon, she began gesturing a sign of a cross and clasped her hands in prayer. The moment she opened her eyes once again, the man was already sinking. Sinking into a void.


    ¡°Rein!¡± The girl reached out and tried to pull the man by the hand. Despite being injured by a deep cut on her legs, she mustered her strength.


    She did not know what was happening. Neither did she have an idea as to why.


    While she was ushering her last ounces of strength, a garbled sound came from the void. As if it was impatient, dark hands began to manifest and pulled Rein further into the void.


    Suddenly, a hand grabbed the woman. ¡°It¡¯s futile.¡± Celestia shook her head. ¡°You better let go. There¡¯s no hope of retrieving his body.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± Adamant in retrieving Rein, the woman gritted her teeth. ¡°Are you the one behind this?!¡±


    Her mind was in turmoil. She did not expect an enemy to appear after an exasperating battle with a dragon. And so, she thought of Celestia as her enemy.


    ¡°...¡± Celestia gripped the woman¡¯s hand harder, making her hand let go of Rein.


    ¡°Why?!¡± The woman cried. ¡°What do you intend to do with the dead?!¡±


    ¡°I have no need for that man.¡±


    ¡°Then help me!¡± But before she could return her sight to the man¡¯s corpse, it was already gone. ¡°Why...¡±


    She had already accepted his death. And as a fellow Hero, she hoped to return with at least his body and have it blessed.


    Celestia freed the woman. Then the woman fell to her knees. ¡°Why¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you?!¡±


    The woman barked at Celestia. However, Celestia paid her no mind.


    ¡°Now, show yourself.¡± Celestia glared at the void. Then her horn, concealed with illusion, began to uncover itself.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you¡­?¡± the woman muttered in a daze. She could no longer determine whether Celestia was hostile or not.


    Soon, a pulsing red arm grasped the corner of the void. It began to climb its way out. And a soon as its head peeked out, Celestia grabbed it by the neck. Then faster than the woman could see, Celestia forcefully closed the void and smashed the red being to the ground.


    Tremors shook the surroundings. The woman was blown away, screaming for her life. And with unintelligible mutters, the being spoke.


    Though torn in half, the red being¡ªwho took the form of Rein¡ªclawed Celestia¡¯s arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Celestia crushed the throat. Even so, the being remained alive. To hold it down, Celestia stomped on its chest. It was then followed by a crunch.


    The being thrashed around in pain, but it could do nothing against Celestia¡¯s strength.


    [Who are you?] Celestia began to locate the being¡¯s soul. [What is your goal?]


    [Ze-me!] The red being, though gradually, started to gain a skin of its own. Its lost body parts also began to regenerate.


    [Ze! Me!] The ground began to rumble. Then countless black spikes burst out towards Celestia.


    [What is your goal?] Celestia repeated, not giving even the slightest glance towards the spikes. And as soon as she did, the surrounding space trembled and opened a rift.


    ¡°RAAAAAAAAAGHH!¡± Zeme screamed in pain. The spikes he directed towards Celestia ended up piercing himself. They appeared from a different rift just a few inches over his body.


    [You know it¡¯s futile. Your body is far from complete. So speak, what is your goal?]


    [Retrieve! I¡¯ll retrieve what is mine!]


    [Then sleep for eternity.] Celestia began to pour some sort of mana into Zeme¡¯s body. And as soon as it became filled, it began to compress, dragging the soul that is Zeme along with it. [You should have kept yourself away from Origin. But I must thank you, a God¡¯s soul is far better than mere fragments.]


    Zeme kept on struggling. He summoned earthen hands and tried to clap Celes and himself in-between, but it was fruitless. The hands were torn apart by a black hole that appeared for a moment. Then after half an hour of repeated struggle, Zeme sprawled out on the ground, lifeless.


    ¡°Just as I suspected.¡± Celestia held a marble that shone in multiple arrays of light. ¡°This will make things progress faster.¡±


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    Then Celestia turned towards the direction the woman was blown.


    ¡°Unconscious huh.¡± Celestia chuckled. ¡°Well, can¡¯t blame her. But I¡¯ll meet her soon enough as well.¡±


    After modifying Zeme¡¯s body back to that of Rein¡¯s, Celestia left.


    <hr>


    ¡°My, what a surprise.¡±


    After transferring to Alabaster, Celestia unexpectedly found Amelia and Kanna. Both were sprawled on the dirt.


    ¡°What do we do...¡± Amelia muttered.


    ¡°I want to know too,¡± Kanna responded.


    Celestia approached without emitting a sound. ¡°Troubled, are we?¡±


    Amelia immediately propped herself to sit. ¡°Celes?¡± She was puzzled as to why Celestia appeared before her while Kanna was around.


    Kanna stood in response. ¡°So this is that Celes or Celestia you were talking about?¡± Her eyes were silently gazing on Celestia¡¯s horn. She was struck with a sense of peace as her eyes followed the falling petals.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Celestia tilted her head. ¡°In any case, this isn¡¯t a good place to talk.¡±


    Celestia began to transfer Amelia and Kanna before a mansion. The mansion¡ªalthough located at about half-way up a mountain while facing the ocean south of Alabaster¡ªdid not seem aged. In fact, it appeared like it was recently built.


    ¡°Where are we now?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°Now, questions can be answered later.¡± Celestia approached the door. ¡°For now, welcome to my humble abode?¡± Celestia playfully gestured, trying to imitate a butler familiar to Amelia.


    After seeing Amelia followed after Celestia without qualms, Kanna followed. Not long before they sat around a table made out of a certain treant¡¯s wood.


    Amelia began asking trivial questions regarding the mansion and the reason why she was in Alabaster.


    ¡°I planned to visit Elena.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Amelia stood from her seat. ¡°Elena is alive?!¡±


    Celestia shook her head. ¡°Unfortunately, no. The records I left behind with her name on it mentioned that she died, didn¡¯t they? It¡¯s the truth. And just like I said before, you are my first Kin. So to clear things up, Elena, though blessed by Divines, is a human all throughout her life.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I kept her body somewhere here in Alabaster.¡± Celestia smiled. ¡°Nothing more, nothing less. I just wanted to visit my first daughter. That is all.¡±


    Also, Kanna confirmed whether Celestia was the same beast that often appeared before the Elves and Enarfs during the proving. To which Celestia answered, ¡°Yes, it was me.¡±


    During their conversation, Amelia began to wonder if there was really a point in trying to hide the fact about Celestia. Now, Celestia, reading Amelia¡¯s mind, answered with, ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. Whether they knew or not who I am, nothing changes. In the first place, I won¡¯t be willing to meet random strangers.¡±


    With those questions cleared for Amelia and Kanna, they began discussing what Amalthea requested them.


    ¡°Do you have any idea, Celes?¡± It pained Amelia to ask. To rely on Celes again, but she could not come up with a decent solution to their problem. Although various solutions came to mind, they were not effective enough to guarantee the dragon¡¯s life.


    ¡°In all honesty, it would be better to slay the dragon. It would make things easier for you.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually have to follow what Thea requested. I mean, you yourself can replace the dragon for Thea¡¯s sake. And at the rate you are growing, it¡¯ll be about one hundred times faster to wait for you to mature rather than to wait for the dragon to gain strength.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Amelia thought of the situation Celestia given.


    But¡­ would I want to be a striking dummy for Amalthea?


    The thought sent shivers down her spine.


    Just thinking of Amalthea losing her mind and going berserk¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll still be on the side of the living afterward.


    ¡°There¡¯s another thing I wanted to ask.¡±


    ¡°And that is?¡± Celestia smiled. Reading what Amelia had in mind, she prepared an answer.


    ¡°How do you collect souls?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Ughh...¡± Meiko lightly pulled on her bangs.


    Chalk continued to smear on the board at their front.


    ¡°This is difficult...¡± She stared at the notes left on the board. Although she was blessed to understand languages she was not familiar with¡ªmuch like a translation¡ªit did not extend to what the phrase, sentence, or paragraph meant. In short, Meiko could barely keep up with the lesson presented before her.


    Liscia chuckled. ¡°Just as suspected, Mola¡¯s assistant would find it difficult.¡± She was sitting on the opposite side of Mola. Before them, rows of long tables imitated a staircase. At the center, and at the sides, were isles.


    ¡°It¡¯s bound to happen,¡± Mola muttered, focusing on the lecture regarding the difference between runes and ordinary inscriptions when creating concentric and layered magic circles.


    Just as Mola introduced Meiko as a daughter of a noble, Liscia assumed that Meiko just happened to be in luck. With that in mind, she thought that Meiko would lack the base knowledge to understand the lesson before them.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect a noble to barely keep up,¡± Liscia muttered.


    Meiko, being a human from another world, with the knowledge that could be considered advanced in Randia, barely kept up with the lessons. She was trying to incorporate the idea of how electricity flowed into the lesson. However, unlike electricity, mana could not be controlled by components, but mainly by runes and inscriptions.


    The main reason as to why Meiko had the thought of incorporating electricity was due to the state of Academia.


    It happened recently during the night.


    ¡°Street lamps?¡± Meiko was surprised. Living in Origin for a few months, she came to realize that the humans have yet to discover electricity. The proof was the oh so common gas lanterns¡ªcandles too.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Mola turned around and roamed her eyes. Then she realized the source of Meiko¡¯s surprise. ¡°That expression is very common too. At least when arriving in Academia for the first time.¡±


    ¡°Electricity exists?¡± Meiko asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Mola knitted her brows. ¡°Ah, right, your blessing interferes with speech.¡±


    ¡°You see, these lamps are powered by mana. And that mana supplies the shards with fuel to manifest fixed light balls on those lamps.¡±


    Just as Mola mentioned, there are about four light balls on each lamp post.


    ¡°But don¡¯t ask me about the source,¡± Mola added. ¡°Even the top Scholars of Academia has yet to fully confirm the source of the seemingly endless mana. But according to speculations, there exist a vein underneath that is connected all throughout the structure of Academia.¡±


    ¡°Wait, underneath?¡± Again, Meiko was puzzled. ¡°Something like a basement or underground tunnel for pedestrians?¡±


    Mola shook her head. ¡°No. Though you are right in saying there¡¯s a basement of some sort, it does not describe what is underneath Academia.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is?¡±


    ¡°I told you before, right? What this place used to be before it became Academia was a place that survived against natural calamities.¡±


    Meiko¡¯s mind wondered for a while. ¡°Something like Noah¡¯s Ark?¡±


    Surprisingly, Mola understood what Meiko meant. ¡°Something similar, but this one is immobile and housed more than just beasts and the human race. After all, there were skeletal remains that pointed to varying races.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Eh?¡± Meiko¡¯s mind went blank. ¡°You know¡­ Noah¡¯s Ark?¡±


    Mola knitted her brows. ¡°Why not? It was one of the stories left behind by a Hero from the past.¡±


    Meiko was dumbfounded. ¡°They¡­ wrote books?¡± Considering her own situation, she could not help but find it unbelievable that Heroes before her found the time to write books.


    Mola scratched the side of her head. ¡°To be more precise, it was written by a scribe included in the Hero¡¯s party. By now, it¡¯s a default to have someone to record a Hero¡¯s feats. Hearing a few other stories from the Hero itself is a byproduct.¡±


    Then those three, Charles, Clark, and Evelyn has one too?


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go.¡± Mola walked down the street. ¡°We have to return before it gets too dark.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Meiko followed. They were headed towards the lodging provided by Amelia herself¡ªa house within the third concentric circle that defined the magic circle that is Academia.


    But labyrinth? The thought surfaced in Meiko¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 69: Request 6

    I clutched the railings of the balcony and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I HATE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS!¡± Once, twice, thrice, I shouted at the top of my lungs. ¡°Haah¡­ I hate this...¡±


    Celes was supposed to answer my question, but instead, she returned a question.


    [Let me confirm one thing first, Amelia,] she said through Wind Whisper. [What do you intend to do with Hero Meiko?]


    It was an easy and simple question, but the moment my lips parted, I froze. It felt like I was trapped. And thus, I replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no answer with me right now.¡±


    From then on, I excused myself from the table and found myself on one of the mansion¡¯s balcony.


    As much as possible, I don¡¯t intend to rely on her. Her full capabilities are unknown. Her goal is to return home. She¡¯s too afraid to take action. More than that, I have yet to confirm if she¡¯s willing to throw herself in life-threatening situations in order to find an answer to her question.


    That should have been my answer. However, I made a pitfall for myself.


    Whatever the means, I¡¯ll use it in order to reduce the lives that would perish.


    The more days that passed, the more I realized it was not enough. No matter how strong I could get before the promised date, I¡¯m still a single person. I could not be anywhere and everywhere. I was not Celes.


    And so, naturally, what came to mind is to pit Meiko against the Angels alongside me. My plan was to try to find a hint in Academia¡¯s library, or maybe the labyrinth, to provide her with a clue on how to return home. In short, I intended to make up the evidence and provide it to her as a hint.


    It was not entirely a lie. However, the answer was easier than expected to acquire. All I had to do was ask Celes.


    True, it was a disgusting method. But what could I do? Who else would be willing to help me fight against the Angels? Maybe I could try to meet the other Heroes and seduce them into my bidding, but that is not me. That aside, Mother and Father would never want me near Libet¡¯s lackeys.


    There is Fenrir, but his situation is unknown. There¡¯s Amalthea, but she could not leave Alabaster due to her maintaining some sort of Barrier in the ocean down south. Lastly, there¡¯s Celes. But Celes, even though I knew her more than the other two, remains a mystery.


    There¡¯s also the fact that I asked Celes how to collect souls. It was a careless question. I was blinded in accelerating my growth that I forgot what exactly I am.


    I was Celes¡¯s Kin. A being who collects the souls of Heroes.


    I have no idea why she was collecting the souls of Heroes. But there must be a reason. A reason why Celes, as much as possible, only collect fragments of Gods.


    Heroes received their blessings from Gods. And the source of those fragments does not rely on what race the Hero came from. It was entirely random. At least in our eyes.


    As Celes explained, Heroes are summoned by creating a tunnel into the Realm of the Gods, and into the world where the Heroes came from. That world depends on the race that used the summoning ritual.


    Basically, the one who modifies the soul of the Hero would depend on who was willing to place their fragments into them.


    Celes had various theories as to why Gods, without rest, keep inserting their fragments or seed into the Heroes.


    That point aside¡ªif ever I learned how to collect souls, and if ever we win against the Angels¡ªmost likely, I would need to end Meiko with my own hands. That is what I thought Celes would have me do in exchange of learning that devious ability.


    It was ironic. The one who saved her life would end up taking it from her. Ironic, a pathetic ending.


    And should that happen, I would not know how I would face Kanna. Even if I hide it from her, I did not know if I can keep it from her for as long as she lived.


    Was it a mistake that I made Kanna get closer to Meiko? I did not know. However, I regretted it.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired...¡± I pressed my forehead against the railings.


    I had so much to think about. So many to consider. There was a mountain of tasks waiting beyond the hill I have yet to finish digging through. And yet, at the worst possible scenario, I was stuck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore...¡±


    My problems kept on piling, and yet, I have yet to resolve a single one.


    ¡°Amelia, there¡¯s no need to rush.¡± Celes¡¯s voice came from the side. ¡°I know you¡¯re short of time, and even if I wanted to extend the time frame I¡¯ve given you, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I know. That Archangel, Raziel, would descend by then, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And by that time, I won¡¯t be able to put up the charade that the Angel you eliminated is still alive.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± I slumped on the floor and curled myself. ¡°I wonder how chaotic it would be without you. Really, Celes, I don¡¯t know how to thank you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Me telling you not to worry about it is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not good,¡± I continued.


    ¡°Right.¡± Celes chuckled. ¡°Then as thanks, live, Amelia. It may take your whole human lifetime before you are entirely freed, but keep on holding. You¡¯ll be able to rest.¡±


    ¡°My human lifetime huh.¡± A dry laugh escaped my lips. ¡°So you ended with the same conclusion. Or¡­ you read my mind?¡±


    ¡°No, I have not. It¡¯s just that what you wanted¡ªdiversity¡ªis not something that could entirely be accomplished within one human¡¯s lifetime. It is something that is passed from one generation and to the next. And so, following that pattern, you have to vanish.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ it¡¯s the only ending for me. I have to fake my death and live in the shadows. Maybe I could make up a story that I found an Elixir and made myself immortal. But that would sprout countless issues.¡±


    ¡°Right. But for now, stop sulking.¡± Celes patted my back.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sulking. I¡¯m just¡­ stressed.¡±


    Celes ignored my mutters. ¡°You should realize by now that forcing yourself to find an answer would lead you to a dead end. Take your time. Don¡¯t be overwhelmed by the time you have to spare.¡±


    ¡°Right...¡±


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    <hr>


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kanna asked with a frown. ¡°I heard you shouting but¡­ I thought you needed to let it out so I didn¡¯t approach.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ fine. I guess.¡± A wry smile emerged on my face. ¡°Anyway, Kanna, let¡¯s stay for the night.¡±


    I led Kanna into a guest room that I asked from Celes. And before I entered the bed, I said, ¡°Kanna, would you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sleep with me?! Of course, I would!¡± Kanna dove under the sheets and prompted me to get in. ¡°Come now, my dear,¡± she said with a smile that seemed heavenly. ¡°We have a long night ahead.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I turned around and approached the opposite bed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep here.¡± I tucked myself and said, ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    A moment of silence followed. Afterward, the petrified Kanna moved. ¡°EHHH? WHY?!¡± Kanna¡¯s feet thumped against the wooden floor. ¡°Don¡¯t you need someone to cry on right now?! I can be that person! A-NY-TIME!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy. Go back to your bed.¡± I waved my hand in dismissal and turned my back on Kanna. ¡°Shoo, shoo.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯ll do it without permission!¡±


    ¡°Declaring that doesn¡¯t do you any good?¡± I faced Kanna and readied my arms to intercept.


    ¡°It¡¯s do-or-die!¡± Kanna threw the sheets up into the air and dove. ¡°Li¡ªbrrgh!¡±


    Immediately as she dove, I thrust my palm into her face. ¡°It¡¯s do-AND-die.¡±


    Next, I pulled her arm and made her fall to the other side of the bed.


    ¡°Uuu¡­ Lia¡¯s love is physically painful.¡± Kanna rolled on the floor while pouting. ¡°I just want to sleep together.¡±


    ¡°Your motives are clear as day, Kanna.¡± I sighed. ¡°But thanks.¡± Hesitantly, I offered my hand. ¡°You really know how to distract my mind like always.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, I can¡¯t be your lover if I don¡¯t know this much.¡± Kanna reached out her hand to mine.


    ¡°¡­¡± I retracted my hand before Kanna was able to grasp it and threw the sheets over her. ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°L-lia?! Did I say something wrong?!¡±


    <hr>


    The day after, Kanna and I bid our goodbye to Celes. And before we left, Celes left me with words to ponder.


    [Amelia, try to resolve yourself. What you hoped to learn is not easy. At least, as a start, you¡¯ll need someone who is willing to offer their life for you to learn. And if ever you are ready.] Celes tapped her finger a little above her chest. [Call my name.]


    It was towering decision to make. Though I had an idea as to who, like Kanna and Maxwell, it was something too bitter for me to swallow. And so I kept it at the corner of my mind.


    It did not take long before we found a suitable place for Birby to land. And doing so, we returned to the Tribe while bearing Amalthea¡¯s request. However, unfortunately, the Dwarf Chiefs, Sylvar, and Kan have yet to return.


    It took another day before Sylvar and Kan returned. Then another before the Dwarf Chiefs arrived.


    [Heard you need me for something?] Garfin asked with a pick lugged on his shoulder.


    [Yes,] I answered.


    [Hoh, you prioritized our language.] Garfin chuckled. [That¡¯s a pretty nice choice.]


    [Maybe, maybe not,] I refuted his words using the language of the Elves.


    [Color me surprised.]


    ¡°I only know quite a few words so I still can¡¯t handle a full conversation. But greetings are fine.¡±


    [As long as you¡¯re progressing, it¡¯s fine.]


    ¡°Anyway, Garfin can we¡ª.¡± I glanced around the lodge.


    [This place is no good huh.]


    ¡°Sorry for being selfish, Grandpa Fin.¡±


    [Is my workshop fine?]


    ¡°I can¡¯t ask for anywhere better.¡±


    As soon as we arrived in the workshop, Garfin made the Dwarf Helpers leave. Afterward, he pulled two chairs for us to sit.


    ¡°You see, Garfin I...¡± I took out a small pouch and passed it over to him.


    Garfin took out a blackened piece of metal shaped like a viscous liquid poured into a plate.


    ¡°I broke it. Your gift.¡± I placed my hands on my knees and bowed deeply. ¡°Even though I told you I¡¯ll treasure it, it wasn¡¯t able to last even a year. I¡¯m really, really sorry.¡±


    [Hrmm¡­] Garfin kept on turning around the metal piece. [Was it destroyed with the intent to or not?]


    While still bowing, I answered, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    [I see.] Then a clucking sound followed. Probably, Garfin threw the piece of metal somewhere.


    Garfin placed his hand on my chin and lifted my head. Then unconsciously, I closed my eyes. What followed was a short pain in my nose.


    ¡°Uuu¡­ that kinda hurts.¡± I lightly tapped on my nose, checking if it was swollen or anything.


    His fingers were large, and the strength he gave that pinch was obviously more than what an average human could muster.


    Garfin chuckled. [Randolf used to pinch your nose whenever you did some mischief, didn¡¯t he?]


    ¡°I¡¯m not a child anymore.¡±


    [Ha! Fourteen is practically a child for us Dwarfs.] Garfin expressed a wide grin. [Now, sit properly, I need to give you a thorough lecture.]


    After I fixed my posture and faced Garfin, I waited.


    [Now, where should I start.] Garfin grumbled with his arms crossed. Soon, he started nodding. [First, YOU FOOL!]


    Garfin¡¯s sudden burst made me flinch. And doing so, I started looking down on my knees and prepared myself.


    [What were you even doing?! Did something like last time happened again?! Where you volunteered to take the hardest part to chew?! Treasure your life more! Stop being too selfless! Or more like, be more selfish like you used to!]


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    [No buts! And look at you! Are you looking down at my creations?]


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±


    [You are! That sword isn¡¯t something for display! It¡¯s a weapon, right?! It¡¯s supposed to break after some time!]


    ¡°But it broke too soon...¡±


    [And?! What do you know about the feelings of its craftsman?!]


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± A little at a time I started to lean closer to my knees.


    [Tch, Randolf, you should be here to scold your Granddaughter.]


    ¡°...¡±


    [Amelia, lend me your hand.]


    ¡°Huh?¡± Puzzled by the sudden change, I lifted my head and tried to confirm his intention. ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ angry anymore?¡±


    [Figured I¡¯ll give Randolf the rest of your lecture. Now, your hand.]


    I stared at him blankly. I could not understand why his sudden outburst fell too short. However, as I was lost in thought, Garfin grabbed my right hand and traced his fingers on my palm.


    [I did not get the chance to do this last time,] he muttered. He cupped a feel on my fingers and made it grip a few pieces of wooden handles. [That¡¯s good enough.]


    ¡°Garfin?¡± I called out to him as he stood from his seat and walked towards the back of the workshop.


    [Wait there.]


    A short moment afterward, he returned with a familiar rapier in his hands.


    ¡°Is this?¡±


    [It¡¯s a spare of the one you used last time.]


    I took the rapier into my hands and unsheathed a part of its blade. ¡°It feels like its exactly the same...¡±


    [Like I said, it¡¯s a spare. I made two just in case the first one broke. Though it happened sooner than expected, use that in the meantime.]


    ¡°Meantime?¡± Again, I did not understand his intentions.


    Garfin took a seat. [How did the rapier felt last time? Was it too light? Is the blade length long enough? Was the crystal exposed too much? Was it hard to hold when wet?]


    One after the other, Garfin asked a question regarding the rapier. I kept answering as accurate as I could, but there were a few things I could vaguely answer.


    ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± I asked. Though I had an idea, I wanted a confirmation.


    [I gave you that sword as a gift without meeting you for five years straight. So you could say that that sword was experimental. It wasn¡¯t a sword fully customized for your convenience.]


    ¡°Hence the spare?¡±


    [Yes, since it will take some time to forge one that would fit your needs, I prepared a spare a long time ago.]


    I gripped the rapier lying on my lap and muttered, ¡°That was¡­ experimental?¡± It felt ridiculous. The quality of that rapier would easily make it to the list of the best weapons in Laurel. I was not even doubtful if it would end up in the first place.


    [Amelia, if I can¡¯t forge a weapon of that quality, I won¡¯t be considered as the best Weapon Smith in the Tribe.] Garfin wore a wide smile. [That aside, do you have any request for the real gift?]


    ¡°Ah! Right!¡± I took out another pouch and presented it to Garfin. ¡°Can you use this?¡±


    It took Garfin a few seconds a silence before he burst into laughter. [This much?! I wonder how large a storm it would brew!]


    I patiently waited for him to finish. As to why he was laughing so much, I had no idea.


    ¡°So¡­ can you use it?¡±


    [I¡¯ll use half of what you gave me. More than that, I won¡¯t know how it will turn out.] He combed his beard with his fingers while placing a part of the shedding into a plate. [But you¡¯re willing to let me use half of the original amount huh. Seems like you¡¯re in more of a tight spot than I thought.]


    I could not help but express a wry smile from his mutters.


    ¡°How long do you think it would take?¡± I asked, receiving the pouch of excess shedding from Garfin.


    [Maybe a month or two. Would that be fine?]


    I nodded.


    Garfin stood from his seat. [Good. Now, let¡¯s have a drink!]


    I thought you think of me as a child...

 Re-write Progress

    Currently, the first chapter of the re-write is out. To reduce the confusion, I changed the re-write''s title to Waxing Silver. Generally, the flow of events would be different, since there are some things that I wanted to show at the early stage of the story rather than later.


    Also, it might be less comedic than the current one, so you could say that it might be a different novel overall, hence the more reason I gave it another title. Anyway, feel free to read it if ever you are interested. Its update frequency will likely be slower than this version since I intend to write this version all the way through the end.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Table of Contents Link is located below (At the Post-chapter note).

 Chapter 70: A Fairy, a Dragon, and a Goblin 1

    Three days have passed since the day I got scolded by Garfin.


    I never thought I¡¯d be back here so soon.


    I wished to explore it someday, the Endless Chasm, but it was not the time to do so. However, it got me a little excited when I saw the towering Dasbalites once again.


    Speaking of which, I wonder what¡¯s the progress of the Dasbalite research?


    I recalled Mola¡¯s preliminary investigation regarding the said mineral. However, since the nerves of the Rikea rooted inside the Dasbalite was not preserved, it was hard to make an assumption. Much less provide a theory on how it absorbs Mana.


    ¡°If only they were easy to bring back onto the surface and into the Duchy...¡± The best research material was a live Rikea. But difficulties applied, as well as the dwindling population of Rikeas, it was hard to capture one.


    [You said something?] Dresbon handed me a bow after affixing its bowstring.


    ¡°Nothing. Just some random mutters of mine.¡±


    [That so?] Dresbon took up another string-less bow and started affixing another string. [It¡¯s fine to let your mind to wander about right now. But best avoid that for the following days. Things might be harder than we initially thought.]


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    I slung the bow and went to Arkand. [Have you used a bow before?] he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I took a glance on the side and found a familiar elf. ¡°I learned the basics from Mon over there.¡±


    [Good enough.] Arkand chuckled and handed me a quiver filled with arrows. [We don¡¯t have to be accurate this time anyway.]


    In response, a dry laugh escaped my lips.


    [That aside, how¡¯s the armor?] Arkand grinned. [Looking good eh?]


    ¡°Well...¡± I struck my heels, moved about my arms, and turned my waist. ¡°For a start, it¡¯s not that heavy.¡±


    In fact, it¡¯s light¡­ But I guess that¡¯s just me. Really, growing my horn is scary.


    [Good! Good!] Arkand struck his knees as he laughed. [I¡¯ve taken into account your frame and your strength, so I made it as light as possible with mithril!]


    ¡°Figured.¡± Again, I expressed a dry laugh. Well, since I can¡¯t openly use that dress, I guess this does more than needed.


    [Later, after we¡¯re done with the pests, let me know how the armor felt!]


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    [But you know,] Arkand whispered. [I could use a little of that¡­ you know what, right?]


    I scratched my cheeks. ¡°Would an eight of what I have left be enough?¡±


    Arkand¡¯s expression brightened like day. [This Smith cannot ask for more!]


    ¡°Right, right.¡± I guess he wants to compete with Garfin but using armors? ¡°I¡¯ll prepare it¡ªafter we have a drink.¡±


    [Oooh! So you finally gave in!] Arkand laughed heartily. [I¡¯ll have three barrels prepared then!]


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. I don¡¯t think I could hold my own.¡± Not that I¡¯ve tried drinking.


    [Bah! You shouldn¡¯t worry about it! We have all these Dwarfs to empty those barrels in a jiffy! Right?!]


    [Ooooh!] Dwarfs cheered in unison. There were also some who shouted how much of a barrel they could take.


    [See?]


    ¡°Alright, but¡­ do I really have to wear this all the way?¡± The armor was not bad at all. However, as our circumstance dictated, it would be best not to wear it during the travel period.


    [It¡¯s best that you have an insurance all the time. You¡¯re not just a Chief. You are also our guest, and a Royal or whatever you call it. Besides, we can¡¯t receive more alcohol from your kingdom if something bad happens to you. So take it as a token for the Dwarfs ever more cheerful nights!]


    ¡°¡­ Then I guess I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Soon, the preparations were done and the time to move came. Dwarfs headed by Garfin led the group. It was then followed by Dresbon¡¯s group mixed with a few Elves. The rear was covered by the group led by Arkand.


    ¡°How have you been doing lately?¡± I started a conversation while walking beside Mon.


    [Good.]


    ¡°Same as always.¡± I snickered. Mon was the same Mon back then. ¡°Say, could you coach me a bit about archery again? I haven¡¯t used it for quite some time, so I don¡¯t think making a feel for it would be enough for later.¡±


    [Sure.]


    It took some time before we arrived at a large hole in the ground. It was the same hole that the Devourer used to slaughter the helpless Rikeas back then.


    [Check the stakes!] Garfin shouted at the front. [Then hammer two more supports!]


    The Dwarfs moved as ordered and began a chorus of metallic clinking. While the forward group was adding more supports, the center group dispersed and made preparations for our meals. Meanwhile, the rear group began to form a circular barricade around the whole parade.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join the rear group in the meantime.¡± I left those words to Mon and helped in securing the perimeter. At the same time, I took the chance to investigate the unique plants in the surroundings.


    ¡°Say.¡± I struck a conversation with a nearby Dwarf. ¡°Have the first batch of Dwarfs cleaned up the corpses of the Rikeas?¡±


    [Oh, that? We took those further down the chasm to attract the Gidra¡¯s away.]


    ¡°What about the Dasbalites at their backs?¡±


    [Gidra¡¯s prey on those too. They are like supplements to further harden their scales.]


    I knitted my brows. ¡°But why? Isn¡¯t that¡ªfeeding our potential enemy?¡±


    [You¡¯re right, but also wrong. There are a few beasts that could match up to Gidras further down the Chasm. And frankly, those beasts are harder to deal with than Gidras. So we¡¯re maintaining the competition to avoid them coming up here. And besides, with the number of Gidras down, and also the Rikeas, Gidras would have a hard time to compete. So they¡¯ll need those corpses to somewhat stabilize the ecology down there.]


    But¡­ a really sturdy Gidra would be born, right?


    [Amelia,] Mon called from the side, [your meal is ready.]


    ¡°Ah, right.¡± I gave the Dwarf my thanks and followed Mon.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    [About the bow,] Mon muttered. [Let¡¯s train after the meal.]


    I expressed a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    <hr>


    [I¡¯m relieved you decided to stay,] Ran muttered, standing beside Kanna while overseeing the preparations at the Tribe. [But I thought you¡¯d refuse to leave Amelia¡¯s side for this operation¡ªeven though we are facing a dragon head-on.]


    [I did want to stay by Lia¡¯s side.] Kanna pouted. [But I can¡¯t be at my best underground. Best raise the chances of victory by doing what I¡¯m best at¡ªriding wyverns and leading the Enarfs to the sky.]


    Ran expressed a wry smile in silence. [Say, Kanna, how come you¡¯re so attached to that girl? What made you want to be with her so much?]


    Kanna scratched her cheek. [It¡¯s¡­ kinda hard to explain. But one thing is for sure. I want Lia to be what she used to be back then. Just a simple girl. But I guess it¡¯s too late for that now.]


    [Too late?]


    [Oh, nothing.] Kanna waved her hand in dismissal. [Other than that, it feels like Lia¡¯s going to up and vanish if left alone¡ªmaybe wither is the right word for it? But how to put this¡­ She¡¯s strong yet fragile at the same time. But well, the most important aspect is¡ªLia is cute! And I¡¯d like to live the rest of my life with Lia!] Kanna declared proudly.


    Ran chuckled. [You¡¯re as childish as ever.]


    [Words that came from someone caught acting childish by Ark, huh?]


    Ran froze in response. [H-h-how did you know?] Her arms trembled while her face blushed in embarrassment.


    [Just a guess.] Kanna grinned. [You were probably trying a new and flashy technique while shouting the name for it, right? Could you show it to me? It might be something that everyone else might admire, but in laughter.] Kanna covered her mouth and suppressed her urge to laugh.


    [Aha, Ahahaha.] A dry laugh escaped Ran¡¯s lips as she slowly walked away.


    Kanna waved her hand. [Don¡¯t worry! I won¡¯t forget about it!]


    As soon as Ran vanished from sight Kanna returned her sight to the clearing¡ªwhere various bolts, arrows, shards, and specialized armors for wyverns were being prepared.


    [Oooi!] Kanna ran up to an Enarf. [Can you gather up the Riders for me?]


    <hr>


    ¡°Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, A message arrived from Her Highness Amelia.¡± A knight explained the reason behind his sudden visit. ¡°There¡¯s also this trainer who arrived while bearing Her Highness¡¯s seal.¡±


    Auguste glanced at Lara before replying to the knight. ¡°Lead the trainer to the guest room.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    As soon as the knight left, Lara spoke. ¡°See? I told you we¡¯d receive a message from her around this time.¡±


    Auguste grunted, ¡°Hmph. She¡¯s been doing whatever she pleases.¡±


    Lara sighed. ¡°Auguste, like I explained to you before, your daughter is an adult now. She could hold herself responsible for her own actions. I mean, the trials you gave her, she passed it, didn¡¯t she? Have more trust in your daughter.¡±


    ¡°Call it intuition,¡± Auguste muttered while walking back and forth in front of the couch. ¡°She¡¯s been doing something that I have no idea of¡ªit makes me uneasy.¡±


    There are reasons why she couldn¡¯t tell you, Auguste, was what Lara wanted to say.


    ¡°She¡¯s a chief in the Tribe. Who knows? There might be some things that she needed to accomplish before returning.¡±


    ¡°Tch. That¡¯s not it. Something definitely feels off.¡±


    Again, Lara sighed. This is quite difficult to handle.


    ¡°Auguste, dear, haven¡¯t you already confirmed what she has been doing lately from her Guards? Isn¡¯t that enough evidence? And besides, where do you think she would escape to while under the eyes of her Guards?¡±


    ¡°No idea,¡± Auguste admitted with a bitter expression.


    ¡°See? You¡¯re just overthinking this. Best be relaxed.¡± Lara stood and approached the door. ¡°Besides, the trainer Amelia requested for you is waiting. It won¡¯t leave a good impression if you¡¯re that late.¡±


    Auguste sighed and followed Lara.


    Amelia, what are you hiding?


    <hr>


    ¡°Uhm¡­ What are we doing here again?¡± Meiko asked, warily glancing at the surroundings latticed with metallic frames.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for parasites like Mimics,¡± Mola answered, trailing behind the anxious Meiko.


    ¡°B-but isn¡¯t this weird? Why is something like this underneath Academia?¡± Meiko tightened her grasp on the rod she held. Her manner of walking was rather stiff. ¡°This isn¡¯t anything like a horror movie or a thriller, right? It isn¡¯t, right?¡±


    ¡°What are you even referring to?¡± Liscia Looked back to Meiko. ¡°Anyway, this is nothing but daily occurrence for the citizens of Academia. It¡¯s a great place to collect some materials and relics of the past. It¡¯s basically a treasure trove, right Halbert?¡±


    ¡°Man, I still can¡¯t believe we suddenly lost our secondary vanguard,¡± Halbert, sporting a spiky brown hair, mumbled while leading the group through the hallway.


    Liscia knitted her brows. ¡°Are you that worried of Mia?¡±


    ¡°Well, you could say that, but our party won¡¯t be as functional as before without her.¡± Halbert crossed his arms and contemplated their situation. ¡°Not to mention that that Prince is also gone. We lost two and gained one. We have to change our strategy if we focus on hunting and recovery for the coming weekend.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, we lost two pillars too suddenly.¡± Liscia sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s still a weird situation for that Prince to have the hots for Mia.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Prince and Mia?¡± Meiko¡¯s attention was sucked towards Halbert and Liscia¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Liscia scratched her cheek, unsure of whether to tell her about the Prince¡¯s identity. ¡°Just think of him as a Pri¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s His Highness Maxwell from the kingdom of Brent,¡± Mola interrupted. ¡°You probably have an idea since you were once in Brent, right?¡±


    Meiko shook her head. ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°And there goes the secret of our group,¡± Liscia muttered with a wry smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Max would mind as long as we keep it within our group,¡± Halbert added.


    I didn¡¯t have the time to relax so I barely knew anything about the places I went through, Meiko thought. But Liscia and Halbert didn¡¯t know that Mia was Her Highness Amelia?


    Out of curiosity, Meiko glanced at Mola for confirmation. And in return, Mola nodded.


    I see.


    ¡°Anyway.¡± Liscia clapped twice. ¡°Mola, what do you need the Mimic for?¡±


    ¡°Personal research.¡±


    ¡°Please tell me about it later.¡±


    ¡°Count me in,¡± Halbert chimed.


    ¡°You have to swear secrecy or loyalty to Her Highness before I could disclose any of it to you two. Or else, our heads will roll.¡±


    Liscia shivered. ¡°That¡¯s quite a ground-breaking research huh?¡±


    On the other hand, Meiko expressed a wry smile. Well, with the aim to replicate Academia¡¯s unknown and infinite source of mana, Dasbalites would really be ground-breaking. That¡¯s quite similar to the discovery of electricity, maybe?


    ¡°Everything could change if it comes to fruition. Maybe even enough to change the tides of war if it was a huge success.¡± Mola smirked. ¡°Say, why don¡¯t you come under Her Highness¡¯s wing sooner? There are a ton of benefits available.¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Liscia scratched her cheek.


    ¡°We would soon, but not now,¡± Halbert continued. ¡°Liscia and I want to test how far up in Academia we could achieve without direct help from any Noble or Royalty.¡±


    ¡°Both of you...¡± Mola sighed. ¡°You¡¯re being too hard on yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Liscia shook her head. ¡°And besides, I want to know how it feels to be under pressure.¡±


    ¡°Are you both a masochist?¡± Mola jokingly replied. ¡°And aren¡¯t both of you almost always under pressure? I mean the bills you needed to pay are piling up by the second.¡±


    ¡°¡°...¡±¡± Both Liscia and Halbert could not reply against the undeniable truth.


    ¡°Stop being too prided of your own achievements. Everyone needs a support or two. And besides, with the current condition of our party, that dream marriage of yours would be nothing but a mere dream.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡± Liscia forced a laugh. ¡°Halbert can do it, right? Right?¡± Liscia poked Halbert¡¯s back.


    ¡°¡­ We¡¯re currently in the red,¡± Halbert replied with a dejected face. ¡°We have to reduce our food consumption again.¡±


    ¡°AAAAAAAHHH!¡± Liscia pulled on her hair. ¡°And here I thought we could eat a somewhat luxurious meat this time!¡±


    ¡°¡­ M-maybe we should return to the village and do farm work instead.¡± Halbert sighed.


    ¡°NO! Don¡¯t you remember?! We¡¯re not good at doing farm work! And we ran away without notice! We can¡¯t just go back and say ¡®we¡¯re sorry¡¯, right?!¡±


    Liscia grabbed Halbert¡¯s shoulder and rocked him.


    ¡°And besides, take some responsibility! I was too carried away by your ¡®let¡¯s live somewhere else and lead a better life¡¯ line that I ran away from the village with you! Being too dreamy was a mistake! Oh, the regrets of childhood!¡±


    ¡°O-oi! We¡¯re almost in the danger zone so stop rocking me!¡±


    ¡°No! We need to discuss this now or we won¡¯t live through the winter!¡±


    While Liscia and Halbert were exchanging words, Meiko muttered, ¡°A couple¡¯s distress.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to those two soon,¡± Mola said. ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t that hard to get along with as long as you can treat them to a lunch or two. It would be a saving grace for them.¡±


    ¡°But I think all of their problems would be solved if they swore loyalty, right?¡±


    Mola sighed. ¡°True, but they have the kind of thinking that they don¡¯t need a huge backing for them to succeed. It probably sourced from the situation of their village.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Meiko expressed a smile as she watched the two recounted the words they promised each other.


    ¡°But feeling well now?¡± Mola approached Meiko¡¯s side.


    ¡°A little.¡± Meiko chuckled.


    ¡°Anyway, Academia has a lot of mysteries. And who knows? There might be something further underneath that might solve your problem.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡± Even for a little, Meiko¡¯s resolve to go through hardships in order to return heightened.

 Chapter 71: A Fairy, a Dragon, and a Goblin 2

    ¡°Grrr...¡± The Woodland Dragon emitted a low growl.


    [Hmm?] The Fairy, who was lazing around on the dragon¡¯s forehead, sat up. [Is something the matter?]


    [A pack of wyverns was entering and leaving my domain repeatedly.] Like any other races, an intelligent beast could communicate with telepathy. [Some bold wyverns they are. If possible, I¡¯d like to smack them down from the sky.]


    [Hehh. A Pack of wyverns huh.] The Fairy fluttered her wings and spiraled over the dragon¡¯s head. [Could it be those Dwarfs and Elves¡¯ doing? Are they underestimating a dragon¡¯s capability because they have a number of wyverns? Hmm¡­ How curious.]


    [Dispersed Goblins are useless against wyverns,] the Goblin Queen commented with a straight face. [Best retrieve my brethren and consolidate them. That¡¯ll increase their chances.]


    The Fairy giggled in response. [That¡¯s new. I never thought you¡¯d offer a suggestion on how to use your kin. Have you given up hope of escaping with them? Well, not that you could return to how you previously lived anyway. It¡¯s a dead end for you guys.]


    The goblin smirked. [Might as well help someone who¡¯s in the same situation as me, right? So, in a sense, we are comrades, aren¡¯t we?]


    [¡­] The Fairy knitted her brows and crossed her arms. [Who would want a Goblin like you to be their comrade? Are you out of your mind?]


    [No? My kin would die for it though.] Still maintaining the smirk on her face, the goblin stood and clasped the railing of her cage.


    [Hmph.] The Fairy snorted. [Filthy Goblins.]


    [Isn¡¯t that better? Filthy inside and out. It is way better than trying to give and maintain an impression of being clean. And for me, that makes you more filthy than us Goblins.]


    [¡­ I didn¡¯t ask for your opinion.] The Fairy raised her chin and looked down on the Goblin. [Greith, tear them apart.]


    The dragon, Greith, compressed his mana into a string. Using that, he formed a magic circle and deployed it at a distance. A short moment afterward, a giant spike burst into a small chamber where several goblins rested.


    What was left was the stench of blood and the torn bodies of the goblins.


    [Learn to shut your mouth, okay?] The Fairy snickered. [Else, the rest of your kin¡¯s life would end earlier than expected.]


    Despite the event unfolding before her, the goblin kept her unwavering smile.


    [Right back at you,] the goblin muttered under her breath.


    <hr>


    About an hour down the tunnel dug by the Devourer, [This is where we part,] Mon said with his usual calm demeanor.


    ¡°Well, plans are plans, I guess.¡± I reached out my fist before Mon. ¡°Please tell me more about Grandfather and Alabaster next time.¡±


    [Trying to imitate Randolf?] Mon expressed a wry smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m his replacement, right?¡± I chuckled. ¡°Though he and I are different, I ended up taking the position he left for me. In that case, I hope I can take his position as your friend too?¡±


    [Is that something you ask for?]


    ¡°You¡¯re still treating me as his Granddaughter. Although I get that because of how we met, and how you and Grandfather used to be, I want to change our current relationship. So, will you be a friend of mine too?¡±


    Mon raised his fist and bumped it against mine.


    [You have a lot to learn to accompany us, adults.]


    I giggled in response. ¡°I may not look like it, but I have accompanied various males¡ªboth child and adult. But of course, that¡¯s an entirely different case. But even so, I¡¯m confident enough to entertain others if given the chance.¡±


    Mon laughed. [We¡¯ll see.]


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Further down the Devourer¡¯s tunnel¡ªwhile accompanied by balls of light and torches to light up our path¡ªwe started wearing thick over-clothes. It was also the time when I convinced Arkand to remove the armor since the armor would only allow the cold to further sink into my skin.


    Not long before we wore our over-clothes, the tunnel started to tilt upwards. That was then when thin coats of ice decorated the tunnel.


    Taking the nature of Alabaster, it was not something far from reality. It was simply a result of the Devourer tunneling through existing natural waterways and connecting them into this tunnel. The result was a tunnel coated with ice.


    ¡°We¡¯re climbing this?¡± I blinked my eyes a few times. However, the large frozen waterfall before us refused to vanish. ¡°And we¡¯re only using a pick to do so?¡±


    Climbing the frozen waterfall was the easiest option we had due to the increase in the tunnel¡¯s slope. If ever we tried climbing from the opposite side, we would end up hanging from the ceiling with only our fingers. Even for Dwarfs, it was a difficult task. Not to mention that the tunnel itself was damp from the water and ice.


    [Can¡¯t do it?] Arkand chuckled.


    [I told you this won¡¯t be easy back in the council,] Dresbon commented. [But you insisted that you wanted to take part of this operation.]


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t climb it, but it would take time to climb this with only those tools, right? Not to mention the weight of our supplies.¡±


    [We¡¯ll make a second relay camp here,] Garfin interrupted. [We can¡¯t ferry most of our equipment over this waterfall. And if we did, it would take too much time and energy. We have to limit what we could bring.]


    Garfin turned around and faced the other Dwarfs and Elves. [Elves! Start blowing in some air from the outside! Dwarfs! Raise a platform for our camp! Make sure it¡¯s high enough to accommodate the rise in water! Start deploying those Fireballs and increase the temperature! Both groups should take turns to avoid mana exhaustion!]


    After Garfin finished giving his instructions to the group, Arkand spoke.


    [Garfin, take care of things here, I¡¯ll start climbing and make a few platforms for us to reel the supplies up.]


    [The same goes for me,] Dresbon added.


    [Sure, leave things to me.] Garfin thumped his chest.


    In contrast, I raised my hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the task of creating the platforms. Afterward, I¡¯ll scout ahead. That way, we can prepare some countermeasures for the possible blockades.¡±


    [Sure thing.] Arkand smiled. [But that¡¯s only if you get ahead of me and Dresbon here.] Arkand patted Dresbon¡¯s shoulder. [Right?]


    [If that is what would stop this girl from taking risks, then sure.] Dresbon crossed his arms.


    My lips naturally curved into a smile. ¡°That¡¯s a done deal.¡±


    A few minutes after we prepared our climbing equipment, we lined ourselves before the waterfall. Each of us had a rope, a pick, a few stakes, and a hammer contained in a sack hanging by our shoulders.


    [Remember, you are not allowed to interrupt another one¡¯s climb,] Dresbon repeated the only rule we¡¯ve set.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that cowardly to do such a thing.¡±


    [Hmm¡­] Arkand combed his beard while observing the waterfall. [Are you sure you don¡¯t want us to give you a handicap and have a head start? I bet something like this is rare for humans.]


    ¡°I can¡¯t refute that, but let¡¯s have a fair start.¡± I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s also a good time to show what I¡¯m capable of.¡±


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Some Dwarfs might have agreed that I had what it takes to join this operation, however, that was limited to the Dwarfs I were with when we searched for Arkand and Dresbon¡¯s group back then.


    Arkand chuckled. [Suit yourself.]


    After Garfin, who was watching from the side, confirmed our preparations, he shouted, [Start!]


    Arkand and Dresbon immediately dashed then leaped with their picks ready to strike the ice. Soon, a rhythmic clinking sound was produced. Both were already climbing while relying on their strength.


    On the other hand, I crouched and tightened my grip on the sack. Then, after coating my legs with mana, I jumped. However, rather than ready my pick to strike the ice, I inserted my hand into my over-clothes and held a dummy shard.


    [Tch!] Arkand muttered. [I forgot Garfin¡¯s story of you slaying that Gidra! How could I have forgotten you can use barriers like that!]


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t really think I can compete with brute force,¡± I said as I passed by Arkand and Dresbon while jumping from one barrier to another.


    Although it was a tasteless victory, I could not really show that I could easily surpass a Dwarf¡¯s strength. My image as a Princess would easily be broken if ever I did.


    I¡¯m sorry, but I have something confirm ahead.


    I was not breaking any rules, but still, a sense of guilt welled up inside me.


    As soon as I reached the top, Arkand and Dresbon were a little over a third of the waterfall. Using barriers as a foothold, I approached the side of the tunnel and took out a shard. As soon as I poured my mana into the shard, earthen spikes burst from the side and connected into a rough platform.


    ¡°That should do.¡± I then drove the stakes into the wall and threw the connected rope down the waterfall. ¡°I¡¯m done here!¡±


    Before Arkand and Dresbon arrived, I placed the sack on the make-shift platform and threaded deeper into the tunnel using barriers.


    This eyes sure are convenient. I conserved mana by refusing to manifest light balls to light my path. In fact, my eyes were enough to see through the dark.


    ¡°¡­ The ice is getting thicker.¡± As I head deeper, the frozen stream grew deeper while the empty space shrank. Soon, I reached an expected blockade.


    ¡°This is too thick,¡± I muttered while sitting on another make-shift platform.


    The whole tunnel was submerged in ice. However, deep inside the ice was a continuous movement of water. In addition, there were a few connecting tunnels of varying sizes.


    The small tunnels are out of the list.


    ¡°Of course it connects to that lair, but which?¡±


    Amalthea did not give any further information regarding the tunnel other than it connects to the lair. After a while of thinking it through, Arkand¡¯s echoed inside the tunnel.


    [Oi! That¡¯s enough scouting! Come back here!]


    ¡°Just a moment!¡±


    I pulled on my fringes. We can¡¯t spend too much time here! Think!


    Our supplies were limited. And the more we head deeper into the tunnel, the more our supply line would stretch thinner. It was not a desirable effect but we had no other ways to remedy it.


    In the first place, staying much longer here would just earn father¡¯s wrath. I should finish this soon. I sighed. If only the Fairies were gone for good!


    I rasped my teeth and clenched my fist. Although I have set it aside for quite some time, my smoldering hate for Fairies has yet to vanish. Not to mention that I still had Talya sealed within my necklace.


    Wait, Talya? I blinked my eyes in realization. Talya was one of the perpetrators of this event. If that was the case, then¡­


    I tapped on the necklace, prompting for Talya¡¯s cage to manifest. No sooner than the time I opened my palm, Talya appeared while bearing the eyes of the dead.


    [¡­] She remained curled in her cage, listless.


    In response to her appearance¡ªa blonde hair that seemed to fade and a pallid skin covered by a leaf-like dress¡ªmy lips curved into a frown.


    ¡°Do you remember this place?¡±


    I turned the cage around for her to see the submerged tunnel. As soon as I did, she started trembling.


    [A-aa! Aha! Ah! Ahaha!] Talya expressed a twisted smile. [Y-yes! Yes! Yes!]


    Talya kept repeating her words. She also laughed like a madman.


    [Yes! I know! I know! I know!] She propped herself while tears slid down her face. [I¡¯ll tell you! I¡¯ll tell you the way!]


    I¡¯ll kill you.


    At that point, Amelia and Talya had the same thought.


    <hr>


    Erina was walking down an open corridor when she heard Elaine¡¯s furious voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good! That¡¯s not good at all!¡± In front of Elaine were some female beastmen that recently arrived from Brent¡ªthe slaves saved by Kasta and the others. They had their sights on the ground while kneeling.


    Strangely enough, Hilda too was present. However, she was standing beside Kasta¡ªwho took up the role as Elaine¡¯s temporary guard.


    ¡°Listen to me!¡± Elaine clutched the sides of her brown one-piece dress. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that kind of thing anymore! What reason were you freed from slavery if you will act the same!¡±


    ¡°B-but we grew up not knowing anything aside from ple¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aaah! Like I said! It doesn¡¯t matter if you grew up that way!¡± Elaine stomped her feet. ¡°It¡¯ll be useless if you will still offer your bodies like a prostitute! And! Just so you know! There are learning centers scattered all around the Duchy! Majority of them are located in the non-human settlement! You don¡¯t have to hesitate in entering them and receive free lectures! Spend your time learning something new rather than doing what you are only used to doing!¡±


    Elaine kept on giving the beastmen her piece of mind. And it all happened without a single rebuttal from the beastmen.


    ¡°Kasta, Hilda, and Elder Sister¡¯s efforts will be for naught if you remain the same!¡± Elaine¡¯s chest heaved as she caught her breath.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯ll be better for you to rest for a while,¡± Kasta suggested.


    Hilda nodded. ¡°Right.¡±


    Elaine sighed in return. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. I too think I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    Despite being tired, Elaine maintained her posture. ¡°Hilda, will you join me?¡±


    Hilda cracked a wry smile. ¡°Y-yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Then, Sir Kasta, I¡¯ll leave them to you. Please inform and convince them to change their way of life. I won¡¯t stand that they remain as they are before.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Kasta bowed.


    The next moment, Elaine and Hilda, accompanied by another guard, exited towards the corridor. That was when Elaine met Erina.


    ¡°Ah! Miss Erina!¡± Elaine ran up to Erina with a smile.


    ¡°A good morning to you, Your Highness.¡± Erina curtsied.


    Elaine returned a curtsy. ¡°A good morning to you too.¡±


    ¡°I see you have addressed a recent problem.¡±


    ¡°Right?!¡± Elaine leaned forward. ¡°I remember them being informed before! But it seems like they refused to learn since studying was hard! A little hardship would make their lives incomparable to before!¡±


    Erina smiled. ¡°So they were not properly educated.¡±


    ¡°Un!¡± Elaine nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the church would only teach them basic language. Or was it because of the priest instead?¡±


    ¡°P-probably the priest,¡± Hilda chimed.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ You must be Hilda, correct?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Realizing that she forgot to greet Erina, Hilda hurriedly curtsied. ¡°Yes! My name is Hilda!¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Erina lightly bowed her head. ¡°I give my thanks for supporting Her Highness Amelia¡¯s cause.¡±


    ¡°T-that...¡± Hilda did not know what expression to make. For one, the main reason she helped Kasta was to give her family a better living condition.


    ¡°In any case, Your Highness, may I ask where you are headed to?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Elaine tilted her head. ¡°Since I think Glasses is not available right now, then to the library? After all, Father won¡¯t allow me to go out too much. How about you?¡±


    ¡°I wish to take a break and head for the canteen. But if you wish, I can join both of you into the library. I would have some snacks delivered.¡±


    ¡°That would be great!¡± Elaine flashed a bright smile. ¡°Then Erina, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Elaine grabbed Hilda¡¯s hand and took a run. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Hilda!¡±


    ¡°W-wait! Your Highness!¡± Hilda, surprised by Elaine¡¯s actions, adjusted herself as to not fall on the floor.


    Before Elaine and Hilda vanished deeper into the corridor, Erina spoke with the Guard. ¡°Please accompany them for a while.¡±


    The Guard bowed. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    As soon as Erina parted ways with Elaine¡¯s group, she contemplated on the things she and Amelia discussed. It was at a time when they were cleaning up Libet¡¯s mess.


    ¡°Erina, we¡¯ll have to shift things around in the Duchy.¡±


    Erina was puzzled. ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°The successor of the Duchy, I want in to lean towards Elaine.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Erina was taken aback. Given their situation and the recent clash between her and Amelia, she easily understood what Amelia meant. ¡°Amelia, you do not know what is the end result yet.¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Amelia nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is the end result. Which is why I need to prepare for every scenario I could think of. I know it¡¯s too much and seems useless. But given my position, leaving the Duchy alone is too much of loss.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean that you should consider your loss.¡± Erina glared. She hated how Amelia had recently become somewhat negative.


    Amelia sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s face it, Erina. There are several outcomes I could think of at the moment.¡±


    ¡°First.¡± Amelia raised her finger. ¡°Everything proceeds smoothly and the Angels are eliminated.¡±


    ¡°Second. The Angels get eliminated but we fail to pin down the problem to Libet. In that case, I¡¯ll be a person who brought a disaster to Academia¡ªa terrorist. At that point, it¡¯s either I face a public trial and execution due to the scale. Or, Father and Mother refuse to give me up to Academia and start a war. In either case, I would no longer have the rights to rule over the Duchy. Might as well say that I¡¯ll lose every right I have.¡±


    ¡°Third. I fail to eliminate the Angels. Fail to hide Meiko. Fail in everything.¡±


    Erina pinched the bridge of her nose, not knowing how to reply at Amelia¡¯s points. ¡°Amelia, considering your own death is not a good sign.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Amelia slumped herself in her seat and stared at the ceiling. ¡°Erina, I don¡¯t plan on dying. Really, I don¡¯t want to die now. I mean, my life has just started to have a meaning of its own. I started to dream and hope something for myself. And then I found myself in this kind of situation. Is this the life of living after a lie? Really, this development is the worst. I want to run away, but I mustn¡¯t.¡±


    Erina bit her lips in silence.


    ¡°Really, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be princesses being saved by Heroes like in the books? Well, it was a work of fiction for children after all. I can¡¯t hope for something like that.¡± Amelia closed her eyes and clasped her hands. ¡°Please save me.¡±


    It was simply Amelia¡¯s real thoughts on the matter. However, every second of it was torture to Erina.

 Chapter 72: A Fairy, a Dragon, and a Goblin 3

    [Get those arms moving!] Arkand¡¯s voice contested the numerous clinks the picks emitted.


    At each strike of the picks¡¯ head, fragments of ice broke off from the frozen stream. Gradually, a depression on the stream became apparent.


    Meanwhile, while the Dwarfs were carving their way through the ice, Amelia quietly sat on a makeshift platform. She was huddling on her own to fend off the cold. Needless to say, she was asked to sit out the current task¡ªto which she obliged.


    After Amelia received the information regarding the tunnels from Talya, she returned to the second relay camp and explained the situation. However, she kept quiet about Talya¡¯s situation and told the dwarfs that she confirmed the information from Amalthea.


    The dwarfs, who were present during Amelia¡¯s instatement, knew Amelia had passed Amalthea¡¯s trial. Thus, them believing her words without further questions.


    [You seem bored.] Dresbon sat beside Amelia and gazed at the dwarfs at work.


    Amelia, with closed eyes, replied, ¡°Not really.¡±


    [You know, you try too much.] Dresbon sighed. [You put yourself to work all the time. You should know the meaning of rest.]


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know how to enjoy my free time or spend it luxuriously.¡± Amelia tightened her grasp on her cloak. ¡°But working on something makes me feel at ease. After all, I would end up spending my entire time thinking about my problems if I took a rest. And that won¡¯t do. It¡¯s a waste of time. So it¡¯s better for me to focus on one thing after another, or else I¡¯ll go insane.¡±


    Dresbon scratched his head. [Spend your time with the people important to you. That way, your mind would be distracted from those problems of yours.]


    Amelia kept her silence in response.


    No. You don¡¯t understand. None of you would. What good would it be for me to spend my time with them if it would be the last? It would be better to change the current situation into something that would not involve ¡®last occasions¡¯. It doesn¡¯t have to be a bitter end.


    No matter how much she wanted to share her burden, she could not bear to involve unrelated people to her problems.


    [Think about it,] Dresbon continued. [You and the people important to you would have a time to remember. At the same time, a time you enjoyed. Nothing beats the time spent with them.]


    ¡°¡­ Right,¡± Amelia responded, trying to end the conversation.


    After a few seconds of silence, Dresbon continued, [You know, Kanna¡¯s parents, they we¡ª]


    ¡°Stop.¡± Amelia glanced at Dresbon, knitting her brows in irritation. ¡°Please don¡¯t say anything about Kanna. It¡¯s unappealing.¡±


    Dresbon waved his hand in dismissal. [Sorry. My bad.]


    ¡°No, to be honest, please don¡¯t say anything about anyone¡¯s past here. It¡¯s a bad taste.¡±


    Dresbon scratched his head. [You¡¯re right. Guess I need a better topic for conversation.]


    ¡°You absolutely do.¡± Amelia moved her sight towards the working dwarfs. ¡°It¡¯s about halfway through.¡±


    [¡­ Have you heard anything about us dwarf¡¯s history?] Unmindful of the operation, Dresbon spoke.


    ¡°Barely.¡±


    [The elves?]


    ¡°Same.¡±


    [I see.]


    ¡°What of it?¡± Amelia questioned.


    [Heard of the Gifts of the Gods?]


    Amelia, curious about the topic, stared at Dresbon. ¡°Yes. Us humans received Hero Summoning. About the others, I have no idea. But a race from the beastmen received the same, it¡¯s just I don¡¯t know which specific species from their collective group.¡±


    [Neither do I. However, us dwarfs received something different. We received a tool. A shape-shifting tool. It doesn¡¯t discriminate the type of craft we are pursuing. However, it only manifests to the dwarf who has reached the peak of his craft.]


    ¡°¡­ Which is why Garfin, Arkand, and you focus on different crafts?¡±


    [Precisely.] Dresbon chuckled. [And which is why, as much as possible, we need to get our hands on any material we could use. Just to reach the summit of our craft.]


    ¡°I see.¡±


    [And that¡¯s why Arkand wanted to try out that material.]


    ¡°¡­ So you¡¯ve heard?¡±


    [No, but knowing Arkand, and seeing the armor he made, it was obvious. I¡¯m pretty sure Garfin too knew about it.]


    Amelia kept quiet for a moment. ¡°Are you¡­ going to ask for some too?¡±


    Dresbon laughed. [No, I won¡¯t. I don¡¯t have anything to compensate the trade. And I don¡¯t like debts either. It gets in the way of preparations for crafting. Anyway, let me tell you a story. A story about a person who once sought diversity like you. And to be honest, he was a dwarf. A dwarf who once wield the Tool of the Dwarf God.]


    ¡°Please continue.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    [You see¡ª]


    <hr>


    [They sure are persistent.] The fairy frowned at the sight of wyverns in the sky. [It¡¯s like they are some sort of pest.]


    [Truly,] Greith answered from within the cavern.


    [How are those moles coming about? Are they still approaching through the tunnel?]


    [Yes, and they¡¯ve selected the tunnel straight to this cavern. It won¡¯t be long till they start climbing.]


    The fairy crossed her arms. [Make the goblins form a rank at the mouth of the tunnel. Then when the moles are about to reach the end of the tunnel close off their path and pit them against the goblins. After that, we¡¯ll hunt some prey in the sky.]


    [Finally.] Greith¡¯s tail repeatedly slapped the ground from within the cavern in excitement. [I can show those birds who¡¯s the king of the sky.]


    <hr>


    Kanna crossed her arms. ¡°Aren¡¯t they taking too long?¡± She sat on a tree branch beside Ran. ¡°It¡¯s been three days since they entered the caves. This would be the fourth.¡±


    [What do you expect?] Ran plucked a leaf nearby. [They¡¯re entering an unexplored area. It might even take another day or two.]


    ¡°True.¡± Kanna swung her feet. ¡°But we can¡¯t stay that long. Really, I wonder why Lia took up this task with that in mind.¡±


    Did she think that it¡¯s her fault as to why that fairy was here? But I guess that¡¯s normal. She was, after all, the aim of those fairies.


    [I don¡¯t think I have an idea.] Ran pressed the leaf to her lips and started whistling.


    In return, Kanna listened. It did not take long before Ran¡¯s simple performance ended.


    [What do you think?]


    ¡°It¡¯s for Tribe¡¯s children, right?¡± Kanna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be jealous and try it on their own. But despair is waiting for them if they wanted to be as good as you.¡±


    Ran chuckled. [Then it¡¯s appealing enough.]


    ¡°You sure like to appeal to children. But I guess that gives you a place where you could act childish.¡±


    Ran expressed a wry smile. [It¡¯s just that children in the Tribe is quite few, you know? And besides, what¡¯s wrong with acting like a child? Playing the adult role is quite tiring at times. Better have an outlet now and then.]


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I wonder. Say, Ran, why not have a child of your own?¡± Kanna nudged Ran on the side.


    A dry laugh escaped Ran¡¯s lips. [I actually have a preference, you know?]


    Kanna tilted her head from side to side. ¡°Someone who has a similar taste as you?¡±


    Ran simply laughed in response. On the other hand, Kanna¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me, you already have someone in mind?!¡± Kanna recalled every single person she knew in the Tribe until she arrived at one specific person. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me, him? I mean Lia¡¯s?¡±


    In response, Ran moved her sight opposite of Kanna. ¡°I-It¡¯s a long story. But I heard he used to manage an orphanage. He¡¯s quite popular with the children of the Tribe too. B-but nothing¡¯s set in stone yet. I mean, we haven¡¯t even confirmed each other¡¯s feelings yet.¡±


    Kanna blinked her eyes repeatedly. It was a huge development that she failed to witness since she was away from the Tribe.


    ¡°Err¡­ Ran, this might be obvious, but humans don¡¯t live long like every one of us. So¡­ If by chance, prepare yourself, okay?¡±


    Kanna could not believe it. She thought it would take years for the possibility of a part human part elf to be born within the Tribe.


    Ran chuckled, still facing the other way. [It¡¯s quite a dilemma, but I have to decide soon huh?]


    ¡°Well, Ark is about three times older than Lia. So he¡¯s about to enter a critical age.¡± Kanna tapped Ran¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you need information about Ark, you can ask me. I¡¯m sure Lia will tell me something about Ark if I ask.¡±


    Ran shook her head. [No. It¡¯s fine. I should get to know him on my own. Relying on someone for that¡­ doesn¡¯t feel right.]


    ¡°Understandable. But if ever you need some help, tell me. I¡¯m sure Lia will lend a hand.¡±


    Ran giggled. [Thanks, Kanna.]


    On the next day, at an hour before sunrise, an Elf ran towards the council. Inside were Sylvar, Kanna, Kan, and Ran discussing their current situation.


    [We¡¯ve received word from Garfin!]


    [Proceed,] Sylvar ordered.


    [According to the message passed through Spirit Relay, they have reached the last stretch in order to enter the dragon¡¯s lair. They wanted to know how much time you would need to prepare the attack on our side.]


    [So it was successful? The Spirit Relay?] Kan smiled with his hands on his waist.


    [We have been conducting tests ever since the dwarfs entered the tunnels. So far, it¡¯s a great success for long distance communication.]


    [Alright!] Kan raised his fist into the air.


    What Kan suggested from the previous council meeting was an innovation of the communication used by Laurel. A communication through the use of a horse, a messenger, and Wind Whisper. However, even though it was an effective approach compared to passing letters, the time it needed to deliver a message is proportionate to the distance.


    Spirit Relay was similar in nature, but several times faster due to the spirit¡¯s ability to communicate with other spirits. In place of a horse and a messenger, what was needed was an elf and a spirit. It was also the reason why Elves joined the Dwarfs underground¡ªto pass the message and coordinate a simultaneous attack.


    Kanna looked through the window, checking the current position of the sun. ¡°Six hours from now.¡±


    Sylvar nodded. [Six hours it is then. Please inform them to take a handful of rest and prepare any second plans they have. We need to use all the resources we have at our disposal. Also, tell them that we¡¯ll pass a message when there¡¯s thirty, twenty, and ten minutes left.]


    [Understood.] The elf bowed. [Is there anything else?]


    ¡°There is.¡± Kanna raised her hand. ¡°Please tell Lia to wait for me.¡±


    <hr>


    [Finally,] the Goblin Queen muttered. [The chance to escape is coming.]


    A mischievous smile was plastered on her face. [You¡¯ll see who¡¯s pitiful, oh na?ve fairy of mine.]


    <hr>


    The tunnel rumbled, startling everyone who was resting for the upcoming battle.


    [Quick! Move forward! Elves at the back! Inform them that we¡¯ll start sooner than expected!] Garfin shouted at the top his lungs. Arkand and Dresbon were doing the same. [Grab anything you can and don¡¯t die!]


    Soon, earthen spikes started to burst from the tunnel¡¯s walls. It did not take long before the tunnel was completely blocked, separating the forward and middle group from the rear.


    [Get those arms moving!] Garfin shouted.


    They did not have much of a choice. Although they were mitigating the frequency of the gigantic spikes from bursting, they still had to climb the slope towards the dragon¡¯s lair.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Amelia questioned, wearing the armor Arkand gave her. She was similarly climbing the slope with a frown on her face.


    [We¡¯ve been found!] Garfin replied while gritting his teeth. At his utmost, he was avoiding to glance behind and count the unexpected injuries they received. [We have to leave this tunnel as soon as possible! Else we¡¯re skewered meat! Bah! Should¡¯ve figured we were too close!]


    Amelia clicked her tongue. Similarly, she was avoiding glancing behind in order to reduce the guilt she was feeling. We have to end this quick!


    However, pouring cold water over their heads, numerous figures of goblins emerged at the end of the tunnel. Round boulders were also present.


    This is too soon, but!


    Amelia jumped and stood on a barrier. She readied her bow and took an arrow from her quiver.


    Please! Don¡¯t miss!

 Chapter 73: A Fairy, a Dragon, and a Goblin 4

    The bowstring emitted a sharp twang. Then a mana-imbued arrow shot through the tunnel lit by flickering torches, leaving a pale blue trail of light in its path.


    [Grb!] A goblin¡¯s eyes widened. He took several steps backward, only to bump against a fellow goblin and fall on his rear. His breathing quickened. He exhaled at an unusually fast rate. Then, as tight as he could¡ªwhile wishing the arrow would miss¡ªhe shut his eyes.


    Shortly, the arrow struck. The goblin confirmed it with his ears. He could not mistake it. And so, gradually, he lifted his eyelids, only to see an arrow digging on the ground between his thighs.


    [G-ghorb. Gohorb. Gohorb!] It was a close call. His voice, broken by fear, started to regain its life.


    [Gohorb! Ghorb! Gohohorb!] The goblin laughed as he stood with trembling legs. Gradually, a wide grin was plastered on his pale face. [Gohohorb!]


    He pointed towards Amelia, mocking her for missing by a small margin. However, before he could finish his laugh, the arrow diffused a blinding light. The goblin, still laughing, then joined his unfortunate kin after an ear-splitting explosion.


    A cloud of dust lingered after the explosion. When it subsided, the nearby boulders were rolled backward, shattered or cracked. Among those were torn bodies of goblins, drenching the ground with a mix of blood and several other fluids.


    [Move!] Not missing the chance, Garfin roared and lugged his pick on his shoulders. He started to increase the speed of his climb while decreasing the pressure he was applying to Greith¡¯s earthen spikes.


    The other dwarfs did the same, which then increased the rate of spikes bursting from behind. However, despite their situation, an unwavering grin was expressed on their faces. [Don¡¯t let up! Last one to reach the top gets three mugs less!]


    With alcohol as their drive, the dwarfs continued.


    On the other hand, Dresbon clicked his tongue. [If possible, use the mithril arrows sparingly! We can¡¯t lose every one of them before the fight against the dragon! Preserve!]


    The arrow Amelia shot was made of mithril. It was an arrow tipped with a crystal. The crystal¡ªwhich was made by the dwarfs¡ªhad an advanced magic circle embedded inside, though incomplete.


    However, just as Dresbon worried, mithril does not grow on trees. Or simply, they did not have a huge amount of mithril arrows carried on their person. At the least, a number of dwarfs¡ªAmelia included¡ªwere provided with three mithril arrows each. The rest of the arrows were wooden and tipped with shards.


    Following after Amelia¡¯s example, several dwarfs halted their climb and knocked a mithril arrow. Then, as fast as they could aim, they shot the arrows. Needless to say, the arrows exploded after a few seconds it reached a target.


    Unfortunately, dwarfs were not born archers, nor did anyone in the group were particularly skilled with handling bows. And due to that, the arrows exploded inefficiently. Or simply, most of the arrows exploded too close to each other. This reduced the amount of destruction the arrows were supposed to give.


    [Gorb! Form a wall! Keep them inside the tunnel!] A goblin, at least twice the size of an ordinary goblin, perhaps a hobgoblin, shouted. He wore a coat of made out of a wolf¡¯s pelt, which was stitched with plant fibers to cover his chest. [Let them taste the dirt!]


    From what it seemed, the goblin, who had a blue skin, was the goblins¡¯ current commander. He swung his metallic rod and shouted orders while remaining at the center of the goblins¡¯ ranks. [For the Queen!]


    Just as he shouted, the goblins raised a unified roar.


    Though a number of the goblins were immediately wiped out, the goblin commander did not falter. If anything, his determined black eyes were filled with vigor. After all, though reduced, their number was far greater than the already split-up group of dwarfs. At the least, their number was five times greater. Adding the fact that they were defending from up the slope, and the fact that Greith was aiding them, the fear of losing was close to non-existent.


    And so the goblins, just as the commander ordered, bolstered their defenses and blocked the mouth of the tunnel.


    However, the goblins were not the only one who was determined to eliminate the obstacles on their path. And so, as a response, two arrows flew in succession. As a result, the explosion opened up a gap on the goblins defenses. Afterward, a figure dove into the gap and headed deeper into the goblins¡¯ ranks.


    Just as the gap was filled back by the goblins, the figure halted. Then, after the goblins surrounded the foreign figure, the figure clutched the backside of its helmet. Then with a step forward, the figure threw its silver helm, smashing into a goblins face while revealing the silver strands that trickled over her armor.


    After shaking her head a few times to settle her hair, Amelia drew the longsword hanging by her left hip. The rapier on her right remained sheathed, and the arrow and quiver hanging at her back were now missing.


    With her legs bent slightly, Amelia held her longsword with two hands.


    Really, I can¡¯t get used to this.


    It was a surprise for the goblins. They never thought a woman would suddenly appear before them. Especially in a case when they have already surrounded the woman. And in this case, where their Queen was locked up, and where they were continuously forced to obey the Fairy¡¯s order, they were naturally pent-up. And so, their lust, their desire, bubbled into their hearts.


    [Tch!] Meanwhile, after pushing the goblins back with another mithril arrow, Dresbon clicked his tongue. [Oi! Garfin! Your granddaughter is definitely nuts! Do scold her not to play the hero! It¡¯s going to drive me crazy!]


    Dresbon thought differently of Amelia. He thought Amelia was more suited for handling people rather than be on the front lines drenched in blood. Maybe it was his prejudice. For he himself thought that most female dwarfs have a different place other than the front lines. Or so to say, he was worried. To him, Amelia¡¯s life is not just her own. Too many lives depended on her, and so, she should cherish it and serve as a pillar.


    [You don¡¯t have to tell me.] Garfin arrived after Dresbon with the dwarfs in tow. And as soon as they arrived, the dwarfs dashed towards the goblins and swung their picks. [If only we were faster, we could have taken the role. Tch! Anyway, now is not the time to dwell on this! Break those heads open! Break through!]


    Garfin¡¯s mood was sour. Though he knew Amelia was capable of protecting herself, it still left a sour taste in his mouth to allow Amelia to handle the diversion. Or simply, he failed to react before Amelia was able to execute her plan.


    In any case, Garfin and Dresbon joined the fray. They swung their picks and smashed the goblins with brute strength. And in order to aid their lack of a proper weapon due to the unexpected event, they employed a tactic of hit, back-step, and burst of earthen spike. Against the armor-less goblins, the tactic was quite effective.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    [Finally!] Heaving his chest from exhaustion, Arkand arrived at the tunnel¡¯s mouth. He and few other dwarfs focused on mitigating the burst of spikes from behind while Dresbon and Garfin paved a path for them. Fortunately, the spikes stopped emerging after the dwarfs exited the tunnel. However, they no longer had a path of retreat.


    [Can¡¯t believe I¡¯d be frustrated about my height now! Damn this short and stubby legs! Can¡¯t advance too quickly!] After catching his breath along with the last dwarfs, they joined Garfin and Dresbon¡¯s group in culling the goblins. [Haha! Can¡¯t be too late for the festival!]


    Gradually, the number of goblins started to dwindle. After all, they were not particularly strong¡ªnot with the make-shift weapons and armor they wore. In fact, their strength solely relied on numbers. What the goblins needed was to overwhelm the dwarfs and drive them into exhaustion, in both physical, mind, and mana.


    Back into the goblins ranks, the goblins started their assault towards Amelia. Although it was nothing but reckless, she chose this plan to divide the attention of the goblins, and to reduce the burden on the dwarfs.


    [[Goorb! Gorb!]] The goblins cried in glee. They raced each other with their clubs, stone hatchets, wooden spears, or bare hands in order to receive the right of the first. Some even had drool dripping down their mouth as they charged.


    Capture. Indulge. Tear. Smear. The goblins dreamed of the delight waiting before them. For, as long as they captured the woman before them, they could do whichever they wanted, They could release the stress that accumulated throughout their suffering.


    However, Amelia was not gracious enough to mindlessly offer herself.


    ¡°Filth.¡±


    A thin limb fell to the ground, then a goblin writhed in pain. A flash of sword followed, slitting a goblins neck. A metallic clink rang, then a greave smashed into a goblins face. Then, followed by a wide swing, the incoming goblins from behind were forced to halt their advance.


    [Go¡ª!] Just as they halted, an earthen spike burst from underneath, puncturing them from between their legs up to their heads.


    ¡°Is that all you got?!¡± A flash of light came from the pommel of Amelia¡¯s sword. Afterward, she took a safe distance from the surrounding goblins and darted her eyes around.


    Fenrir would have done better!


    Amelia swung her sword at a speed incomparable to how she fought her father. Currently, her movements were aided by a coat of mana that acted like an external muscle. It was a replication of the Celes¡¯s puppet when she was training with Fenrir.


    Each swing of her sword added a smear of blood on her blade. Her silver hair too was stained with blood similarly to her armor. However, she did not mind. If anything, she felt relieved. Relieved that she could fight how she used to, with her longsword and with simple flashes of light.


    In a way, the blood she drew served to decrease the stress she accumulated. It kept her mind focused on evading, parrying, countering, and observing the goblins¡¯ movements. Though she thought it was not a huge deal compared to how Fenrir attacked at blind spots, she prepared a countermeasure for an unexpected turn of events.


    Among those she observed were the chips accumulating on her sword.


    On the contrary, the goblins¡¯ treatment and view on Amelia changed. Lust and desire turned into hatred. Then hatred drove a mindless assault.


    [Goooorb!] It no longer mattered if Amelia was a woman. The goblins wanted to avenge their kin. And all they need is to capture and torture her in any ways imaginable. In response to that rage, a few more hobgoblins joined the assault against Amelia. As a result, Amelia drew more attention than she should have.


    Slingshots fired. Make-shift bows shot arrows made of twigs. All of it rained down on Amelia. However, none succeeded to make a hit, for a few layers of barrier protected her.


    The commanding goblin gritted his yellowish teeth. He swung his metallic rod and swept a dwarf to the side with one blow. [Don¡¯t let that woman fool you! Focus on the dwarfs! You can tear her off once her allies are dead!]


    He knew better than the other goblins, but he too knew it was futile to stop his kin. They were already at the point of no return. Not unless they succeeded in capturing the woman and avenging their kin. Still, he hoped his voice would reach those blinded with rage.


    The commanding goblin clicked his tongue. [Rear group! Retreat! Front liners! Delay the enemy! We must reform our ranks!]


    [We won¡¯t let you!] Garfin broke through the thinning barricade of goblins with his pick. His aim was to take down the commander and further the chaos Amelia and the dwarfs sowed.


    Just as Garfin broke through, goblins followed behind him and raised their club. At that moment, Dresbon shouted, [Garfin! Duck!]


    An arrow flew into the air and dug deep into the head of one of the goblins chasing after Garfin. Then, just before the head reached the ground, it exploded, leaving bits of flesh in the surrounding area.


    [Damned Dresbon! That was close!] The moment Dresbon shouted, Garfin created a thin earthen wall and continued to pursue. The wall, now crumbled, was enough to shield Garfin from the blast. Fortunately, the thin wall served as a buckshot that took down the nearby goblins.


    [You¡¯re mine!] Garfin raised his pick and took a swing at the goblin commander. However, the goblin commander parried the blow to the side with his rod.


    [Fool! This is the end for you!] The goblin commander poured mana to the shard tied to the rod¡¯s handle. Soon, the whole cavern trembled.


    [[What?!]] The goblin commander¡¯s and Garfin¡¯s voice overlapped, which drove Garfin into further confusion.


    Shortly, the goblins¡¯ path of retreat was sealed with earthen walls. It surprised both the goblins and the dwarfs, but the perpetrator soon bared its head.


    Above the cavern, where numerous boulders started to fall, light filtered.


    [Hello dumb dumbs!] The fairy playfully waved her hand. She stood on Greith¡¯s head who peeked through the hole on the cavern.


    Just as the boulders fell, smash on the ground, and incur a cloud of dust, Greith reared his head with his jaws partly opened.


    [Don¡¯t tell me?!] Garfin shouted in surprise.


    [Traitor!] The goblin commander shouted.


    To begin with, the Fairy never treated the goblins as her allies.


    [Turn them to dust!] Just as the Fairy ordered, Greith released his breath into the sealed cavern.


    <hr>


    [The dragon!] A male elf ran towards a tree with bated breath. [I-it came out! On its own!] He looked up the tree where Kanna and Ran stood while observing the situation in the east.


    Kanna downed a mouthful of saliva as she observed with Far Sight. [I-I know¡­]


    The sun was still rising in the east. Though it was fine to fly with the sun up the sky, it was best to choose a time when the light of the sun would not limit their sight, which was why Kanna suggested the operation be held at noon or afterward.


    [Tell Sylvar that we¡¯ll deploy ahead of time.] Ran jumped down from one branch to another until she reached the ground.


    [Understood!] The elf took a run. While he was running, he communicated with his spirit to send a message ahead. He thought it would be better to explain the full details in person.


    [Kanna.] Ran moved her sight up the tree, but Kanna¡¯s figure had already vanished. She roamed her eyes and found Kanna running towards the clearing while blowing her whistle. [Well, can¡¯t be helped.]


    Ran followed after Kanna. And as she did, she tried to suppress her drumming heart. She tugged on the leather sling that held her quiver on her back, asking herself to steel her determination and kill her fear. However, just as she saw Kanna¡¯s unusually pale face, she clapped on her cheeks. [You¡¯re not the only one afraid, Ran. You¡¯re not the only one to fight. There are others waiting. There are allies to save.]


    Ran took a deep breath in, and a breath out. [That should do, for a while, at least.]


    Kanna jumped onto Birby¡¯s neck and shouted at the people nearby. [Riders! Depart as immediately as you could! For the formation, take a three-wyvern unit! The rest would depend on how the situation rolls!]


    Kanna took another sweep of the surrounding people and found Ran. [Hurry! We don¡¯t have time to spare!]


    Ran nodded. Then, as nimbly as she could, she climbed on Birby¡¯s back and sat on the saddle. She locked her foot in the stirrup and said, [I¡¯m ready to go!]


    Kanna, riding on Birby¡¯s neck, tapped on Birby twice. [Fly! I¡¯ll fix myself later!]


    Birby flapped his wings as hard as he could. It was as if he sensed Kanna¡¯s worries and took off as fast as he could.


    Just as Birby lifted from the ground, Kanna took out a reddish fruit and squashed it.


    [Please endure it for a bit, Birby.] Kanna clutched on Birby¡¯s feather-like scales and poured the squashed fruit onto the bridge of Birby¡¯s nose. When she confirmed Birby started to exhale short snorts, Kanna nimbly ran up Birby¡¯s neck and onto the saddle.


    [That was dangerous, Kanna.] Ran expressed a wry smile.


    [We don¡¯t have time to worry about that.] Kanna, who locked herself similarly to Ran, had numerous beads of sweat all over her body. She gripped Birby¡¯s reins and pressed on Birby¡¯s back using her thighs. [Come on, Birby,] Kanna muttered while shielding her eyes from the sun, [you can go faster than this.]

 Chapter 74: A Fairy, a Dragon, and a Goblin 5

    [No. It can¡¯t be...] was the words Kanna uttered. Her pupils shrank, and her eyes trembled in disbelief¡ªall because of the events that happened before her.


    The dragon, Greith, clung to the side of one of Alabaster¡¯s mountains. He peered into a large crevice and reared his head. At the next moment, he released a breath accompanied by shrill. By the end of it, the crevice closed. The earth further piled up and buried what was inside.


    The dwarfs¡­ Lia¡­ Kanna¡¯s jaw quivered, her breathing became heavy, and her body lost its usual strength This is a joke, right? Right?


    Birby groaned in response to Kanna¡¯s actions. Then gradually, his flight became unstable.


    Ran, realizing the situation, clutched Kanna¡¯s hands along with the reins. [Kanna! Believe! We shouldn¡¯t assume anything! Not unless we see what happened inside! So please! Snap out of it!]


    Ran repeatedly nudge Kanna with her head. [Kanna, think of it like this. If we eliminate the dragon quickly, we can rush towards the lair and save them.]


    Kanna wanted to believe they were alive, but a dragon¡¯s breath was not something anyone could take and live. Especially in an enclosed space while receiving its full brunt. And so, the natural conclusion was that everyone inside was dead.


    [I failed¡­] Tears began to form on Kanna¡¯s eyes. [Lia¡­]


    Ran clicked her tongue. She was running out of options. Since, at that point, Greith had already started to take flight. It would only take a matter of seconds before they engage in aerial combat.


    [You may have failed, Kanna!] Ran shouted beside Kanna¡¯s ears. [But is that all you have to do?! Can¡¯t you at least avenge them for now and mourn them later?! Would you let that dragon, that fairy, run free from what they did?! You shouldn¡¯t!]


    [¡­]


    [Kan-na!] Ran released Kanna¡¯s hands and stood with her legs still fixed on the stirrup. [I¡¯ll try to buy us time. So, please, decide our fate.]


    Ran took the bow from her back, and with a swing, the bow¡¯s metallic limbs locked into place with a clink. She raised the bow and knocked an arrow. Then, after exhaling a deep breath, she aimed.


    I really hate gambles.


    Ran exhaled. At the same time, the arrow spiraled into the air. Then, as if it was led by a string, the arrow drew a curve towards Greith.


    [What?] Greith was caught by surprise. He never expected an arrow to fly at such speed. However, he did not mind it. He knew that an ordinary arrow would not pierce his scales. So, instead of avoiding, Greith focused at the source of the arrow.


    Greith was not mistaken. The arrow Ran shot was a wooden arrow tipped with metal. But there was one thing he missed. Ran never aimed at Greith¡¯s scales.


    [GRAAAAHHHH!] A loud piercing cry came from Greith¡¯s jaws. Afterward, he fell back on the mountainside, scraping rocks, bushes, and boulders until he reached the base.


    Along with it was a cry from the fairy. [What did you do?!]


    The arrow simply scraped Greith¡¯s right wing. It left a shallow line on Greith¡¯s wing, but the extent of the injury spanned from Greith¡¯s forearm till the end of the plagiopatagium or mainsail.


    It was simply skill. Other than borrowing a spirit¡¯s strength locked inside the bow to reduce air friction, add additional rotation to the arrow, and further increase the arrow¡¯s speed, it was all Ran. It was also the reason as to why Ran was chief in the Tribe. An insurmountable persona when it comes to handling bows.


    After Greith returned to his feet, he gave out a furious roar. In response to his roar, the animals and beasts in the surrounding area started to flee. Some were unfortunate for being stunned in fright, which made them a sitting duck for the stampede Greith caused.


    Obviously, Birby too was afraid. In fact, Birby halted and hovered instead of resuming his glide. It was Birby¡¯s huge mistake.


    [You dare?!] Greith roared.


    Afterward, the trees shook, and the ground rumbled as dust rose. It made a beeline underneath the hovering Birby. Shortly, numerous vines burst from the ground and reached out towards Birby.


    Ran, anticipating a violent response from Greith, did a back-flip after performing a jump. As soon as she saw the burst of vines while falling, she shot another arrow towards the ground. [Not a chance lizard!]


    Ran continued to fall. Soon, the rope tied around her waist tugged her and prevented her from falling. At the same moment, the mithril arrows Ran shot exploded. Then the vines, losing its base, fell back into the forest.


    [Like I said! Not! A! Chance!] Two arrows flew into the air. However, this time, it went straight to Greith¡¯s head¡ªwho had been gathering energy for another breath.


    Moments after the arrows reached Greith, the first arrow struck the tip of the second arrow. Then again, an explosion came.


    [You cheat!] After the smoke cleared, a cracked barrier became prominent. The barrier mostly protected the fairy. Soon, the barrier crumbled into dust and the fairy began stomping on Greith¡¯s head. [How can you do that?! But no matter! I¡¯ll have you pay!]


    Greith, now recovered from his injury restarted his flight.


    [Oi! Kanna! I have a limited amount of arrows, you know?!] while climbing the rope, Ran shouted. [I can¡¯t keep this up forever!]


    Kanna rubbed her tears away with her forearm. [I know!] She sniffed and swallowed her tears. Afterward, she slapped Birby¡¯s back as hard as she could¡ªwhich gained a cry from Birby.


    [You dumb bird!] Kanna gritted her teeth and held the reins tightly. [There¡¯s no time to be afraid! We have to cut that bastard¡¯s neck for Lia!]


    Just as Kanna ordered, Birby flew higher. However, his movements were dull. His speed and maneuvers were far from his best.


    [The chase! Is on!] Greith finally flew. He chased after Birby like a hawk. Then, just before Greith bit into Birby¡¯s tail, three droplets sliced through the air.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Greith lashed his wings in response. Although he was able to dodge the White-tails¡¯ group dive, it was not true for the second group.


    One of the white-tails successfully slashed at Greith. Although the aim was different, it still landed a successful hit. It sliced off one of Greith¡¯s horn and left a deep cut on Greith¡¯s face.


    Greith cried. However, this time, he maintained his flight.


    [Just how?!] The Fairy did not notice the White-tails coming. The same was true for Greith. But that in itself was puzzling. They are, after all, inside Greith¡¯s domain.


    [Apologies for the delay!] Sylvar, clinging on an enarf while riding a large bird coated with reddish feathers, said. [But this is something. I never thought of an upfront battle with a fairy. But I guess we¡¯re lucky that we aren¡¯t against Titania herself.]


    The fairy noticed Sylvar¡¯s words. But she refrained from speaking anything about her queen. [What makes you think I¡¯m the only fairy around?]


    [I thought we were a goner!] Ran replied as she locked herself again on the saddle. Obviously, she ignored the fairy. [But I guess the plan¡¯s totally disrupted huh? Oi! Kan! Show yourself!]


    [Don¡¯t worry my dear sister, I am here.] Kan was in a similar situation to Sylvar. However, rather than cling to an enarf, he was standing with both arms spread wide. [Justice has arrived!]


    [Stop spouting nonsense!] Ran snapped. [I¡¯ll snipe you with a Spiral Arrow if you don¡¯t!]


    [Agh! Greith!] The fairy was frustrated for being ignored.


    [Scoundrels!] Greith shared the fairy¡¯s resentment. And so, lifting his wings up, he dove towards the White-tails who have just finished their dive. [RAAAGGGH!]


    The White-tails were vulnerable. They did not have a proper space to temporarily land. And so, they were left with strained wings after forcing themselves to hover after the dive. Fortunately, they were able to scamper away with the strength they have.


    [You¡¯re not going anywhere!] Vines burst from the ground, slamming four out of six wyverns into the forest.


    [Kanna! I¡¯ll leave the air to you!] Kan winced at the White-tails slammed on the ground. However, he believed it was not enough to kill them entirely. [Keep in touch! We¡¯ll descend into the forest and head straight to the lair. Other than that, have Sylvar cast a blessing on Birby. It will be our way of support from the ground. It¡¯ll help in slightly deceiving the dragon¡¯s senses. And Ran!]


    [Snipe?] Ran gripped four arrows and shot one vine after the other. Unlike mithril arrows, these arrows burned the vines for a short time. However, it was enough for the White-tail to tug itself out.


    [That¡¯s right Ran!] Kan smiled. [Sylvar, I¡¯ll go ahead.]


    Kan and his ride dove into the forest and blended with the leaves of fall. They then shuffled through the trees and handed out bottles to the injured enarfs.


    [Let¡¯s make this quick.] Sylvar and Kanna glided away from Greith¡ªall the while Ran was sniping to buy the enarfs some time to recover. Some arrows too were shooting from the forest. It seemed the elves partnered with the enarfs started to move as well. And at the moment, it kept Greith and the fairy preoccupied as it trashed around the forest.


    [Sylveus,] Sylvar called. Then suddenly, countless droplets hovered. It surrounded Birby and attached themselves to his scales like a thin membrane. [It¡¯ll be a bit heavy, but deal with it. It would completely hide your presence from the dragon if you fly over the clouds.]


    Kanna nodded. [Sylvar, please look for Lia.]


    [I would. But before that, Ran, catch!] Sylvar threw a quiver, which Ran caught.


    [Thanks!] Ran removed the few arrows in her quiver and placed it inside the quiver from Sylvar. She then tossed her empty quiver to Sylvar. [Sorry, we¡¯ll have to rely on Sylveus.]


    [That¡¯s a given by now.] Sylvar smiled. [Well then.] He waved goodbye and dove into the forest like Kan.


    [Now then.] Kanna sniffled. [We have to re-group. But since Sylvar and Kan came, they should be around here by now.]


    Kanna roamed her eyes. And just as she expected, several figures came into view. They too were enarfs. However, they were riding on a wyvern with tarnished green scales. Their body type was more muscular compared to White-tails, but they wing span fell one-fourth short of a White-tail. They were wyverns called Nords.


    Kanna made Birby fly towards the group of Nords and flew side-by-side with them. [Listen! Split into groups of two! Mow down trees where the White-tails crashed! Just enough to let them return to the sky!]


    Kanna led the group of Nords. At this moment, Birby had regained his strength and confidence. He was no longer going to face the dragon all by himself.


    Upon closing on Greith, Kanna maneuvered overhead while the Nords split. [Over here you lizard!]


    [Ahhh! Another one! Why won¡¯t everyone just quit already!] The fairy threw a fit and manifested a blade of icicle and hurled it towards Birby.


    In response, Kanna made Birby do a barrel roll and shifted into a dive. [Take this!]


    Greith, too preoccupied with catching the elves jumping from one tree to another using vines, was blindsided. Him taking a hit from Birby¡¯s tail added another slash on his head¡ªforming a deformed cross.


    [Hit!] Ran did not miss her chance. She shot two arrows and made one pierce the center of the cross. The other, which was aimed at Greith¡¯s eye, was deflected by a barrier.


    [I¡¯m not dumb, you know!?] the fairy declared as she pulled her hair. [Ahhhh! I don¡¯t care anymore! Greith! Let¡¯s just crush their home and be done with these pests!]


    Fed-up in taking down pests, Greith ignored his prey and flew. He headed towards west, where the Tribe residence lies. Though painful the bow that pierced his scale, his regeneration rate made it bearable.


    [Can¡¯t even take on pests now?!] Kanna uttered. She turned Birby¡¯s reins around after a successful recovery. [Ran.]


    Ran shook her head. [It won¡¯t work anymore. If you look closely, you¡¯ll notice that the fairy is anticipating something like before.]


    Kanna clicked her tongue. [Birby, just this one time, please, let¡¯s not miss.]


    Kanna gradually raised their altitude. It did not take long before they pierced through the clouds like a whale and made a free-fall.


    Kanna covered her eyes with her forearm. As the situation was, she was not able to wear a goggle. But Kanna endured the brunt of the wind. [Stall them for a moment, Ran!]


    [Got it!] Ran nocked two arrows. One was mithril and the other ordinary. [Silphy, lend me the power of the wind.] She leaned on Kanna¡¯s back, almost parallel to the saddle. As it was, she was aiming while prone.


    Not long before that, a hint of wind enveloped the arrows. And when Ran released it, they hurled at a speed comparable to a bullet.


    Shortly, an explosion rang directly in front Greith¡ªwhich threw off the fairy into Greith¡¯s back and altered Greith¡¯s flight path slightly.


    [It¡¯s ours now Birby,] Kanna whispered.


    When they closed in, Greith glanced at Birby. It seemed that the Fairy, thrown into Greith¡¯s back, caught a glimpse of Birby¡¯s shadow¡ªwhich immediately informed Greith. And so, Greith turned around and prepared to meet Birby with his breath.


    Kanna immediately realized the situation. She made Birby extend his wings lightly to spiral towards Greith. Ran too knew, but their current flight situation did not allow her to focus on aiming¡ªmuch less take a stable position.


    [Really, I hate gambles.] Ran, gripped the handles on the side of the saddle and closed her eyes tightly.


    Would Greith miss? Would Kanna, Ran, and Birby burn into ashes? The answer became apparent. It was both.


    Kanna did not expect it, neither did Ran, Greith, or the fairy. They took the brunt of the breath head-on. At least, that was how it looked from the outside. While in fact, two Birbys took it. The third was able to dodge. The fourth, the real Birby, was able to dodge as well.


    Or simply, two illusions vanished from the breath. The third vanished as well, for it was but another illusion.


    This event made Kanna tear up and smile at the same time. Despite the joy rising inside her chest, she still maneuvered Birby to lash its tail. And before Birby¡¯s razor tail hit, the droplets of water gathered and formed a torrential coat on his tail.


    The result was obvious, Greith¡¯s neck was rent in half. He wanted to emit a cry, but his breath left him with nothing to spare. And so, he fell into the forest with a groan.


    [Lia!] Kanna glanced into the distance with tears running down her eyes.


    Amelia weakly waved in response while aboard with Kan. She then fell asleep after muttering the words, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me¡­ just yet...¡±

 Chapter 75: Ties

    ¡°Just what happened?¡± Kanna asked in the human language. She tapped a cloth on Amelia¡¯s forehead¡ªwho was asleep on Kanna¡¯s thighs.


    Garfin heaved a sigh. [I¡¯m not sure either.] He leaned on a tree and crossed his arms. [But there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m sure of. Amelia was hiding something.]


    Garfin recalled the events happened in the lair. Back then, he heard a shout just before the boulders smashed the ground.


    ¡°Take the deepest breath you can!¡± It was an unexpected response. For one, most, if not all, were frozen in shock. They never expected that they would die alongside their allies and foes.


    However, this voice of Amelia chipped the dwarfs¡¯ attention away from Greith. And since they no longer have anything to lose, they followed Amelia¡¯s order.


    On the other hand, the goblins were torn whether to follow or not, but the Goblin Commander did as Amelia shouted. He roared his order to the goblins. Unfortunately, he was a tad late. Not all goblins were able to follow his order.


    [It was like a miniature sun,] Garfin muttered. [It was the largest Sun¡¯s Seer I have ever seen.]


    A whitish ball of flame rose towards the crevice. At the same time Greith blew his breath, the ball expanded and burned like a sun.


    The Seer and Greith¡¯s breath lit the whole cavern. The two met and created a swirling ball of flame, dyeing the nearby rocks to a char.


    The atmosphere in the cavern, closed in all sides, immediately changed. The temperature rose. Oxygen was depleted. Sweat trickled and evaporated. Bodies fell, clawed the ground, and begged for air. And soon, the rocks burned red and started to melt. One could describe it as an inferno.


    [It was when drops of molten lava trickled to the ground when I unconsciously looked at Amelia.]


    There Garfin saw an unusual sight.


    [She was clutching her rapier. At that point, I confirmed that the Seer came from Amelia¡ªdespite not hearing any chant.] Garfin exhaled. [But I knew. The mana stored in the rapier is not enough to manifest a Seer for that long of a period. More than that¡­ she wore that fabric. A fabric known to dwarfs in legends.]


    Amelia did it to protect herself from her own armor. She used the fabric from her necklace to protect herself from direct contact with the armor. Since, as the temperature rose, so did the armor she wore. It was a burden.


    Amelia could have hidden it with an illusion. But Amelia was new to chant-less magic. She had difficulty maintaining two taxing magic circles at the same time. More so that illusion magic required a great deal of concentration for it to not waver.


    She could have muttered the chant instead, but muttering or speaking was the same as depleting one¡¯s breath. In her situation, she needed that air to maintain her own life.


    In addition, she did not know how much power she needed to negate Greith¡¯s breath. Which was why, as much as possible, she was preserving her mana.


    [Afterward, the crevice closed. That dragon probably thought we were dead. But I guess we¡¯re lucky he did not confirm whether we were alive or not.]


    The crevice was only large enough for a third of Greith¡¯s jaw to enter. So Greith saw nothing. The Fairy too did not care. She thought everyone inside would perish with no questions asked.


    [It did not stop there.] Garfin wiped his forehead with his palm. [The exit, which was blocked by earthen spikes, began to open up. Though it was a simple Earth Mold, it was enough to bore through the blockade. And again, the doubt falls on Amelia. But that was when she fell unconscious for the first time. Then afterward, I ordered the dwarfs to escape while the goblins were weakened.]


    The goblins were not good with extreme heat unlike the dwarfs, which left them crawling towards the exit.


    [Every dwarf ran towards the exit Amelia paved. Of course, we dragged the injured and the dead along. I too ran after carrying Amelia. It was a rush for air that I thought I¡¯d never experience once again.]


    A short moment after the dwarfs ran and recovered some strength, they searched the lair and found the Goblin Queen.


    [That goblin smiled when we came. She even welcomed us, which was weird. More than that, she volunteered herself as a hostage.] Garfin expressed a dry laugh. [Since everyone was exhausted and dehydrated, we agreed to take her and secured ourselves from the goblins that lived. After that, we waited until Kan arrived.]


    ¡°Then Lia heard the situation and forced herself into riding with Kan?¡±


    [You guessed right.]


    Kanna knitted her brows in dissatisfaction. ¡°Lia...¡±


    Kanna lifted Amelia and administered some water from a nearby wooden bowl. ¡°But can¡¯t we return to the Tribe instead of treating Lia here?¡± Kanna grimaced at the sight of Amelia drowned in sweat. ¡°This place isn¡¯t appropriate for recovery.¡±


    Garfin grumbled. [I have the same thoughts, but we promised Ark and her servants that we¡¯ll protect her. Things might go south if someone from them knew what happened to Amelia and passed it over to Laurel. And knowing Amelia¡ª]


    ¡°She won¡¯t let that happen and stay here instead.¡± Kanna heaved a sigh. ¡°Really, Lia, how do you cope up with the limited actions you can take?¡±


    At times, Amelia would flinch in pain. Her skin, flushed in red, was covered by the fabric that manifested from her necklace since Kanna did not know how to remove it. However, her armor was removed and was left in the lair.


    ¡°Sure, there¡¯s no external injury, but dehydration and mana exhaustion¡­ can¡¯t you take a better care of yourself, Lia?¡± Kanna laid Amelia back to her thighs. ¡°And Garfin, what would the Tribe do about it?¡±


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    [That in itself is under review.]


    Kanna frowned. ¡°Really, just because Lia was hiding something from everyone doesn¡¯t mean she needs to be investigated or interrogated. And besides, she did it for the good of everyone. Can¡¯t we just not pry into it?¡±


    [I myself want to hide the fact, but undoubtedly, a few dwarfs saw her as well. So, for now, we have to isolate those who knew from those who doesn¡¯t and ask them not to speak of it.] Garfin then gritted his teeth. [But dwarfs, as you know it, can¡¯t stop speaking when booze comes onto the table.]


    Kanna bit her lips. ¡°Garfin, please, don¡¯t take the only place Lia can rest a peace away from her. Don¡¯t add up to her burden and worries. And the fabric, it¡¯s something she received from Divine Beast that often appears during the proving.¡±


    Kanna made up a lie. Although it was not entirely wrong, she wanted to patch things up before Amelia recovered.


    [I could tell them that, but what about the Seer? The extent of mana she had shown?] Garfin scratched his head. [We need to make up a believable scenario to avoid this, Kanna, so come think of a plausible situation with me before the Elves return.]


    ¡°¡­ How about Dresbon and Arkand?¡±


    [I¡¯m representing them, so you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll convince the dwarfs too after the Elf chiefs accepted our findings.]


    Kanna glanced towards Garfin with a tear in her eye. ¡°Thank you, Garfin.¡±


    [I don¡¯t want to see my Granddaughter frowning, so don¡¯t mention it.] Garfin roamed his eyes around in an attempt to avoid eye contact.


    ¡°Really.¡± Kanna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad Lia has someone like you.¡±


    <hr>


    Nearby Greith¡¯s corpse, where the wyvern from the Tribe was feasting, was the fairy bounded by shackles of ice.


    [Curse¡­ you¡­ spirit...!] She was forced to watch the wyverns feast on Greith. At the same time, Sylveus, Sylvar¡¯s contracted spirit, was keeping the fairy from using any magic.


    [You sure made a mess around the forest,] Ran muttered, sitting on a branch where the fairy was bounded. [You guys did the same thing within Alabaster too.]


    [What did you¡­ say¡­?] the fairy wrung her voice.


    [Your comrades, they messed up Alabaster¡¯s ecosystem. But oh well, they¡¯re gone anyway. We just need to keep things up to restore it back to how it used to.]


    [G-gone¡­?!]


    [I was not there, but I heard they were dead. And from what I¡¯ve heard, you were waiting for them, right? Then I guess you waited for nothing.]


    [There¡¯s¡­ no way¡­!] The fairy struggled. However, in response, the shackles bounding her bit her skin.


    [You shouldn¡¯t try to escape. I can hit you even from afar. And I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll even need a special technique to do it.] Ran smiled. [Just a simple and quick shot.]


    [Hrk!]


    Ran sighed. [Your race never learns, do they? Sylveus, it¡¯s fine. Let her speak.]


    [Hhaaah¡­ Hhaah¡­ You. Beings like you are the ones who never learn.]


    [I wonder.] Ran kicked her legs.


    [You hate war, but you are cowards. You ran away and hid from it instead of making an end for it.]


    [True. We did run away to avoid war, but what¡¯s wrong with that?] Ran glanced towards the fairy.


    [That¡¯s selfishness.] The fairy snickered.


    [Hmm¡­ you could say that? But I guess that¡¯s fine for us. I mean, if being selfish would preserve our future, why not? After all, we don¡¯t claim ourselves as saviors or warriors of justice. We just wanted a simple life away from the feud between the races. And really, it¡¯s quite taxing to think about it.]


    [Why not wish that kind of life for everyone?] The fairy grinned. [Are you that weak?]


    [There¡¯s no point in thinking about everyone¡¯s life. We don¡¯t have time for that. We can¡¯t even rule a large group with one head so why bother?]


    [Exactly. Which is why, to stop the war, and to preserve everyone¡¯s life, we need to cut down the races to the bare minimum.]


    [Is that what Titania drilled into you? But I guess I should apologize. I won¡¯t buy your reason no matter what you say. At this point, you''re just a prisoner. But besides that, I think you fairies had yet heard of Ragnell the Dwarf.]


    [Queen Titania¡¯s teachings are reasonable. They bring a solution to a problem while presenting joy and excitement to us fairies. But Ragnell? A dwarf? We fairies have nothing to do with unreasonable dwarfs.]


    [I think you should have taken him into account based on your objective, but well, even us Elves did not know of his existence. Not after the dwarfs told us though. But his story sure is surprising. To bring different races together and make a shelter for them. It¡¯s a dreamlike ideal that actually worked.]


    [Heh. A dwarf brought the races together? That¡¯s a farce.]


    [There¡¯s an evidence and we¡¯re already confirming it. It won¡¯t be that long before it happens. But that¡¯s it. That¡¯s all I can tell you about Ragnell.] Ran giggled.


    [...]


    <hr>


    [It doesn¡¯t really matter to me.] The Goblin Queen, Oisa, shook Sylvar¡¯s hand. [It¡¯s a far better condition than the fairy¡¯s.]


    [That¡¯s good to hear.] Sylvar smiled. [Please inform my spirit, Sylveus, once you goblins have settled on a place to stay on.]


    [Are you sure you don¡¯t want us goblins inside your Tribe?] Oisa smiled.


    [No, not at this moment. However, I¡¯ll be keeping tabs on your actions. If ever we confirm that you and your goblins are safe to bring into the Tribe, then we¡¯ll consider. But for now, let¡¯s keep our distance while maintaining communication.]


    Oisa placed a hand over her chest clothed with a rag. [Unfortunate.]


    [But I have to admit, you seem capable.]


    [My?] Oisa brought her fingers to her lips.


    [Please, let¡¯s excuse the exaggerations. Only Kan would gladly ride on such.]


    [I can hear you!] Kan shouted while tending on the injured dwarfs.


    [Do you not want to make a lasting impression?] Oisa swept her black hair towards her back.


    Sylvar laughed. [I prefer lasting impressions based on actions, not dialogue or appearance. But are you sure you don¡¯t need us to tend on the goblins who were barely alive?]


    [There¡¯s nary a need.] Oisa took a serious tone as she shook her head. [As long as I live, and a few males and servants of mine, we can recuperate. Besides, I needed to get rid of Goblin Princes or Princesses candidates within my rule. This would help me solve my problem of my goblins aiming for my throne.]


    [That solid determination of yours is something that I¡¯m fond of.]


    [Right?] Oisa giggled. [Anyway, I have to greet the goblins I have met. I must inform them of our agreement.]


    [I would do the same.]


    Sylvar and Oisa agreed to have an agreement. The agreement, in exchange for Oisa¡¯s life and a few goblins, covered a few details. First was that the goblins would provide a part of its resources to the Tribe. This is in exchange for eliminating some goblins within Oisa¡¯s horde.


    Although it sounded contradictory and out of sense, Oisa had a reason. For one, goblins could only have one ruler. It¡¯s either a Queen or a King. Candidates were designated as Prince or Princess.


    Once a candidate appears, the goblins would become torn. And since there¡¯s only one possible ruler for the goblins, there are two possible outcomes. The first is to oust and kill the current ruler. The second was to leave the horde and become rogues.


    Rogues, on their own, could start a new horde. How a new horde starts depends on what type of ruler it has.


    Queens could breed goblins. In that situation, the goblins would be defensive and sustain themselves through a simple life.


    Kings, on the other hand, are different. They are offensive and greedy. Goblins under the rule of King tend to strike races compatible with them and breed through their women.


    In either case, Oisa did not want any contestants. In addition, killing candidates upfront would not serve the goblins as a good example of a ruler, which is why she employed the Tribe¡¯s help to simulate a situation where the goblin candidates met an unfortunate accident.


    Quite a fortunate situation, Sylvar thought. But still, it felt like she was prepared for this.

 Chapter 76: Take a Look Around You

    ¡°Where?¡± Amelia blinked her eyes. The last time she remembered was her squeezing the last ounces of her mana to help Kanna. The canopy of leaves hanging above her was not among those she recalled.


    ¡°And this?¡± She tried to lift her hand, but it only responded with a tremble. ¡°This is...¡± It was a familiar sensation, and so she tried to feel and manipulate the mana dwelling in her body. ¡°Celes...¡±


    Amelia sat up and roamed her eyes. ¡°Celes, you¡¯re there, aren¡¯t you? Why bring my consciousness here? And right now?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± Celes, in her human form, held Amelia¡¯s shoulder from behind. ¡°To let you rest.¡±


    Amelia took a glance behind and laid back on the grass. ¡°Is that¡­ all?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s everything.¡± Celes laid down on the grass with her head beside Amelia¡¯s. ¡°Well, partially.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I wasn¡¯t asleep for days or something, right?¡± Amelia remembered herself passing out, but she has yet to know what happened afterward or what was happening at the moment.


    Celes giggled. ¡°No, it has only been almost an hour after you passed out. And with your current condition, you¡¯ll recover in a few hours. I¡¯m sure that dwarf, Garfin, and Kanna would be surprised.¡±


    Amelia took a deep breath. ¡°So I can¡¯t hide it from Garfin huh. Should I make up a lie after I recovered?¡± She grasped her hand over her chest and thought, Is lying the only way out?


    Celes sniffled a laugh. ¡°Like I told you, you should rest. Don¡¯t bother thinking about something you need not resolve.¡±


    Amelia frowned. ¡°This is urgent. A hint on what I am and who I am is out there! I can¡¯t just rest easy and not bother with it!¡± She stood up, annoyed at Celes¡¯s unusual calmness. ¡°And won¡¯t it bother you too?! That they might know who you are?!¡±


    Celes closed her eyes with a smile on her face. ¡°Amelia, you don¡¯t have to do anything¡ªnot even lift a single finger. Things would be resolved without you intervening. No, in fact, just be silent about it. The people around you, who truly care for you, are not people who would despise you because you had something you can¡¯t speak about. Trust in them a little more.¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about?! Everything?! Resolved?! Without me doing anything?! That¡¯s ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Amelia. It¡¯s a bad habit you¡¯ve developed.¡± Celes sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t want to burden others of your problem.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡± Amelia gritted her teeth.


    ¡°But have you thought about what they felt? What they wanted to do for you out of concern?¡±


    ¡°They need not be involved in such a huge matter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the opposite, Amelia. You need to involve people as much as you can. Or maybe you believe that you can resolve everything by relying on your own strength?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Amelia bit her lips and looked to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°Everyone else is trying their best too.¡± Celes waved her hand and gathered the surrounding dew into a disc of water. ¡°Look, Amelia, and observe.¡±


    The disc adjusted itself and hovered just before Amelia.


    ¡°Kanna, Garfin, and me?¡± Amelia confirmed the familiar figures showed on the disc.


    ¡°Listen carefully, Amelia.¡± Celes climbed to her feet and stood beside Amelia.


    [What do you mean? A blessing from a Divine?] Garfin scratched his head. [And that blessing grew into something that she herself did not imagine?]


    ¡°Right.¡± Kanna nodded while playing with Amelia¡¯s fringes. ¡°It¡¯s not that far-fetched. After all, we all knew Amelia met the Great Amalthea and the beast that guides the Proving Ritual. But what we did not know is what she gained from the two aside from Amalthea¡¯s horn shedding.¡±


    [Hrmm¡­] Garfin combed his beard. [Then what about that chant-less Sun¡¯s Seer?]


    ¡°That¡­¡± Kanna grabbed her hair and pulled it. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure...¡±


    Kanna was conflicted if letting Garfin know about chant-less magic would benefit Amelia.


    [I know nothing, Kanna. And I won¡¯t know anything unless Amelia tells me of her own accord.] Garfin stood and struck a nearby tree with his fist. [I won¡¯t ask. I won¡¯t mention anything if that would make her feel at ease. But that aside, we need a lie. A believable lie.]


    ¡°Really, Garfin, I don¡¯t know how to thank you for this, but I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re on our side on this.¡± Kanna smiled and held Amelia¡¯s hands. ¡°Hear that, Lia? You¡¯re not alone in this. So you can keep on sleeping peacefully. Rest until you recovered. We¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Amelia was at a loss for words.


    ¡°That¡¯s not everything.¡± Celes snapped her fingers and then the view changed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­¡± Amelia¡¯s pupils widened. ¡°Mola? And Liscia? And Halbert? There¡¯s Hero Meiko too.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Meiko! Don¡¯t be such a disgrace!¡± Mola pulled Meiko¡¯s arm.


    On the other hand, ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± Meiko responded while clinging to a thin metallic rod. ¡°I¡¯m not returning there! That¡¯s too crazy! That isn¡¯t just a beast! That¡¯s way more than just a beast! It¡¯s a monster! Ah! I can¡¯t believe this!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?! And what¡¯s with this abnormal strength?! Are you really a girl?!¡± Mola repeatedly tugged Meiko away from the rod. ¡°And besides, that¡¯s just a Mimic! A Mimic! What the hell are you afraid of?!¡±


    ¡°Nooooo!¡± The rod Meiko clung onto bent slightly. ¡°You keep telling me it¡¯s just a Mimic! But that thing¡¯s waaaay too disgusting! Ughhh... I can¡¯t stand the look of it...¡± Meiko¡¯s knees weakened as she remembered the Mimic¡¯s fleshy appearance. The mucus dripping from its skin made Meiko especially sick.


    ¡°Ugh! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ll get this weak just from its appearance! Are you really a Hero?!¡± Mola placed more strength on her feet.


    ¡°I told you before didn¡¯t I?! I didn¡¯t choose to be one!¡±


    ¡°Scratch that! Just try to think that it¡¯s for your own good! For you to return home!¡±


    ¡°I-i-is there really no other way?! That thin¡ªugh...¡±


    ¡°Chance!¡± Mola did not let the second chance pass. She pulled out Meiko from her clutch and dragged her back into the hallway they have previously been into. ¡°Come on. We can¡¯t just let Liscia and Halbert fight on their own.¡±


    ¡°W-w-wait! I¡¯ll stand on my own! So please don¡¯t drag me!¡±


    Mola sighed and released Meiko. ¡°We have to hurry up. So fix those legs of yours.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s easy for you to say...¡± Meiko stood with her legs trembling in both fear and disgust. ¡°A-ahh¡­ it¡¯s too hard to walk.¡± Meiko¡¯s balanced herself at each step she took.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go a bit further ahead, so try to catch up. But remember, for you to get a chance to return home, you have to steel yourself. You¡¯ll be seeing more of these as we spend more time researching.¡±


    ¡°F-fine...¡± Step by step, Meiko trailed behind Mola.


    Meanwhile, Halbert was provoking the Mimic in the distance while dodging the tentacles it shot. Liscia, on the other hand, was supporting Halbert from behind by shooting stones on the Mimic¡¯s body armored by a steel plate. From what it seemed, the Mimic took after a steel container and made its home.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°Coming from the left!¡± Liscia shouted.


    ¡°Got it!¡± Halbert side-stepped to the side and slashed at one of the Mimic¡¯s tentacle.


    Back to where Amelia and Celes were, ¡°Err¡­ Meiko did her best?¡± Amelia asked, unsure of who did their best. ¡°Or was it Mola for convincing Meiko?¡±


    Celes giggled. ¡°Perhaps both?¡±


    Again, the image showed on the plate changed. That time, it was Elaine along with Hilda.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Your Highness Elaine, is it this one?¡± Hilda showed the cover of a thick book to Elaine.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s it!¡± Elaine ran towards the library¡¯s door and beckoned Hilda to come over. ¡°Let¡¯s read it somewhere else.¡±


    Elaine and Hilda passed through one corridor after the other and arrived at the garden. Elaine took the book from Hilda and placed it on a table in the gazebo.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Your Highness, should I really be reading this with you?¡± Hilda was anxious. She did not want to be deeply involved with matters she had no hope coping with.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this book is available in public libraries in the cities.¡± Elaine flipped through the pages and muttered, ¡°unlike a certain book about Heroes.¡±


    ¡°What book about Heroes?¡±


    ¡°N-n-nothing!¡± Elaine¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Anyway! Help me search this book!¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Your face is re¡ª¡±


    ¡°This!¡± Elaine pointed to the book. She moved her fingers from one word to another. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m mistaken. Anyway, be my second pair of eyes for now, please?¡± Elaine crept a smile.


    ¡°O-okay.¡± Hilda was afraid to ask what was going through Elaine¡¯s mind and decided to forget what she saw.


    ¡°A certain book? About Heroes? That¡¯s not available in the public library?¡± Amelia muttered. ¡°Does such a book exis¡ªno¡­ I need to speak with Elaine, and soon.¡±


    Amelia walked back and forth. Her mind went into turmoil. Various dangerous thoughts ran through her mind. Thought¡¯s that were dangerous for Elaine¡¯s innocence.


    ¡°C-celes, can I go now? I have recovered, right?¡± Amelia asked, sweat forming on her forehead.


    Celes giggled a laugh. ¡°No need to rush, but I can¡¯t believe that¡¯s what caught your attention.¡±


    ¡°No! This is urgent!¡± Amelia¡¯s eyes spun. ¡°Elaine is at stake here!¡±


    Again, Celes laughed. ¡°Relax, Amelia. Try to focus on what Elaine was focusing on.¡±


    ¡°I know already! It¡¯s a book regarding the past wars!¡± Amelia suddenly froze. ¡°Wait, records about the past racial wars? What is Elaine up to? Why is she looking it up?¡±


    ¡°You should ask her, but she is doing what she could to help you in the background.¡±


    Amelia blinked her eyes in disbelief. ¡°I¡­ see¡­ You got a point. I should ask her instead.¡±


    ¡°You should also remember her.¡± The view suddenly changed into a room stacked with papers.


    In response to the change, Amelia looked to the side. ¡°Right, I should apologize to Erina.¡±


    ¡°You definitely should. She has been on your side for the longest. She deserves to see your smile among everyone else.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know how to thank her anymore.¡± Amelia held her arms.


    ¡°Just be yourself and live. That¡¯s the best gift you can give her.¡± Celes approached Amelia and embraced her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about giving them anything. Just showing them that you¡¯re happy will satisfy them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try...¡± Amelia returned Celes¡¯s embrace.


    It took a few minutes before Celes released Amelia. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Amelia nodded.


    ¡°Then I guess I could show you one more.¡± Celes smiled.


    ¡°There¡¯s another one?¡± Amelia moved her sight towards the disc of water. ¡°Is that Max? Ah, Clarissa too. But who? Who¡¯s the other person?¡±


    ¡°Listen and you¡¯ll find out.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for the sudden meeting, Your Highness Maxwell.¡± Hero Charles placed a hand on his stomach and bowed.


    Maxwell chuckled. ¡°True, I was surprised to be informed that a Hero wanted to meet me. It was the least I expected after I returned to Spere.¡±


    ¡°Brother,¡± Clarissa called. ¡°Should I?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister, you may go. You have my gratitude for keeping him company.¡± Maxwell expressed a smile.


    With her hands crossed on her front, Clarissa, wearing a pale blue dress, walked towards the door. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s have a talk later. I want to confirm a few things.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head towards your chamber after this.¡±


    Clarissa nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    When Clarissa closed the door, Maxwell offered Charles to take a seat.


    ¡°What about your party members?¡± Maxwell started.


    ¡°I left them in the guest chamber since I hoped to speak with you alone.¡± Charles smiled.


    ¡°I see.¡± Maxwell nodded. ¡°So, what brought you here today? Did you need me for something?¡±


    Charles exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you for going straight to the point. I¡¯m not that good with small talk.¡±


    ¡°Perish the matter.¡± Maxwell waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°I too am not good with small talk. In any case, what topic do you want us to speak about?¡±


    ¡°This may be presumptuous of me, but I heard His Highness is well acquainted with Laurel¡¯s First Princess?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Her Highness Amelia.¡± Maxwell kept his smile. This is too sudden.


    ¡°Yes. I wanted to confirm a few things from her, so would you help me bridge a communication with her? In return, I¡¯m willing to offer my service as a Hero.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t grant your request for a vague reason. Please understand that I cannot endanger Her Highness Amelia for the sake of the two Kingdom¡¯s relationship and our friendship. Such matter cannot be replaced by a Hero¡¯s service.¡±


    ¡°Please wait.¡± Charles raised his hand. ¡°A communication through letters is enough. At best, a communication with Telepathy.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, a vague reason and a Hero¡¯s service is not enough of a compensation to endanger the two kingdom¡¯s relationship. Most of all, Laurel has a sour relationship with Libet.¡±


    Charles nodded. ¡°Which is why I approached you, Your Highness Maxwell.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much. However, if you¡¯re not willing to share your reason, then I would keep on turning down your offer.¡± Maxwell stood and walked towards the door.


    ¡°A demon,¡± Charles said just before Maxwell reached for the knob. ¡°Most of the people from Libet said she was a child of a demon. But I don¡¯t believe it. It happened at a suspicious time and place. So I¡¯m sure something happened. With that, I wanted to confirm Her Highness¡¯s side to get a larger view of the actual picture.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Convince me that you¡¯re not a pawn of Libet and I¡¯ll consider your request.¡± Maxwell turned the knob and left.


    Meanwhile, Amelia was blinking her eyes in silence. ¡°What does a Hero want from me? And Max. It seems he¡¯s partially involved with the turmoil with Libet now...¡±


    Celes giggled, which was an unusual response for Amelia. ¡°Really, no matter how much I watched it, still, I could not help but giggle a laugh.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so all of these did not happen at the same time?¡±


    Celes shook her head. ¡°Aside from you sleeping on Kanna¡¯s thighs, no.¡±


    ¡°But why are you laughing?¡± Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°It¡¯s a huge problem for me.¡±


    ¡°Because that Hero has yet to figure it out.¡± Celes held her stomach and tried to hold her laughter.


    ¡°Figure out what?¡±


    ¡°His situation. His reality. And the fact that he won¡¯t revive after encountering death.¡±


    Amelia tilted her head. ¡°Revive? From the dead?¡±


    ¡°You see.¡± Celes took a deep breath. ¡°Heroes are given a blessing.¡±


    ¡°I already know that.¡±


    Celes nodded. ¡°But their blessing is not entirely an ability to perform. It can also be a system to aid them and make them think that it¡¯s a reality they are familiar with.¡±


    ¡°Reality?¡± Again, Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°Is there a huge difference between Meiko¡¯s blessing and the other heroes¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is. The Gods would not just randomly pick anyone to transport into Origin, you know? They won¡¯t accomplish their goal if they only relied on luck.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t really get what it¡¯s for, but I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°True, telling you something you won¡¯t understand is a waste of time. But take Meiko for an example. She wanted to return home, didn¡¯t she? She probably had a satisfied life from the world she came from and wished to maintain it. As a result, given the blessing, she would seek a way home.¡±


    ¡°I do understand Meiko¡¯s reason, but what¡¯s the difference with the others?¡±


    ¡°They think of this world as a game.¡± Celes smiled. ¡°For example, Amelia, back when I showed you a reality that your Grandfather was alive, you believed it was unreal and denied it, right?¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°Yes, because I knew Grandfather was gone. But how is that related to a game?¡±


    ¡°What if I showed you a reality similar to your current situation, would you believe it was fake?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°The answer would easily be a no. Not unless you encountered an event you would deem impossible in the reality you believed in.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand how that is related to a game, but I¡¯ll take note of that.¡±


    Again, Celes giggled. ¡°In short, that Hero, Charles, thought you would be a great source of a large scale event. Perhaps uncover secrets he never thought he would find.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t think I like the idea of treating me as a trigger for an event.¡± Amelia frowned.


    ¡°Why not take advantage of it?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with another Hero right now. And even if he thinks of me as something like that, I cannot guarantee that he¡¯s an ally or enemy.¡±


    ¡°A lot of things are moving Amelia. So be prepared.¡± Celes then clapped her hand. ¡°All that aside, why don¡¯t we take a stroll for a while? It will still take time for your body to recover anyway, so let¡¯s spend your time leisurely.¡±


    ¡°I can do that, but I find you spending time with me a bit surprising. Weren¡¯t you busy these past few weeks?¡±


    ¡°I was.¡± Celes grabbed Amelia¡¯s hand and dragged her along. ¡°And besides, there¡¯s nothing urgent as of the moment. So I can spend my time the way I wanted.¡±


    ¡°But what about the things you showed me? They are things I need to take care of.¡±


    Celes sighed. ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t mind it. The people wanting to aid you are doing their best. So take this chance and ease your mind. You don¡¯t always get time to spend like this.¡±


    ¡°I guess...¡±

 Chapter 77 - A Path Towards East - Arc 3 End

    How did things end up like this¡­ Amelia¡¯s wry smile twitched every so often.


    Like Celes suggested, it would have been better for her to not think things through. By doing so, she ended up in a situation she had never expected.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Amelia believed in those words. And flushing her problems down the corner of her mind, she held her mug and took a sip of the ale. ¡°It¡¯s not my concern.¡±


    [Uaargh¡­! More aaale! Ale!] A dwarf rose to his feet from the floor and raised his empty mug into the air. [Aaaaalllee!] Then with a thud, he fell back to the floor and started snoring.


    ¡°Right. A human bested the dwarfs in drinking alcohol on her first time. It¡¯s definitely believable.¡± Retaining her wry smile, Amelia took another sip. However, deep inside her heart, there was a thought screaming at the top of her lungs. Like hell that¡¯s possible!


    [Huwaah¡­] Arkand exhaled. [I-I can still! Drink!] He rose his trembling arm and tried to down another mug, but before he was able to empty it, he fell from his seat with a thud. Soon, like all the other dwarfs in the room, he fell asleep.


    ¡°M-maybe I should act like I¡¯m drunk?¡± Amelia muttered. ¡°But how? I¡¯ve never been drunk before¡­ And I never expected that I won¡¯t get drunk on my first...¡± She pondered on her reflection on the ale¡¯s surface. Though it was her third mug, her face was only slightly reddish. The warm sensation in her throat and chest was also light.


    Haahh¡­ I wonder what will happen if word gets out? Would I have a weird title? I wonder how the people would think of me besting dwarfs in alcohol? Ahh. Celes. You¡¯re definitely behind this, aren¡¯t you? You know I have an image to keep. Being an alcoholic Princess isn¡¯t one of it!


    Despite being carried away by the dwarfs¡¯ mood into drinking three mugs, Amelia placed the blame on Celes.


    Never mind. I¡¯ll just sleep. Amelia pushed her mug away and placed her arms on the table. Resting her head on her arms, she said, ¡°It reeks.¡±


    Moments after, Amelia woke up from the light shaking. ¡°Uhh...¡±


    When her eyes adjusted, she immediately recognized the lodge¡¯s stairway.


    ¡°Kanna?¡± Amelia whispered. The strands of brownish-orange hair dangling on the side of her face was all too familiar.


    ¡°Did I wake you?¡± Kanna chuckled. ¡°But really, no matter how many times I get to carry you, I always thought you have grown so big.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that heavy, am I?¡± Amelia hunched forward to lessen the burden on Kanna. ¡°But this is surprising. I thought you¡¯d carry me like a Princess I am.¡±


    Kanna smiled. ¡°I have always carried you like this even when you were small. And let¡¯s not talk about weight here. But back then, your body was smaller than mine. The difference now sure is big.¡± Kanna hinted a sense of nostalgia on her face. ¡°How I wish it stayed like that, but the difference in growth between races becomes obvious over time huh.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Kanna took to the right and found Ark beside an opened door.


    ¡°Good evening, Your Highness, Milady Kanna.¡± Ark greeted.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Kanna returned.


    ¡°I appreciate it, Ark,¡± Amelia added.


    Shortly, Ark bowed as Kanna entered the room. Afterward, Kanna placed Amelia on her bed while Ark closed the door and left.


    ¡°How about a change of clothes?¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t you need one?¡±


    ¡°¡­ No.¡± Amelia undressed. However, contrary to Kanna¡¯s expectation, a white fabric was left.


    Kanna pouted. ¡°That¡¯s cheating!¡±


    Amelia was wearing the default white one-piece dress that came from her necklace. ¡°¡­ Kanna, please stay for a while.¡± She ignored Kanna¡¯s protest and manifested her horn after closing the curtains.


    ¡°I already planned on doing that, so no worries.¡± Kanna walked towards the door and hinged the lock. ¡°But Lia, though you reek of ale, you¡¯re not drunk, right?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Amelia scratched her cheek after taking a seat on the bed. ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it.¡±


    ¡°Then you should take a rest tomorrow morning. People would be more suspicious of you if you don¡¯t at least act like you have a hangover.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Amelia nodded. ¡°I should do that.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ why do want me to stay?¡± Kanna took one stop and another with her hands on her clasped behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to have a pillow talk?¡±


    ¡°You can talk to the pillow instead.¡± Amelia shot an uninterested gaze while presenting a pillow in front.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Kanna chuckled. ¡°But Lia, isn¡¯t it surprising that you knew about these kinds of stuff?¡± A mischievous grin rose on Kanna¡¯s face.


    Amelia turned her gaze to the side. ¡°So what if I knew about it? I-I¡¯m not that innocent after all. And it¡¯s not like I can erase my memory after realizing what I¡¯ve read¡­ Haah¡­ Regrets...¡±


    ¡°I still wonder what have you read to realize these stuff.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, that aside.¡± Amelia stood and approached Kanna. ¡°Thank you, Kanna.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Kanna returned Amelia¡¯s embrace. ¡°A sweet reward from Lia. But it would have been waaaaay better if there wasn¡¯t a pillow in-between. Like, why is there even a pillow barring me from fully embracing Lia? There¡¯s no justice in this!¡±


    ¡°Like I said, talk to the pillow.¡± Amelia tightened her embrace and buried Kanna deeper into the pillow.


    Kanna sighed. ¡°This feels like victory and defeat at the same time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in your mind.¡±


    Kanna laughed and made a space for the pillow to the drop on the floor. ¡°Still, I never expected that you would cooperate with me and Garfin. I thought you¡¯d try to cover things up by yourself like you usually do.¡±


    Amelia expressed a wry smile. ¡°I received a lecture from someone. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Was it Celes?¡±


    Amelia nodded.


    ¡°You seem to take her words to heart.¡±


    Amelia tilted her head. ¡°Now that you say it, I do.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer, but who is she? I do get that you have a similar horn, but I can¡¯t connect anything aside from that horn and your appearance.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ the very source of the Laurelian Bloodline.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Kanna took the pillow and returned it to the bed.


    ¡°Maybe we should pick-up from the last time we spoke about this,¡± Amelia suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Kanna sat on the bedside and prompted Amelia to sit beside her.


    ¡°You see¡ª¡±


    Last time, Kanna and Amelia discussed Amelia¡¯s childhood and the matter revolving around the Devourer. However, Amelia limited the information she shared with Kanna. At the least, she was hoping to not let Kanna know too much.


    This time around, with full trust, Amelia decided to not leave Kanna in the dark.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Little by little, she spoke of her problems. She ranted. At length, she expressed her emotions while clinging to Kanna like a child she used to be. She spoke at random. She was unstable. But Kanna silently took it all.


    ¡°Kanna. Kanna. I can¡¯t do it alone.¡± Amelia tightened her embrace. ¡°What if I can¡¯t keep my promises? What if Elaine carried my burdens if I was gone? What if Brent loses the war? Would mother and father understand what I¡¯m going through right now?¡±


    ¡°Lia...¡± Kanna slid her fingers through Amelia¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Being a royal is a curse.¡±


    ¡°No, Lia, kindness is your curse.¡±


    Amelia failed to utter a response and looked up to Kanna. ¡°Then should I?¡±


    Kanna shook her head. ¡°Be who you are. Be what you wanted to be. Don¡¯t give in and throw away your kindness to ease the rope around your neck.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Even if it means my life?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even if it meant your life. Besides, I¡¯ll be there. You don¡¯t have to challenge everything alone.¡±


    Amelia rubbed her eyes with her forearm. ¡°Then I¡¯ll depend on you.¡±


    Kanna smiled. ¡°You can bet your life to me, Lia.¡±


    <hr>


    The review of the Goblin Queen, Oisa, proceeded with Sylvar as the head. Amelia, who has the right to participate in the review of the alliance with the goblins, did not participate.


    Her reason was, ¡°My views against goblins is biased. And I never knew that they could be considered as a race. I just thought they were a beast that could gain intelligence. So it would be best for my bias to not influence the review.¡±


    With all the reports she read concerning goblins and remote villages, Amelia could not find it inside her to easily accept goblins. If anything, she grew up with the idea that goblins are beasts, much like how most humans and races thought.


    That aside, among the dwarf chiefs, only Garfin participated. Arkand and Dresbon were on a slightly similar stand with Amelia. They could not easily forget their fight against the goblins inside the lair.


    Participation aside, the first review showed a positive response from the Sylvar, Kan, and Garfin. Only Ran took a neutral stance regarding the situation.


    [With their help, we can further expand towards the east,] Sylvar commented.


    [My concern is the dragon¡¯s lair. It could serve as a base for exploration.] Garfin chimed.


    [Alabaster¡¯s eastern portion huh.] Kan muttered. [I hope there are historical items left out there.]


    [Towards the east huh.] Ran wondered. [I just hope it¡¯s not too dangerous.]


    [[I agree]] Sylvar, Kan, and Garfin spoke in unison.


    On the other hand, Dresbon and Arkand were overseeing the retrieval of usable parts from Greith.


    [A free feast before winter huh. The wyverns sure are well-fed for their sleep.] Dresbon muttered. He drove his knife on Greith¡¯s spine, trying to separate the vertebra from the ligaments. [Dragon bones. It¡¯s not every day that we get to retrieve such materials.]


    [True. These emerald scales are still usable despite it receiving a shock from the dragon¡¯s fall. I wonder how many leather sets I can make from these.] Arkand scraped off the excess meat and fat from the skin. [But other than that, I still can¡¯t believe I lost to Amelia.]


    [No one expected her to win.] Another dwarf chimed. [But someone who can beat the lights out of me in ale huh, I¡¯m charmed.]


    [Oi! You¡¯ll get a beating from Garfin if he hears that!] A dwarf working on Greith¡¯s claws shouted. [I won¡¯t even wonder why if he made a weapon just to cut your head off!]


    [I don¡¯t care! I have vowed only to marry a woman who can beat me in a drink!]


    [Suit yourself! You have too many rivals, you know?!]


    Like the other dwarf said, a number of dwarfs took a liking to Amelia. Their reason might have been shallow, however, dwarfs had the nature of betting their life for alcohol. Betting their future on it was not unheard.


    [Muhaha!] Arkand laughed. [That Garfin! I¡¯m sure he¡¯s grinding a new blade right now!]


    [Really, we can¡¯t have new corpses to bury.] Dresbon expressed a wry smile. [Try to cherish your life more.]


    It has been a day since the dwarfs that perished during the operation were buried. Naturally, Amelia, who was partly involved in their deaths, participated. However, the day after, she left with Kanna and Birby and flew towards the Duchy.


    Before she left, she spent most of her time in the lodge handling what was supposed to be her responsibilities as chief.


    On a certain day, Amelia did not expect Ran to visit the lodge. However, after she watched Ran play with Rick and Fae, she was convinced.


    ¡°Was Ran always like this?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same old Ran,¡± Kanna answered.


    ¡°She seems to take a liking to children, which is rare for the elves,¡± Ark added.


    ¡°Hehh...¡± Amelia continued to watch Ran, Rick, Fae, and Birby II play in the lodge¡¯s yard.


    [Here comes the dragon! Rawwwrrr!] Ran chased after Rick and Fae while holding Birby II in her arms.


    Meanwhile, Birby II gave out a high-pitched chirp. [Piiikyaa!]


    Fae was running with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Dragon! Dragon! It¡¯s a dragon, Rick! Run!¡±


    Rick was the same. Though usually quiet and reserved, he was recently laughing and showcasing a smile. It was a nature that suited him rather than his calm and serious vibe.


    ¡°Then I guess I don¡¯t have to worry about Rick and Fae.¡± Amelia sighed in relief. It was another weight off of her shoulders upon seeing Rick and Fae¡¯s smile. ¡°But Ark, please still monitor both of them. We can¡¯t have them facing too much danger.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ark, can I borrow Lia for a bit?¡± Kanna tugged on Amelia.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Ark nodded.


    Kanna dragged Amelia for about two meters away from Ark and prompted her to crouch.


    ¡°What is it? Is it something Ark should not hear?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that, it¡¯s something that concerns Ark himself.¡±


    Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°Is there a problem with him? In all honesty, I have yet to have a problem with Ark. So this is new.¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Kanna shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem with him, but more like, uhh¡­ an unexpected situation revolving around him?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Amelia tilted her head.


    ¡°You see, Ran took a liking to Ark.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Amelia looked at Kanna with a straight face. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°Eh? That¡¯s all? Aren¡¯t you concerned about them?¡± Kanna scratched the side of her head.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have any concern for them, but isn¡¯t this something on a personal level? And if that was the case, I don¡¯t intend to intervene.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kanna¡¯s pupils widened in surprise. ¡°Wait. So you don¡¯t mind Ark going out with Ran?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind. Besides, I think its Ark¡¯s call to make.¡±


    ¡°Well, true. But don¡¯t you want to help Ran?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not a matchmaker? And other than that, I think Ran needs more preparation before she could confess to Ark? After all, Ark is¡­ pretty old. Though I think he¡¯ll still live long, it won¡¯t be that lengthy for an elf.¡±


    It¡¯s kinda similar to my and Max¡¯s situation¡­ but on a different scale.


    Kanna sighed. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll just remind Ran. On the other hand, why don¡¯t you ask Ark if he has someone he was waiting for.¡±


    Amelia frowned. ¡°I can assure you, Ark has never been interested in taking a woman¡¯s hand. Well, other than his sisterly figure back when he was still an orphan, I have never heard him taking an interest in one. In my case, he vowed loyalty to me in exchange for funding the orphanage he came from. So you could say that the orphanage is the only string tying Ark to me.¡±


    ¡°Sisterly figure huh.¡± Kanna grinned. ¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no need to help Ran!¡± Kanna stood and said, ¡°Secret meeting, adjourned!¡±


    ¡°What kind of role have you taken into?¡± Amelia smiled.


    <hr>


    [Talya, Talya, it¡¯s me, Spee.] Spee, the fairy with Greith, shook Talya awake. [Remember? Spee. Your comrade.]


    [Spee?! Spee? Why is Spee¡­ here?] Talya grabbed Spee¡¯s shoulder and shook her.


    [W-wait! Talya! What¡¯s wrong with you?!] Spee fluttered her wings and took a distance from Talya. However, after a step backward, her back collided with crystalline bar. [Ahh, it¡¯s too cramped in here!]


    [Why? Why?! Spee! You shouldn¡¯t be here!] Talya pulled on her hair and despaired at the center of the cage. [There¡¯s no escape! Nothing! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!]


    [Talya¡­] Spee knitted her brows. [What happened to you? And to everyone else?]


    [Aha! Ahaha!] Talya laughed hysterically. [Dead! They¡¯re all dead! Even Queen Titania! She¡¯s dead! All dead! We shouldn¡¯t have messed with her! It was a mistake! Relics are not enough! It was a mistake! Ahahaha!]


    [D-dead? Wait, so she¡­ found out? And everything fell apart?]


    [Yes! Yes! Devourer?! Jormugandr ripped it into pieces! We never stood a chance! We shouldn¡¯t have tried to acquire her blood! A mistake! A mistake! A disastrous mistake! Now, all our efforts! Are for naught!]


    Spee¡¯s knees buckled. [¡­ It¡¯s not real, right? We lost the... bet?]


    [But it¡¯s fine! It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m no longer alone in this cage!] Talya crawled towards Spee. [Spee! I¡¯m not alone! You and I! We can spend our life here! In this cage! Forever!]


    [T-talya! Wait! Please, come back to your senses!] Spee jumped to the side and dodged Talya¡¯s assault. [Talya! Keep it together! We can escape from this!]


    Talya shook her head with tears dripping from her chin. [Spee, It¡¯s useless! It¡¯s useless! Useless!] Talya broke down in tears and curled herself.


    [Talya¡­ Just what did they do to you¡­]


    Spee, after being brought to the Tribe, was put under trial. Before a punishment was brought down on her, Amelia suggested that they ask Amalthea¡ªthe original source of the request¡ªto judge Spee. The chiefs agreed at the suggestion. Amalthea too consented.


    On the previous testing ground for the Tribe¡¯s horn, the chiefs presented Spee to Amalthea. Amalthea gave her gratitude and received Spee. She shocked Spee unconscious and made her drift along with the wind. As a reward, Amalthea gave suggestions on how to use her shedding as materials. This reward alone made Garfin, Sylvar, and Arkand rejoice.


    Afterward, Amalthea secretly visited Amelia in the Tribe and presented Spee.


    [I have no need for this fairy,] she said.


    Amelia received Spee without qualms. She then manifested Talya¡¯s cage and placed the unconscious Spee inside.


    [I heard about it from Celestia.]


    Amelia expressed a dry laugh.


    [I mind it not to wait for you. And worry not, Celestia would watch. Your life would be guaranteed.]


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t guarantee that I won¡¯t lose my will to live though.¡±

 Arc 1-3 Afterword

    I hope you don''t mind me making an afterword so I can speak freely about the story.


    Anyway, first, I was recently bored and took the personality test for Amelia, Kanna, and Celestia. I know it''s one of the tools in order to differentiate one character from another in stories, but it''s the first time I used it for my characters. Anyway, these are the results with their personality in mind. But mind you, the result does not entirely portray who the character is.


    Results based on: www.16personalities.com</a>


    Amelia''s result was: The Protagonist (ENFJ, -A/-T)


    This was an unexpected result, but taking her personality, views, and ideals to mind, it made sense. Still, I have never thought of making Amelia as an actual protagonist type. I just had a mindset of ''This is her past. This the result of it. After the things she''s been through, this is her now''.


    Kanna''s result was: The Entertainer (ESFP, -A/-T)


    This one was an obvious result. Taking Kanna''s personality, and how she often acts, it''s an undeniable summary of her personality.


    Celestia''s Result was: The Executive (ESTJ, -A/-T)


    This kinda fits into Celestia''s personality of maintaining the status quo in Origin. And taking the rule she placed to protect her kin, and how she responded, Celestia does feel like an executive type.


    <hr>


    All that aside, I''ll talk about the story itself. So far, I''m glad I did not drop the story despite having the mindset of it for God knows how many times. Yes, I thought of dropping the story numerous times. I had so much to brood about the story especially when it came out until the latter part. Like how I failed to make it into WebFictionGuide, failed to garner a single response in Ficfun, and a lot more that it''s too depressing to count.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Still, I kept on writing. I just kept on reminding myself that an unfinished story is not something that my readers would want. Besides, if I stopped now, I thought that all of Amelia''s progress would be in vain. Which is actually the main reason why I kept writing.


    I love Amelia. I love how she kept on facing her problems despite wanting to turn tail. I love how she developed and how she shows her concern for the people important to her in her own way. She might not be good with words when she''s frank, but deep inside, she''s still a little girl. Lastly, I love her silver hair (I have a thing for it lol)


    My love for Amelia aside, the story is progressing in a crawl, which is on purpose. Sometimes, I wanted to increase the pace, but I kept on reminding myself that building a world is something I cannot rush. I have to place hints. Make reasonable, logical, and plausible scenarios. All to make a world that could stand on its own.


    Still, I have to thank the pacing. And with how the story is progressing, I''m sure some of you had an unconscious hint regarding the gradual change of point of view. It was intended to build Amelia and the people around her before diving into the more chaotic part of the story. Like, I have yet to give details about the Divine Assembly. Who are the leaders of the church and their plans? The result of the fairies being missing in action in the war. Ragnell the dwarf. The three other Heroes. The Angels. Amelia''s Brother Mark and his Mother Liz.


    I could state more, but it might go to the realm of spoilers so I should stop there. Anyway, threads are still progressing and will connect soon. And with the foundations I have built into the story, and ceilings without them, I have so much to write about to fully realize the story. And I hope you''re still here to read it.


    Anyway, thank you for your support!


    Fourth Arc incoming!

 Intermission 8: A Glance to the Past - Kanna 1

    Equipped with a dagger at the back of her waist, Kanna stood beside Mon. [It¡¯s today, right?]


    [Yeah,] Mon replied. His eyes roamed the vicinity, wary of unwelcomed beasts. [It will be the first time we will see a human child. And the first time Randolf will bring someone else into the Tribe.]


    [Randolf¡¯s Granddaughter huh.] Kanna placed a finger on her lips and raised her sights. [I wonder how she looks like. Maybe she¡¯s¡­ a lot like Randolf? Tall? Silver-haired?]


    [Might be.] Mon nodded. [Aside from his Guards, we have yet to see any other humans. It¡¯s a bit interesting if I say so myself.]


    [Right?] Kanna smiled. [It¡¯ll be another new experience for us¡ªfor the Tribe.]


    Kanna and Mon stayed underneath a tree¡¯s shade. They waited for a few minutes before they heard a series of steps and continuous clinks of metal.


    [They¡¯re here,] Kanna muttered.


    It did not take long before Randolf arrived while accompanied by knights. However, unlike the usual sight Kanna and Mon were used to seeing, Randolf was carrying a silver-haired girl on his chest. Nonetheless, Randolf approached with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Amelia.¡± Randolf tapped the girl¡¯s shoulder, but a response was not returned. ¡°Sound asleep.¡± Randolf smiled wryly. ¡°Kanna, Mon, I apologize, but let¡¯s be silent on the way.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Kanna shifted her language, but her eyes were sucked towards the sleeping Amelia. So this is a human girl? She¡¯s a lot smaller than I expected. Probably about a head smaller than me? And silver hair. She did take after Randolf in the end.


    On the other hand, Mon nodded in silence.


    Careful of not waking Amelia, Randolf turned around and nodded towards one of his accompanying knights.


    After the Knights handed a leather sack to Mon and left, the silent journey towards the Tribe began.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Kanna, Mon,¡± Randolf whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Amelia to burn herself out from excitement this morning. She ended up falling asleep along the way.¡±


    Kanna waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°No worries. Most children are like that anyway.¡±


    [Agreed.]


    ¡°B-but Erina...¡± Amelia muttered in her sleep. ¡°I¡¯m tired...¡±


    Kanna, Mon, and Randolf responded with a chuckle.


    About a fourth of the way towards the Tribe, Amelia woke up. ¡°Grandpa?¡± she muttered. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the forest, Amelia. We¡¯re headed to the Tribe.¡± Randolf brought Amelia down.


    ¡°But where are the knights?¡± Amelia roamed her eyes. ¡°And¡­!¡± As soon as her eyes met the figures of Kanna and Mon, she ran behind Randolf¡¯s leg and peeked with a wary expression. Clutching on Randolf¡¯s black trousers, she said, ¡°W-who are they?¡±


    Randolf kneeled and brought Amelia closer. ¡°It¡¯s the Tribesmen I was talking about. That man with longer ears is Mon. The other one is Kanna.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Kanna waved her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are Randolf¡¯s friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Amelia snuck closer while staring at Kanna. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We are Randolf¡¯s friends. Right, Randolf?¡±


    Randolf nodded. ¡°Yes. Amelia, they are my friends. Soon, they¡¯ll be your friends too. So there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Amelia took another round of glance towards Kanna and Mon before nodding. ¡°Okay.¡±


    The journey resumed. However, this time, Amelia was holding Randolf¡¯s hand. At the very least, her wariness has yet to completely fade.


    Is she like me? Amelia thought. She looked at Mon, and then at Kanna. Maybe their ears grow longer the older they get? In that case¡­ she¡¯s about the same age as me?


    Halfway through, they stopped for a break.


    ¡°Amelia, we¡¯ll be camping here for the night. Won¡¯t you help me look for twigs?¡± Randolf asked.


    ¡°Sure!¡± Amelia answered. Regaining her usual vibe, and her wariness gone, she ran towards Kanna and grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Eh? What?¡± Kanna muttered in surprise. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Twigs. Won¡¯t you come with me to gather twigs?¡± Amelia tilted her head.


    Ahh¡­ this girl is¡­ Kanna was smitten by Amelia¡¯s childish charm. ¡°Er... Sure. So where do we start?¡±


    Amelia had no idea of her charm. She simply acted with no motives in mind. Nonetheless, it was an expression everyone in Tercel was fond of¡ªwhich made Amelia unconsciously think that her usual expressions were enough to make the people around her smile.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°There she goes.¡± Randolf laughed. ¡°Amelia! Kanna! Be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Grandpa!¡± Amelia waved her hand vigorously, happy that she found a friend around her age. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    [Seems like she¡¯s fine with us now?] Mon said as Amelia and Kanna vanished into the forest.


    Randolf exhaled and took a seat. ¡°Probably.¡±


    [You seem exhausted.] Mon sat beside Randolf.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Randolf smiled. ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s Garfin? Sylvar too?¡±


    [They¡¯re the same as always.] Mon chuckled. [Arguing.]


    Randolf laughed. ¡°Figured. Other than that, what do you think of my Granddaughter? She¡¯s quite a unique child, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    [I cannot compare her. She¡¯s the first human child I have met.]


    ¡°Your own impression is fine.¡±


    [In that case, she¡¯s¡ª]


    Mon and Randolf¡¯s idle chatter continued.


    On the other hand, ¡°Hup. I think this is enough.¡± Amelia embraced a bundle of twigs. She did not mind her dirtied clothes. After all, Erina was nowhere in sight. ¡°Kanna, are you done?¡±


    ¡°Ahehe. I think?¡± Kanna scratched her cheek. Underneath her left arm was another bundle of twigs. Should I tell her she gathered too much? And the twigs she gathered¡­ they are leaning towards fresh than dry.


    ¡°Eh? Would that many be alright?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the amount you gathered plus mine is more than enough.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Amelia crept a smile. Inside her mind, she thought she won against Kanna in the contest of gathering twigs. ¡°Then let¡¯s return?¡±


    Kanna nodded. ¡°Yeah, we should.¡±


    Amelia and Kanna¡¯s little journey began. They walked side by side while hearing out each other¡¯s stories.


    ¡°Hup. Are there any other children in the Tribe like you?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Kanna blinked her eyes in confusion. ¡°Children? Like me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Because, back in the palace, I barely knew any children around my age. Often times, I meet a lot of older people. So sometimes, it¡¯s a bit lonely when Grandpa is not around. Ah! But I¡¯m having fun with my big brother and little sister. There¡¯s my little brother too, but I think he hates me. But I think playing with someone that¡¯s not a part of my family is different.¡± Amelia then glanced towards Kanna with a bright smile. ¡°Like this time.¡±


    Kanna was struck frozen. As a result, ¡°A-ah!¡± the bundle of the twigs started to fall from her arm. However, using her own experience, she managed to catch them all before hitting the ground. ¡°Phew. Close call.¡±


    ¡°Ooooh!¡± Amelia¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! How did you do that?!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah. Practice?¡± Kanna expressed a wry smile.


    ¡°Really?! Teach me when we have time! I don¡¯t think there are many children around our age who could do that!¡±


    Again, Kanna was struck for a moment. Wait, around our age? Does she think I¡¯m a child like her? Eh? Then should I¡­ break her hopes? The longer Kanna thought about it, the more the answer became clear. Nah, I don¡¯t think I should. Let¡¯s keep it this way.


    ¡°Yeah, I think so too,¡± Kanna replied. Her smile, it¡¯s soothing¡­


    Sometime later, Amelia and Kanna were able to return to the camp Randolf and Mon built. Both Mon and Randolf were surprised by the number of twigs Amelia brought. However, like Kanna, they did not mention anything other than giving her a compliment.


    ¡°Uwaah¡­!¡± Amelia stared intently at the chunk of beef at the end of her stick. ¡°It looks so delicious!¡± she muttered with a trace of drool at the side of her lips.


    ¡°Patience, Amelia.¡± Randolf chuckled. ¡°A little more and the meat would be good enough.¡±


    Amelia nodded vigorously in response, but the movement of her throat was evident.


    [Thanks Randolf.] Similarly, Mon thrust his stick into the fire. [This kind of meat is rare in the Tribe. Much less the salt you brought.]


    ¡°Gahaha! Don¡¯t mention it! I just brought something that already existed into the Tribe! There¡¯s no need give me credit for it!¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°Yeah, salt. We have lots!¡±


    Kanna chuckled. ¡°Sadly, we don¡¯t have salt. So preserving meat is quite a task. Luckily, we have a water spirit¡¯s help to do the preservation for us. But still, the difference between a salted meat and not is large.¡±


    [Can¡¯t agree more.] Mon expressed a nostalgic smile. [Oh the days sure have changed. And I¡¯m glad that someone like you have found us.]


    ¡°The pleasure is for both sides. Laurel too is fortunate in meeting the Tribe.¡±


    Soon, the curtain of the night fell. However, the flames of the campfire remained lighted.


    ¡°Then it went baam! Then paam! All the way to the port! But the barrel didn¡¯t stop! It barreled towards the sea then it went splash!¡± Amelia retold what she saw back in the port in Aves. She was using her arms to draw an image of what happened to a barrel filled with rocks that accidentally fell from a carriage.


    ¡°Then? What did you do?¡± Kanna asked, entertaining Amelia¡¯s exaggerated stories.


    ¡°After I ducked to the dodge the barrel, the knights surrounded me so I wasn¡¯t able to do anything afterward.¡± Amelia looked at the stars with a hand grasping her chin. ¡°So after that, I was forced back to the palace. They told me it was unsafe in the port during that time, so I had no choice but to return.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s an obvious result.¡± Though Kanna did not fully understand what it meant to be a princess in a human kingdom, she knew that Amelia was some sort of important personage.


    ¡°Yeah, even Erina, Ria, and Mira was worried back then. And oh, Erina, Ria, and Mira are my personal Maidservants. They help me and teach me stuff in the palace.¡±


    ¡°Maidservants?¡± Kanna knitted her brows.


    ¡°Un. Maidservants.¡± Amelia nodded. ¡°They are dressed in a black dress with a white frilly apron-like dress on top. Oh, they also have a white headdress too. But sometimes, I get iffy with the headdress so I ask them to remove it sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Heh...¡±


    The stars twinkled and wolves howled. At that moment, Amelia was fast asleep while leaning on Kanna. They were joined by Randolf¡¯s coat¡ªjust as Amelia requested.


    ¡°You seem to be doing well with Amelia.¡± Randolf sat beside Kanna and the sleeping Amelia. ¡°In fact, I was surprised that she opened up to you quickly despite her first impression.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. About that¡­¡± Kanna scratched her cheeks. ¡°It seems she thought I was around her age. Hence the situation.¡±


    Randolf snorted a chuckle. ¡°Who would have guessed. I can¡¯t believe it went well because of her misunderstanding.¡±


    [Should we tell her?] Mon chimed.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡± Kanna shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. Besides, I don¡¯t think she has that many friends, doesn¡¯t she?¡±


    Randolf frowned. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s the truth. Royals in human kingdoms need be wary. Because most of the people around us want our position, our power. In Amelia¡¯s case, the nobles would make their sons or daughters befriend Amelia so they can have a connection with us. Or at least, a connection with Amelia. So the people she meets, especially children around her age, is always under observation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ too constricting.¡± Kanna frowned.


    [¡­]


    ¡°Well then.¡± Randolf lightly clapped his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s take a rest.¡±


    [I¡¯ll take the first lookout.]


    ¡°¡°Thanks.¡±¡±

 Intermission 9: A Glance to the Past - Kanna 2

    Long after the second day, Randolf¡¯s group arrived at the Tribe¡¯s residence.


    ¡°They look like eggs!¡± Amelia exclaimed. Her eyes gleamed with energy as soon she realized that they have arrived. Exhausted she was, the sight was enchanting. Maybe Gryphons or Dragons lay eggs as large as those?


    Taking the last stretch of the travel, the group hurried down and entered the gate. However, upon entering, Amelia grew timid once more. Although her eyes were filled with excitement and curiosity, she still knew the place was completely foreign.


    Don¡¯t act too rash. Though brimmed with energy, she recalled her Mother¡¯s words whenever she visits a foreign land and suppressed it. It¡¯s a different place. They have a different custom.


    Small she was, she still received knowledge from her mother, Diane¡ªthough only a trickle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest for the day,¡± Randolf said as they walked.


    ¡°Yeah. I agree,¡± Kanna replied.


    [Little girl. You should rest too,] Mon mentioned.


    Normally, on the second day, they should have arrived at the Tribe by around noon. Since Amelia was taken into consideration during the travel, they arrived by sunset. Still, a two days travel by foot was not an easy task.


    And thus, on the day arrived at the Tribe, they have slept.


    <hr>


    ¡°Oh! It knocked!¡± pressing her ears on a large egg, Amelia exclaimed. The egg was about a third smaller than Amelia.


    ¡°It¡¯ll hatch soon.¡± Randolf smiled at the sight. He then looked towards Kanna and said, ¡°It¡¯ll hatch sometime around this week, right?¡±


    Kanna nodded. ¡°At best, give it three days.¡± She was confident in her estimation. Although eggs from White-tails were rare, Kanna had enough experience in handling them. ¡°If I remember, Randolf, you¡¯ll let Amelia name it, right?¡±


    Randolf nodded. ¡°Yes. After all, I¡¯m getting old enough to wait for the wyvern to mature and take it to the sky. Maybe, someday, Amelia would be able to make use of it.¡±


    Kanna chuckled. ¡°You don¡¯t look that old to us though? But I still wonder why you selected your Granddaughter as the recipient of the egg. You have a Grandson, right? Why not him or some other male with enough strength and time to handle a wyvern?¡±


    Randolf crossed his arms in thought. ¡°I have thought about it too. However, I could not imagine my Grandson riding a wyvern. Besides, lending it to anyone outside of the family is a risk I cannot take.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but isn¡¯t it harder to imagine Amelia riding a wyvern?¡±


    Randolf shook his head. ¡°Hmm¡­ You could say it¡¯s a gut feeling? No, perhaps I was influenced by our family¡¯s history. Still, up until this day, I could not believe the feats of our ancestors. Especially the first, Elena.¡±


    Kanna scratched her cheek. ¡°Ancestry huh...¡± Though she had an idea of what it was like, she could not tell how it felt. In short, ancestry was something foreign to her. After all, she never knew who her parents were. Much less her Grandparents. And in her case, familial love was a foreign emotion.


    Though the Tribe was considered a large family, it was not family bonded by blood. True, they are friendly towards each other, and in their daily lives, support each other. However, a blood family could not be replaced down to its roots.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Amelia ran towards Randolf. ¡°What¡¯s inside the egg?¡±


    Randolf expressed a light smile. ¡°You¡¯ll see soon. In the meantime, why don¡¯t you go out with Kanna?¡±


    ¡°Tamer Kanna is ready to go!¡± Kanna raised her fist into the air.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Amelia tilted her head. ¡°You won¡¯t come with us?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Amelia. Grandpa has a few things to handle. But I¡¯ll play with you as soon as I finished.¡±


    Amelia raised her hand with her pinky out. ¡°Promise.¡±


    Randolf reached out his own. ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡±


    This time, Kanna lead Amelia by the hand. Perhaps she grew accustomed to Amelia pulling her by the hand in the past two days and unconsciously did the same.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Ou!¡± Amelia exclaimed.


    Their first stop was a pen. A pen just beside the walls of the residence after exiting the gate to the east.


    Inside the pen were quadruped beasts coated with a reddish-brown mane. At the height of six feet, they looked had a body structure similar to a rabbit. However, unlike a rabbit, their necks were elongated.


    ¡°Kanna, what are they?¡± Amelia leaned on a bar and peaked through the gaps of the metallic pen.


    ¡°Laplans. They are called Laplans.¡±


    ¡°Laplans?¡± Amelia tilted her head with knitted brows. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about Laplans.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we bred them before coming to Alabaster. In short, they are unique to the Tribe. We used to ride on them back when we were crossing the western desert. Nowadays, we often use them to transport people from the residence to the other stations in Alabaster and back. You could say it¡¯s comparable to a horse.¡±


    Amelia tilted her head to the other side. ¡°Hmm¡­ if that is the case, why not use a horse instead?¡±


    ¡°Because Laplans can raise their neck and stiffen their mane to intimidate other beasts, to which horses could not do. But I have to admit, horses are a far more stable ride than Laplans. Still, it¡¯s dangerous to only use a horse in Alabaster. It¡¯s filled with dangerous beasts, after all¡ªa beast for a beast.¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t look scary at all?¡±


    ¡°Usually, it¡¯s the size that matters when it comes to intimidating beasts. And that aside, Laplans are not as docile as you think they are, you know? Their shift from a docile expression to an intimidating one has a huge difference. And usually, it¡¯s enough to ward off the wolve¡¯s attacks.¡±


    Amelia kept it in mind, though she did not understand fully. ¡°But can I ride them?¡± She looked to Kanna with hopeful eyes.


    Kanna scratched her cheek. ¡°Well¡­ for a little, I guess?¡± She was hesitant to let Amelia ride the Laplan. However, knowing the stretch of her own skill, she thought it would be fine.


    ¡°Whaa!¡± Amelia screamed. ¡°T-this is scary!¡± She held on Kanna¡¯s back as tight as she could, hoping not to fall off from the Laplan.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Kanna held on the reins with one hand and another on the rope that bind Amelia on her seat. ¡°It¡¯s a little bumpy along the way, but it¡¯ll be a lot better when we reached the clearing.¡±


    Kanna did not intend to go that far. At the least, she wanted to take Amelia to the nearest clearing for wyverns to land. However, since the Laplan¡¯s pen was a few hundred meters away from the clearing, they had to travel through a rough ground.


    Afterward, upon reaching the clearing, Amelia and Kanna stopped to give the Laplan a drink. When the Laplan realized that it could rest, it lied on the ground and lazed. It was one of the qualities of a Laplan when in a relaxed environment.


    Taking the chance, Amelia sat and leaned on the Laplan. Kanna did the same and told Amelia some stories regarding beasts.


    At each story told, Amelia listened and gave her opinion. She thought it was exciting and fun. She thought beasts had a lifestyle too. They had a mind of their own and a goal to achieve, although mostly instinctive. Even so, it¡¯s a different form of storytelling aside from Heroes, Dragons, and Princesses written in different accounts.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    After several minutes of storytelling, Amelia¡¯s stomach grumbled. Realizing the time, Kanna took out a sack of fruits and ate along with Amelia. After having their fill, Amelia yawned. Though usually energetic, Amelia still had a sleeping habit she has yet to outgrow. In the end, it was Kanna, Amelia, and a Laplan sleeping on a clearing.


    The day after came. Amelia and Kanna did the same routine. However, this time, it was Kanna who invited Amelia. Though Kanna has yet to realize, she had mostly opened up to Amelia. And knowing the fact that Amelia was innocent, Kanna relaxed. It was like an environment when she was taking care of docile beasts. But unlike beasts, Amelia could talk, feel, and express her emotions freely.


    It was a foreign emotion to Kanna.


    The third day came. The egg has yet to hatch, but signs were showing. Still, without nothing to do, Kanna and Amelia played. After all, Kanna had no urgent flight observations for the whole week as reserved by Randolf.


    ¡°Lia, let¡¯s go!¡± Before she knew it, she had already started calling Amelia using a nickname.


    ¡°Yeah! Let us!¡±


    What are we going to play today? What beast would she show me? How long would we play this time? What kind of tricks would she do?


    Those thoughts swirled within Amelia¡¯s mind. After all, it¡¯s not a daily basis that she could play outside without being reprimanded by Erina, Ria, or Mira. She was free. Free to dirty her clothes and sweat as much as she could.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± The egg shook lightly, and a tapping sound was heard. Gradually, cracks spread all over the egg. It was on the fifth day that the egg started hatching.


    ¡°It¡¯ll take a bit more time before it completely hatches, Lia.¡± Kanna sat beside the expectant Amelia.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we help it?¡±


    ¡°No, it has to come out on its own.¡±


    ¡°Uuu¡­ But it¡¯s struggling...¡±


    ¡°Everyone has struggled at one point in their life, Lia. So it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s his first trial.¡±


    Tiny bits fell off from the egg and made enough space for Amelia to peak inside.


    ¡°Uwaah! It¡¯s a black bird!¡± Covered in mucus, the White-tail seemed like a drenched bird.


    Several minutes had passed, but Amelia kept a close eye on the hatching White-tail.


    ¡°Go on Birby, you can do it!¡± Before she knew it, she named the White-tail. It was a childish name, but none muttered a complaint. Even Randolf, the original recipient of the egg, did not utter a comment¡ªfor he was with the Dwarfs in the Endless Chasm.


    Kanna did not mind the name and chuckled instead. She thought, It¡¯s just like her.


    A few more minutes and Birby broke out of its shell. It laid down itself like a newborn chick.


    ¡°Cute!¡± Amelia placed a cloth over Birby and patted its back. ¡°Kanna, what kind of bird is Birby?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a wyvern, not a bird.¡± Kanna smiled.


    Days passed while Kanna and Amelia took care of Birby. At one point, Kanna started to notice that Amelia had more or less shifted her attention mostly on Birby. The time when she played with Amelia had reduced considerably. Though she understood the reason, a sense of loneliness still crept inside her chest.


    What is it envy? Jealousy?


    When was the time she got attached to Amelia? When did it start? What was the cause? She did not know, but she questioned herself. Did I felt something like this before?


    The answer was simply, No.


    It¡¯s strange¡­ this feeling. It¡¯s not that I have never felt lonely. I had my beasts. The Tribe. Everyone supported each other. Everyone was family. But this. This feels different. I have never felt something like this before.


    Was it love? Affection? A sense of attachment? Or was it a mix of attraction?


    Maybe¡­ it¡¯s a sense of familiarity?


    Kanna never knew her parents, but she did not care. She grew up without them, living her life as one of the very first few Enarfs that existed.


    At a young age, she understood the Tribe¡¯s condition.


    The Dwarfs came from the place called Citadel. The Elves, on the other hand, came from Avalon. Both had met at the western part of the desert in Randia-- where a ruin stood and attracted both Dwarfs and Elves alike.


    The Dwarfs sought resources, technology.


    The Elves sought refuge, a paradise.


    Their goals did not align, but neither did it cross each other. However, that point was what made their situation plausible.


    [There is no need for a mindless battle. We are here to find what we need. Losing people would only bring us collapse,] the Dwarfs voiced.


    [Neither did we come here for bloodshed. We merely wanted a place to call our home. A place far from the flames of war and deceit,] the Elves explained.


    That was then the thought came from both sides. [Why not work together to achieve each other¡¯s goals?]


    And so the Tribe started to grow out of its seed. However, it was not without trouble. The Dwarfs knew the history between Elves and Dwarfs. The Elves too knew about it. And thus the first days of the Tribe started with a bitter taste and biased outlooks.


    Still, they survived and made it to the ruin. Reaching a grass filled land, the Tribe was overjoyed. They were now free from the heat of the scorching desert. They no longer had to mind the beasts that lie beneath the sands.


    At some point when they reached the patch of grass, Kanna was born as well as a few other Enarfs. Born from both a Dwarf and an Elf, it was a mark of the Tribe¡¯s forged bond. However, they did not have the time to celebrate. They needed to continue their journey towards the ruin and make a place they can call home.


    It did not take long before they reached the ruin. As a matter of fact, it only took them three days worth of travel. But their joy and excitement were drenched by cold water as soon as they arrived.


    [Leave.] A being wearing a silver armor adorned by intricate dragon carvings stood before the Tribe. He held a large silver halberd in his hand. [This is not a place for you.]


    A commotion exploded within the Tribe. They did not expect that an enemy would stand before them.


    [I repeat, leave.]


    Like any other person, after exerting so much effort to achieve something, the Tribe cried out in anger.


    They refused to leave. They wanted to hear the reason. Who was he? What was he?


    [My name is Auros. This place. It is my home.] He struck the pommel of his halberd on the ground and made a dent. [Unnecessary bloodshed is not permitted inside my home. Leave.]


    Suddenly, Auros swung his halberd and emitted a snap. Afterward, an arrow sliced in half fell on his side. [¡­]


    It was useless, the Tribesmen thought. If Ran¡¯s arrows could be intercepted without much effort, their chance of winning with a few casualties is a dream. And thus, at the face of an insurmountable enemy, the Tribe left on another journey. This time, towards East.


    Again, the Tribe entered the scorching desert. Their time in the desert was like a living hell. As a result, gradually, their numbers dwindled. Among those that did not survive were Kanna¡¯s parents. However, due to their perseverance, the Tribe made it out of the desert.


    Afterward, the Tribe took a detour around the human states and kingdoms and arrived at the foot of Alabaster¡ªwhere the days the Tribe grew back in numbers started.


    However, within that time frame, Kanna never knew anything about the emotion she was feeling.


    Maybe I¡¯m just overthinking things. With that thought, she dismissed her emotions and played with Amelia.


    It did not take long before Kanna confirmed it. I¡¯m jealous. I want Lia¡¯s attention. I want to be with her. Play with her. It was a selfish wish, but she would be lying if she had not admitted it.


    She knew she could never have a child with her. But did that matter to Kanna? No. I want to see her smile. I want to. I want to be with her as I grow up. That is¡­ what I¡¯m feeling right now.


    At one point she asked herself. I¡¯m sure this emotion would fade over time. I¡¯m sure of it. Nothing is permanent.


    Kanna had thought this when the time left the Tribe at the age of nine. Randolf told them it would take some time before they could return. They had to travel to different Kingdoms and promote the possibility of peace and trade with another race.


    But things did not go according to plan. Amelia¡¯s promise to play with Kanna once she returns was broken¡ªeven though Kanna waited expectantly.


    Maybe I should visit her instead? She could no longer count how much she wanted to rush into Aves and see Amelia.


    Was she fine? Is she doing well? Is she eating enough? Is she smiling?


    It was a serious dilemma. But given their situation, Kanna was never allowed to leave the Tribe.


    Five years has passed before Amelia returned to the Tribe. This time, it was only Mon who fetched Amelia. Kanna, on the other hand, had waited in the clearing with Birby¡ªthe place where they often played.


    Unfortunately, Amelia had not come. She had not even recognized Mon, much less mention a name of anyone in the Tribe.


    Why? Kanna thought. Am I that easy to forget? Was all the time we spent together only amounted to this?


    She was frustrated beyond relief. Though she knew it could have been hard for Amelia to lose Randolf, Kanna could not sympathize. After all, she did not know the feeling of losing a parent.


    And so, to vent her frustrations, or to build it up further, she observed Amelia from afar.


    As a result, Lia¡­ Kanna could only mutter her name.


    It was not the Amelia she knew. Her smile was fake. Her eyes were calculating. Her movements were too refined even in an environment where she was not monitored by the kingdom.


    It¡¯s like a whole different person¡­


    Kanna¡¯s frustration vanished like ashes flitting from a fire. It was replaced by a feeling of something similar to her chest wrenched open¡ªor at least she thought. Nonetheless, it was not a happy emotion.


    Did Amelia know how much pain Kanna was enduring during the time Kanna was observing her? No.


    Did she know how much Kanna struggled to act like nothing has happened? No.


    Kanna was in pain. A pain Amelia knew nothing of.


    But to Kanna, it did not matter.


    If you reached out to me from the start and I opened to you, then this time, I¡¯ll do the opposite. I¡¯ll reach out to you no matter how many times. I¡¯ll listen to your cries until you fall asleep. I¡¯ll be a person where you could rest at ease with. I will share your pain. I¡¯ll fight for you. I¡¯ll defend you. I¡¯ll scold you and teach you. I¡¯ll do anything. Anything that you wished for¡ªas long as we can go back to how we used to.


    Kanna pledged to herself.


    ¡°Lia, your pain, I¡¯ll end it.¡±

 Intermission 10: A Glance to the Past - Argent

    A Prince and a Princess. History, tales, or legends often call out to their titles¡ªeither pleasant or somber. At most, in realistic stories, both positions in the Royal Family end up clashing¡ªsometimes ending up in a blood-soaked battle for the throne or even banishment.


    Few of the twigs that stoked the flames of the never-ending battle for the throne are envy, greed, pride, and sometimes, lust.


    The relationship between Argent and Amelia was not much different. It was a relationship that incited envy. Who was it that felt the fangs of envy? It was Argent.


    Born as the first child between Auguste and Diane, silver-haired at that, Argent was given privilege upon privilege. However, his sister, Amelia, was born with the same hair.


    Given that very few among the Royals of Laurel were endowed with silver hair among females, Amelia instantly drew most of the people¡¯s attention. The same was true within the family.


    The issue aside, from the start, Argent had never cared about the attention Amelia was garnering without her knowing. All the attention he needed mostly came from Diane, his mother, and Lorena, his grandmother. However, things changed when Lorena suddenly vanished. It left Argent empty. It left him without expressing the amount of love and gratitude he had for her.


    After Lorena has vanished, Argent gradually noticed the attention Amelia received from Randolf, his grandfather. At the sight of them smiling like usual, he felt a sharp pain across his chest.


    How can you act like nothing happened? Was Grandmother nothing to you? To both of you? He thought as he dug his nails into his palm.


    Although Argent knew he would know the answer if he asked, he was afraid¡ªafraid of hearing an answer far from how he felt. And thus, with a heavy heart, Argent turned away and sealed his hatred, thinking that bursting is unlikely for a Royal.


    As the calendar changed, the tiny smidgen of hatred and envy within Argent grew into a ball. And before he knew it, he had changed.


    ¡°Big Brother!¡± Amelia smiled like usual. ¡°Let¡¯s visit the orphanage! I bet they want to play!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡ª¡± the one who wanted to play? Argent stopped responding like usual and shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Ehh? But Elaine was looking forward to it too...¡± Amelia sulked.


    Argent knitted his brows and turned away. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m busy. Go ask Mark or someone else, but not me.¡±


    Amelia frowned. ¡°But Mark hates me. He doesn¡¯t want to play with me or Elaine¡ªeven though Elaine did nothing wrong...¡±


    Mark hated every bit about Elaine. The reason was not her personality, but the source of her blood¡ªa commoner.


    ¡°...¡± Argent turned his heels and walked away without a word. Really? Am I the only person around here worried about Grandmother¡¯s case? Not even a search unit was formed. What in the heavens is wrong with any of you?


    Unknown to Argent, Randolf suppressed information regarding Lorena¡¯s case using his authority. After all, he knew where Lorena was and how to retrieve her. Taking the responsibility to himself, Randolf shut every opposition he received from Auguste, Hans, and Diane.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a nice day, Argent?¡± Randolf muttered as he sat beside Argent in a stone bench in the garden.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Argent¡¯s responses were short, indicating his disinterest in communicating with Randolf. ¡°Say, about Grandmother, where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± Randolf looked towards the distant horizon with a light smile.


    Argent frowned at his reply. It was the reply he had always heard from him whenever he asked about his Grandmother¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re worried.¡± Randolf chuckled. ¡°But believe me, she¡¯s fine. I know it¡¯s hard to trust me right now, but Lorena left with a reason. She did not want us to be involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± a lie¡­


    Argent knew Lorena even as a child. He knew that Lorena had almost always consulted someone before deciding on her own. Perhaps she was not that confident in her ideas which is why she sought other¡¯s opinion. But Argent knew very well¡ªLorena was open when it came to her family.


    At some point in time, Argent realized he had been harboring the same emotions as Mark¡ªhis brother-in-law born from the King¡¯s Concubine and Second Queen Consort, Liz. On the contrary, the reason for Mark harboring such emotions differed.


    Mark was simply, well, Mark. He was a hopeful Prince aiming for the throne. And his hatred for Amelia was not that different from his hatred for Argent.


    He¡¯s useless, Argent thought. He knew he¡¯ll never see Mark eye-to-eye. Mark¡¯s mind was too clouded with the blessing of the throne. Nevertheless, he thought better. Why don¡¯t I drive him out first?


    Although Argent was a child, he earned knowledge from Lorena and Diane. He was not the average Prince seeking romance. So, with the things he learned, he made Mark as his training dummy. He thought that cleaning the pest, which was Mark, was his first step into driving out Amelia.


    Clear the enemy from the rear before clearing the enemy at the front, as they say.


    Argent, for better or for worse, had a somewhat similar thought process with Diane. Clear out the obstacles and set the stage. That would give me the best chances¡ªand an ally to escape from once things fall apart.


    First, Argent took note of every noble Mark met and was supposed to meet, either by speech or by letter. He did so by using his title as a Prince¡ªand by approaching noblewomen who were interested in becoming Queen and by consulting Diane.


    Sloppy he was when it came to communication with women, still, the noblewomen expressed their interest in forging a bond. After all, they were blinded by the privilege the title could give. Consequently, he chose to meet such women precisely because of his goals. Decent noblewomen were less prioritized in his list. Nevertheless, that was when the people misunderstood that Argent had begun to have interest in women¡ªeven as a child at eight.


    The noblewomen¡¯s network was wide. Rumors and news among nobles spread like wildfire. However, the network was not without folly. Often times, unnecessary rumors such as forged secrets of nobles spread. Argent, who had been receiving such, had to verify the authenticity of such rumors.


    To be exact, Argent had a hard time filtering what he received.


    ¡°Really, which is which?¡± Argent pulled his hair. ¡°There¡¯s just too much unnecessary information that I can¡¯t piece which is which...¡±


    ¡°Argent, if such matter is giving you trouble, better let someone else take the task for you.¡± Diane sipped her tea on the opposite side of the table. ¡°Allocating the correct personnel too is an ability. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Diane knew what Argent felt. Perhaps, in the entire time Argent built up his hatred, Diane understood his pain. However, she refused to do anything. She thought it was the perfect opportunity for Argent to learn and for Mark to lose ground.


    The matter with Argent harboring envy towards Amelia was seen as nothing but to drive the cogs in Argent¡¯s mind. Though Diane originally hesitated, she kept a blind eye at the present and looked forward to the future.


    Diane, of course, has never intended for Argent and Amelia to stab each other. At the least, while Argent was focusing on Mark, Diane would guide him to release his hatred towards someone else¡ªall the while learning the ropes of leadership and deceit.


    ¡°Use your servants, however, weigh their ability and investigate their connections and their family.¡± Diane, with crossed legs, set her teacup on the table.


    Argent looked down on his own untouched cup of tea. ¡°But how? I get that the noblewomen would readily tell me anything they heard just to gain my favor, but investigating is hard.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Words, expressions, tone, and actions, Argent. Use them to control the direction of the conversation.¡± Diane looked at Argent with observant eyes. ¡°An actor does not need a theater for him to act. The world in itself is a large stage. However, the world is filled with actors. It is a matter of deceiving before being deceived.¡±


    ¡°...¡± It¡¯s easy to say.


    Argent could not mutter his thoughts because he knew. He has heard and seen how Diane played the nobles in her hand like a puppet. They were like toys waiting for her command¡ªall the while wary of their strings being pulled. She did not gain the title of Laurel¡¯s Fox for nothing.


    ¡°But be wary, Argent. Even if Mark is a fool, he still is the son of a woman who used to be a merchant¡¯s daughter¡ªeven if her mother had known nothing about trade.¡± Diane openly expressed her disgust with Liz. ¡°A woman who had nothing but a bean in her head other than her body. Such is an arduous quality.¡±


    Diane had admitted it to herself. She had but a common hue for her hair, unlike Liz who had a golden hair. On the other hand, even though her own features were considered exceptional, Liz was more endowed in terms of appearance¡ªbut not by a huge margin.


    Liz was a spoon-fed woman. She was more sheltered than most noblewomen, earning herself the eyes that despised commoners.


    Originally, Liz was introduced to Auguste as a concubine by a powerful and trusted merchant. As Laurel stood, most of the manufacturing establishments were owned or funded by the Nobles or the Royal Family. Though a merchant¡¯s guild existed, it was not as powerful as everyone thought.


    True, the merchant¡¯s guild in itself is an overwhelming force, covering the entire landmass of the human nations. However, most of the time, they were suppressed. After all, they are an entity that could rival Nobles and Royals.


    This time around, Auguste and Diane thought better. As Laurel grew, the more it would become difficult to manage. And to keep up its trade routine, an increase in gathering and production is a must. In order to achieve such, they began supporting the merchants, at least in Laurel.


    Along with the given support, the concept of lending money, or loan, has increased in popularity. Although its effects were not immediate, it was a system that Diane looked forward to.


    All said, in order to show that Laurel was willing to support merchants, he had to take Liz, the face and model of merchants, as his concubine. Little did they expect that she was nothing but a problematic woman.


    In any case, all the while Argent was learning from Diane and was dreading his decision to pursue lessons from her, Amelia left to visit and promote peace with the foreign races.


    Although Argent was considered slow in setting up the stage, he was meticulous. He had begun to widen the network he had been using and incorporated spies on his own accord.


    I could use the network for more things. I shouldn¡¯t waste it for a single goal. I must look forward to future endeavors.


    Rather than build a base with sticks and twigs, he was building a base with steel and cement.


    ¡°I heard Sarah, Count Mentree¡¯s Second Daughter, had been showing an interest to His Highness Mark recently. I heard they often ventured out by themselves around the nearby forest in their fief,¡± said a fine woman sitting beside Argent. She was endowed with a silky straight reddish-brown hair. The hue of her skin played between white and brown¡ªleaning towards fair.


    Argent chuckled. ¡°Really, my brother is approaching adulthood sooner than I expected.¡±


    The woman giggled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same?¡±


    Argent expressed a light smile. ¡°I wonder. Maybe I am? Maybe not?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be a child forever, no?¡± The woman expressed a charming smile.


    Argent nodded. ¡°Yes. I probably shouldn¡¯t.¡± Argent immediately stood and offered his hand. ¡°But being a child doesn¡¯t last forever, right? Why don¡¯t we enjoy that moment of bliss while we¡¯re at it?¡±


    The woman took his hands and stood. ¡°You have a point. So where to now?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a taste of the new dishes that the cooks had to offer? I¡¯m sure the dishes have a unique punch to it.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not heavy in the stomach, then it¡¯s fine?¡±


    ¡°Mel, don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t get fat with a single dish.¡±


    Melody, nicknamed Mel, laughed. ¡°A single dish? I might take a few if it¡¯s as appetizing as you hinted.¡±


    Argent chuckled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll help you with that, that is, finish the dishes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Mel hummed. ¡°But you know, Tinia would surely get jealous. I mean, we¡¯re going to taste dishes, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Keep it a secret for now.¡± Argent raised his finger to a hush. ¡°She¡¯ll end up asking for the same dishes if ever the news enters her ears.¡±


    ¡°My lips aren¡¯t cheap, remember?¡±


    Argent shrugged. ¡°Then I guess spices from the Dwarfs and Elves do not tickle your interest?¡±


    ¡°Ooh!¡± Mel¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡±


    For better or for worse, Mel was a merchant at heart. In the Mercantile world, her family focuses on trading ingredients, especially spices.


    Among the women Argent approached, Mel was among those he least prioritized. However, things changed once he confirmed the rate of authenticity of the news and rumors coming from Mel.


    So to say, they were friends with mutual benefits.


    After a few weeks, while Argent was solidifying his network, urgent news broke out.


    The news in itself shook the entirety of Laurel. Randolf and his company were ambushed¡ªand all that was left were ashes and charred swords and armors.


    Within the grave news, was hope. Amelia and her Maidservant, Erina, survived.


    ¡°At least the Princess survived.¡±


    ¡°I hope she recovers soon. Losing a beloved in front of her eyes¡­ it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°Was it Libet? But Brent failed to protect our Royals. Should we keep on trusting them?¡±


    ¡°Surely, their credibility as a Royal will fall. I wonder how chaotic it is in Spere.¡±


    ¡°My son! My son!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how careless they were.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve lost good men.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t Father come back? But he promised me he¡¯ll teach me how to handle a sword...¡±


    ¡°I heard the residents of the village where Her Highness resided were massacred. They even branded Her Highness as a Demon. Despicable as always, those sick priests.¡±


    ¡°To the Late King, Randolf. To Her Highness¡¯s recovery.¡±


    The townspeople¡¯s opinions were mixed¡ªbut most contained sorrow and hatred.


    Argent, on the other hand, felt empty.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Argent blinked his eyes. ¡°Grandfather is¡­ dead?¡±


    His mind was in a turmoil. Originally, he was dead set on ignoring Randolf, which made him somewhat callous regarding his death.


    However, tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Why?¡± He kept wiping his tears away, but it kept on returning. Deep inside¡ªthough Argent refused to consciously acknowledge that Randolf would make Lorena return¡ªArgent believed Randolf could. Or at least, he hoped that his words were true.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be joking, right? At least tell me¡ªtell us¡ªwhere Grandmother went to!¡± Argent slammed his fist against the wall. ¡°Of all people, why was it you who had to die?! It could have been her instead!¡±


    After a day of weeping inside his room, Argent forced himself into the chamber that harbored Amelia.


    It¡¯s useless, but I¡¯ll have her know what she¡¯s done.


    ¡°My Sister, I want to see her.¡± Argent stood in front of a large double door guarded by two Maidservants under Diane. ¡°I want to see how well she is faring.¡±


    He used the acting skills that he was cultivating to express concern.


    The Maidservants looked at each other before one spoke. ¡°Your Highness, by any means necessary, please be delicate on Her Highness.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Argent found it odd. In the first place, what were Diane¡¯s personal maidservants doing in front of Amelia¡¯s chamber?


    ¡°¡­ Apparently, Her Majesty had a quarrel with Her Highness Amelia¡¯s Maidservant, Erina just recently.¡± The Maidservant expressed a mix of confusion and anger. ¡°But I believe it would be fine for His Highness.¡±


    As the handle clicked and the door cricked, Argent entered the chamber alone.


    It¡¯s¡­ dark.


    The windows of the chamber were covered by thick curtains, which let a minimal amount of light to filter through. And within the chamber, at the center of a large canopied bed, was a sulking girl with a glimmering silver hair.


    The sight, if not for the continuous sobbing, was nothing short of beautiful.


    ¡°...¡± Steeling his heart, Argent balled his fist and approached the side of the bed. ¡°Amelia.¡±


    For a moment, the sobbing halted. ¡°Bro...ther? Brother...?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± Argent climbed on the bed and held her hand. ¡°It¡¯s me, see? I¡¯m here for yo¡ª¡­.¡±


    As soon as he turned Amelia¡¯s face towards him, he froze. In her face was a deep mark of a slap.


    In a teary voice mixed with sniffles, Amelia spoke. ¡°Brother¡­ I¡¯m¡­. sorry! I¡¯m! Sorry!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault! My fault!¡± Amelia clutched the sleeves of Argent¡¯s cloak. ¡°It should have been me! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry I was useless! It should have been¡­ me!¡±


    Argent was left without words. His original purpose, to let Amelia knew of her fault, has already sunk deep within Amelia.


    ¡°Please! Please tell me I was wrong!¡± With trembling hands, she held Argent¡¯s left hand, lifted it and balled it into a fist. ¡°Why do they keep telling I did nothing wrong?!¡±


    Amelia bumped her head on Argent¡¯s fist. ¡°I did nothing to save anyone!¡±


    Again, Amelia bumped her head. ¡°I was a burden!¡±


    She held on his arm tighter. ¡°Someone like me! Someone like me! Is not worthy of their life!¡±


    Amelia reared her head further and hit her face against Argent¡¯s fist as hard as she could. She then fell on Argent¡¯s lap and sobbed. ¡°It should have been me...¡±


    ¡°...¡± As Amelia sobbed, Argent gently reached his arm and rubbed her back. ¡°it¡¯s fine, blame yourself.¡±


    ¡°My fault...¡±


    ¡°Yes, it was your fault. You could have done better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m useless...¡±


    ¡°True, but you can become someone who is not, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hope for someone like me...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. As long as we work together, there would be hope for you and for me.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Come now. Try to recover, then we¡¯ll play.¡±


    Amelia shook her buried head. ¡°No¡­ I want to be useful¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ want to play...¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s study together, under Mother¡¯s guidance.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Can I save people... if I learn?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be saving anyone if you keep on holing yourself in here.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Amelia lightly lifted her head from Argent¡¯s lap. ¡°Brother¡­ Please help me save Erina.¡±

 Chapter 78: A Fork in the Path 1

    As soon as Amelia walked inside a chamber in the Duchy, the door closed with an eerie clack. What followed was a gripping silence.


    Across the room was her Father, Auguste.


    At the very least, Amelia expected to be scolded, perhaps given a tedious reprimand. However, Auguste remained unmoving with his arms crossed.


    Amelia was puzzled. She thought she knew how to deal with her Father, but the drumming of her heart reminded her of her naivety. And thus, as a start, Amelia took a step. Then a soon as her lips parted to voice out a question, Auguste spoke.


    It was but a few words from Auguste, but Amelia¡¯s advance halted. Subsequently, her eyes grew wide and her mouth gaped. However, as soon as those words sunk into Amelia¡¯s mind, her fists tightened¡ªher teeth clenched.


    ¡°No!¡± Amelia shook her head. Her glare towards Auguste was a mix of hatred and confusion. Still, Auguste received it without a hint of expression.


    ¡°No...¡± Amelia¡¯s shoulders lost its strength and her heart fell into a prison of ice¡ªfor she knew there was nothing that can change Auguste¡¯s mind.


    Amelia took a full turn and rushed towards the door. Not minding the butlers and maids on the other side, she threw the door open and encountered bewildered faces.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± The servants called. However, Amelia¡¯s figure did not stop. She kept running until she vanished into a corner of the hallway.


    <hr>


    Mola walked back and forth, clutching her hair as stress accumulated in her body.


    ¡°Just what the hell is happening!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± commented a man who wore an oval-shaped glasses.


    Mola turned around and grabbed the black haired man by his collar. ¡°You¡¯re the only one here who could answer the question!¡±


    The man grimaced. ¡°I told you, I knew nothing of the drama between Her Highness and His Majesty. I¡¯ve been inside the laboratory ever since the Dasbalites were brought in for examination. Well, except for meals and you know what.¡±


    Mola freed the man and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re really unreliable with this stuff.¡±


    ¡°That I don¡¯t deny.¡±


    Mola narrowed her eyes. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a part of your job to know whatever is happening to your employer, especially at crucial times such as this.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Again, Mola sighed. ¡°Glasses.¡±


    ¡°I have a name, and it¡¯s Al¡ª¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± Mola waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°Anyway, it would be a loooot looot better to hear tidbits of verbal information rather than just reading the outcome from a letter. So, in that regard, you¡¯re a failure.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Mola, you¡¯re awfully fired about this.¡± Glasses frowned.


    ¡°No, this should be a lesson to you. You¡¯re too lax about anything else aside from the research you are interested in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my nature.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you to change that. You¡¯re not an independent researcher. You¡¯re working under Her Highness¡¯s command. Remember, everything you wanted to do would be almost impossible without a backing. So don¡¯t be too sloppy with work¡ªor else I¡¯ll demote you.¡±


    Glasses knitted his brows. ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    Mola took a seat opposite of Glasses. ¡°So, with all that said, do you really not know anything? Like, what was the reason why Her Highness was forcefully sent back to Aves?¡±


    Glasses sighed. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know anything. Even I was curious after I heard the news and received the order to come here in Academia in advance.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you were supposed to arrive with Her Highness as per scheduled.¡±


    ¡°When I left, there was quite a ruckus.¡±


    ¡°What kind?¡± Mola leaned forward.


    ¡°Rumors said, that Her Highness brought a legitimate dragon fang and scales.¡±


    Mola caught herself in a fit of a cough. ¡°Dragon you say? Just where has Her Highness been to?¡±


    ¡°Reports says that the Tribe launched an offensive against a Woodland Dragon, and they won. Apparently, Her Highness was part of the operation.¡±


    Mola¡¯s palm naturally found itself on her face. ¡°Your Highness, please, how ridiculous can you be?¡± Mola sighed. ¡°In that case, the reason Her Highness was sent back to Aves was her recklessness?¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Glasses shook his head. ¡°Apparently, No. Her Highness was immediately apprehended in the gates and was lead to His Majesty¡¯s chamber as soon as she arrived.¡±


    ¡°Then His Majesty has decided even before hearing the report regarding the Tribe¡¯s offensive.¡±


    Glasses nodded.


    For a moment, silence descended between the two.


    Mola scratched her ruffled hair. ¡°Are there any other orders aside from what¡¯s written in the letter?¡± Though Mola thought it was useless to ask Glasses, still, she hoped there was.


    ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s nothing. Her Highness was taken back to Aves the day after she met His Majesty.¡± Glasses sighed. ¡°That¡¯s probably the reason why there isn¡¯t any specific order other than to continue as planned. Well, we could wait for a few more days to receive a continuation after sending our own questions through a letter, but I don¡¯t think Her Highness would be pleased that we did not do anything other than wait.¡±


    Mola pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°That¡¯s obvious. We have legs to stand on our own. We shouldn¡¯t heavily rely on Her Highness. But continue as planned huh¡­ I guess I¡¯ll take both Her Highness¡¯s and Kanna¡¯s role on this one.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking you with me, so don¡¯t grin like you¡¯ve won.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Glasses hunched in despair. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    While Mola and Glasses brooded over the situation, a knock came from the door.


    ¡°Coming.¡± Mola stood and turned the knob. The moment she got a peek at the person on the other side, she immediately closed the door shut.


    Mola turned her head towards Glasses like a rusted cog. ¡°W-w-was that Her Royal Highness?¡±


    Glasses, who also had a glimpse of Lara, nodded hurriedly.


    After confirming the situation, Mola carefully opened the door.


    Mola straightened her back the best she could. ¡°Y-your Royal Highness! It¡¯s a pleasure to m-meet you! P-pardon my question, b-but may I ask what business do you have with us?¡±


    ¡°I apologize for my sudden visit, Marianne.¡± Lara nodded lightly. The strands of her brown hair brushed against her cheeks.


    Mola moved to the side and gestured Lara to enter. ¡°Her Highness calls me by the name Mola. You may call me by that nickname as well.¡±


    Though Mola has regained her composure in terms of speech, her movements and her smile were stiff. Not to mention Glasses, who did not even move an inch from his seat.


    ¡°And you¡¯re Albert Selton, right?¡±


    Glasses, upon hearing his name, snappily stood from his seat. ¡°Y-ye¡ªow!¡±


    Lara raised her leather gloved hand to her lips and giggled. ¡°Both of you, it¡¯s fine. Take it easy. I am no executioner or some sort. So take your time and breath.¡±


    Mola and Glasses took Lara¡¯s advice and calmed their breathing. Afterward, Mola offered her seat to Lara while she and Glasses stood.


    ¡°Is there something wrong, Your Royal Highness?¡± Mola asked with her hands tucked on her back.


    ¡°Lara, if you please. Calling me by honorary title is quite a disadvantageous for the time I have left.¡±


    Mola shook her head. ¡°Ma¡¯am is the least I could do.¡±


    ¡°Good enough.¡± Lara smiled. ¡°In any case, I believe you now have an overview of the situation.¡±


    Glasses and Mola nodded.


    ¡°And your orders were to pursue what was planned.¡±


    Again, both of them nodded.


    ¡°Please divert from the aforementioned plan.¡±


    Mola and Glasses knitted their brows and looked at each other¡¯s bewildered expressions.


    The first to speak was Mola. ¡°Ma¡¯am, though I believe you have the right to give us orders, it is our calling to prioritize Her Highness¡¯s. So forgive me, I can¡¯t divert from the plan without Her Highness¡¯s consent.¡±


    Then followed Glasses. ¡°Ma¡¯am, can you give us the reason? And how deep have you dug about the plan?¡±


    Lara tilted her head with a mischievous smile. ¡°Deeper than both of you. Perhaps the whole situation that even Amelia has not yet opened to both of you.¡±


    Mola and Glasses grimaced.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ you had Her Highness¡¯s consent?¡± Mola asked as she gripped her hand. She believed she was supposed to be among the first people who should know the situation from Amelia¡¯s mouth¡ªnot an unrelated person.


    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Lara admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I am moving on my own and I don¡¯t intend to let Amelia know about this. However, as you are now, it¡¯s entirely possible for any of you to leak it¡ªnot that I¡¯ll blame you for it. It¡¯s your job after all.¡±


    Mola downed a mouthful of saliva. Meanwhile, Glasses palms drew sweat.


    ¡°However, I want you to trust me.¡± Lara gazed at Mola with resolute eyes. ¡°Still, I have to prove that I¡¯m worthy of being followed, am I not.¡±


    Reluctantly, Mola nodded.


    ¡°One week.¡± Lara stood from her seat and walked towards the door. ¡°Give me one week and I¡¯ll show you that what I¡¯m capable of. In that same span of time, promise me Amelia won¡¯t hear a word regarding this meeting.¡±


    ¡°¡°¡­ Yes.¡±¡±


    When Lara reached for the knob, she glanced behind. ¡°Mola, take Meiko. Take her on the third level, towards the sanctum of Earth. Also, take the eastern lift at around an hour past midnight.¡±


    Mola¡¯s mind worked its cogs. ¡°You don¡¯t mean! You¡¯ll come with us?!¡±


    Lara chuckled. ¡°No. I won¡¯t.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Fuu¡­ Fuu...¡± White mist formed and vanished in the middle of the garden.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kanna asked Amelia who remained sprawled on the garden at night.


    ¡°Trying to feel the cold.¡±


    ¡°With that fur coat on?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Kanna scratched her cheeks and sat beside Amelia. ¡°You know, I think your Father is just worried about you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem.¡± Amelia tried to count the stars on a cloudless night, but she lost count repeatedly.


    ¡°Sorry Lia, I don¡¯t have much advice this time around.¡± Kanna frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the hierarchy of humans.¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Refusing Father is a complicated and delicate issue, so I don¡¯t expect anyone to have an outright solution.¡±


    Kanna held Amelia¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯ll get through this.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, I don¡¯t have a choice but to go through this, but really, this is a pain...¡± Amelia shut her eyes. ¡°Father, you¡¯re so flippant. Haven¡¯t you recognized me as an adult recently? So why can¡¯t you trust me? Am I really that unreliable?¡±


    ¡°Lia.¡± Kanna tightened her grip. ¡°You know that¡¯s not the truth.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m glad you did not run away when your Father told you to return to Aves.¡±


    Amelia returned Kanna¡¯s grip. ¡°I can¡¯t become a fugitive at this time and day. It¡¯ll only give me demerits. At worst, it¡¯ll put a stop to everything that I¡¯ve started. And a public dispute between Royals¡­ an unbecoming result.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Kanna sighed. ¡°So what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to ask the world...¡±

 Chapter 79: A Fork in the Path 2

    Lights glimmered like fruits atop cascaded poles, illuminating the barren street as the moon smiled overhead. Within the empty street was a chorus of footfalls, marching towards a two-story structure constructed from reinforced alloys. The structure, mouthed with an entrance enough to accommodate two large carriages, exposed its inner structure of bronze colored beams. Within was an odd platform surrounded by fences on three sides.


    ¡°A lift?¡± Meiko blinked her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a lift in Academia?¡±


    Mola took Meiko¡¯s side and said, ¡°The outer east entrance of the Labyrinth utilizes a lift. The same is true with the outer west entrance.¡±


    ¡°But last time we entered we¡ª¡±


    ¡°We were close to the center of Academia, so we didn¡¯t have the chance to use the lift,¡± Liscia interrupted. She glanced behind as she walked side by side with Halbert. ¡°To be honest, Academia¡¯s layout is weird. The closer you get to the center, the more the narrow passageways increase in number. The opposite is true as you go farther from the center.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Meiko knitted her brows as she tried to guess the reason behind Academia¡¯s structure. However, her thoughts were thrown to the side. ¡°There it goes again, the warm light and the cold breeze awaits.¡±


    Meiko uttered the words she read from the symbols engraved on the mouth of the structure¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°It really reads like a warning from games.¡± Meiko recounted the number of times she saw the same passage.


    ¡°Ooh, so you really could read the symbols.¡± Glasses crossed his arms, mused. He heard the situation regarding Meiko from Mola, but seeing it with his own eyes propelled a sense of surprise. ¡°Are there any other phrases that you¡¯ve read around Academia.¡±


    Meiko shook her head. ¡°Not much. But on the map...¡±


    Meiko recalled the surface map of Academia shown to her by Mola. At the sight of it, she immediately understood that Academia¡¯s surface was a large magic circle inscribed using structures, resulting to a somewhat maze-like map. However, the words or phrases that made up the magic circle intrigued Meiko¡ªfor the magic circle was almost similar to the chant of Nesoi Isolation.


    ¡°What¡¯s on the map?¡± Glasses knitted his brows.


    ¡°Ah, no. Nothing.¡±


    Soon the group arrived at the lift¡¯s platform, where on the side stood an operator guarding a lever.


    The operator in blue clothes yawned. ¡°Which area?¡±


    ¡°Third basement lobby,¡± Liscia answered as she leaned her head on Halbert¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Aye. Third basement lobby it is.¡± The operator neared a metal tube, lifted its cover and said, ¡°Six members, east lift to section three.¡±


    The operator then listened to a tube beside the one he spoke into. He then moved back to the lever and said, ¡°Please be careful and not jump off of the railing.¡±


    As the operator turned the lever, the platform shook. Eventually, cogs clocked from the surroundings and drove the platform to sink diagonally. Gradually, the lift descended into a tunnel lined with numerous tubes of varying sizes.


    ¡°Wow...¡± Meiko was lost for words. Though she was not foreign to advanced technology and practices, the lift¡¯s mechanism drew her interest. Just how did the gears turn without electricity? No, wait. It¡¯s probably mana, right?


    Mana this, mana that. Almost everything that Meiko asked from Mola was answered by mana. Though Meiko understood the basic concept of it, she could not understand what Mola was blabbering about whenever she went deeper with the details. In fact, she was amazed that Liscia could keep up with Mola.


    Halbert finally broke his silence as he played with the pommel of his sheathed sword. ¡°So, what are we up to this time? We¡¯re not after Mimics, are we? Hell, those things are a nuisance to locate. The fight in itself is nothing to scoff at.¡±


    ¡°Frankly, I have no idea.¡± Mola broke the dam.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡±


    Meiko, Halbert, and Liscia responded in kind.


    ¡°...¡± Mola frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not that bad in making jokes. If there¡¯s anyone good at being bad with it, here¡¯s Glasses.¡±


    ¡°Oi. I¡¯m not that bad. I¡¯m just¡­ not cut out for it.¡±


    ¡°Then it means your bad at it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Anyway, just treat it as an investigation request.¡±


    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t understand the reason why I¡¯m here,¡± Glasses sighed.


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯ll be acting as a reserve mage because Meiko can¡¯t act the part at this moment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll try harder...¡± Meiko sulked.


    ¡°Mei, it¡¯s been on my mind lately, just how did you learn attack magic?¡± Liscia leaned her body forward with a questioning gaze. ¡°You know intermediate level magic too, but still, every time you chanted, you shut your eyes. That¡¯s a really-really dangerous practice, you know?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Meiko squeezed her shoulders.


    ¡°Beats me.¡± Mola sighed. ¡°I wonder what went into Her Highness¡¯s mind.¡± Rather than protect or hide the truth about Meiko from Liscia¡¯s suspicion, she played the unknowing underling who only obeyed her master¡¯s orders.


    Meiko shrank herself even further.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Mola continued. ¡°We¡¯re your clients again, so let¡¯s leave private matters for some other time.¡±


    ¡°Just like always.¡± Liscia smiled. ¡°But! We ought to have an extra for this night shift!¡±


    Glasses chuckled. ¡°Liscia is desperate as always. Or should I say, stingy.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Halbert scratched his cheek.


    ¡°The reason you¡¯re still single is the way you respond to people, Glasses.¡± Liscia glared.


    Glasses placed his hands on his hips and declared, ¡°Not that I needed a companion in life! Hahahaha! All I need are glasses!¡±


    ¡°¡°Ugh¡­ This guy¡¯s hopeless...¡±¡±


    ¡°Am not!¡±


    <hr>


    Lara marched towards a large door at the heart of Academia with Erina in tow. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± She roamed her eyes as she reminisced the little time she spent in Academia¡¯s pseudo-palace, Braken.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°...¡± Erina, on the other hand, was preoccupied with a number of thoughts.


    ¡°Erina, ease your mind. We would be meeting with them soon.¡±


    Erina nodded. ¡°Understood, Lady Lara.¡±


    A moment after entering a chamber, Lara and Erina were greeted by a man named Reynald, the King of Academia. Beside him was his son, Roland.


    ¡°It has been a while, Lady Lara.¡± Reynald started.


    ¡°Yes, it has been.¡± Lara smiled as she took the seat opposite of Reynald and Roland. Erina stood diagonally behind Lara¡¯s seat.


    Reynald, sporting a brown hair with a dash of red, was a plump man. The bulge underneath his clothes professed his lavish life as a King.


    Roland, however, was large in build¡ªnot too thin, not too fat. His hair, a similar shade to that of his father¡¯s, leaned towards perm.


    Done with the small talk, Reynald proceeded with the main topic.


    ¡°Excuse me for this, Lady Lara, but I feared that it was supposed to be Lady Amelia to pay her respects today. Was there an unforeseen incident that made her relent the task to others?¡±


    ¡°Is she well?¡± Roland asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately, His Majesty has summoned Amelia due to an urgent matter. Although Amelia did not wish for such, she was forced to return. So, in her stead, I¡¯m here to relay her¡ªno, Laurel¡¯s gratitude and apology regarding the recent event. And yes, Roland, Amelia is well.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Reynald pressed his hand on his forehead. ¡°I too grieve the traitorous actions executed by Laurel¡¯s Nobles. However, I fear that the loss incurred from the burnt forest would greatly affect Academia¡¯s and Laurel¡¯s situation for the incoming years. Should we not deploy a joint effort in the forest¡¯s restoration? I too wish to give the people of the forest a glimmer of hope.¡±


    ¡°I will keep in mind the prospects and mention it to His Majesty.¡± Lara kept her light smile. ¡°Rest assured that a compensation for Academia¡¯s help would be delivered once the residents have settled comfortably in their new homes.¡±


    Lara knew how much power Reynald held in Academia. And she knew that Reynald was not a formidable foe. If anything, Reynald was a desperate Royal. He too even pushed for the marriage between Amelia and Roland a few years earlier¡ªwhich was of course refused¡ªin order to gain a reach farther than just Academia.


    Reynald might be the King of Academia, but the title of King did not hold much significance when compared to the True Scholars or Philosophers.


    Academia¡¯s hierarchy was different from the others. The overseer and protector of the land were held by the King. However, the different Philosophers held power in their respective fields¡ªmuch like state governors that split Academia into small factions.


    ¡°That aside.¡± Reynald clasped his hands. ¡°I heard the trade with Laurel¡¯s friend, the Tribe, would soon increase. Was it a false rumor?¡±


    ¡°It is nothing but the truth.¡±


    ¡°Ooh. I see. Then, when will¡ª¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the matter is still in the staging process. The materials for trade have yet to be finalized.¡±


    Reynald frowned. ¡°That is unfortunate, but would you give me chance to lay my eyes on a few articles?¡±


    Lara covered her lips and chuckled. ¡°Do not worry, Reynald. Rest assured that a few articles would be bundled along with the compensation.¡±


    ¡°That is good to hear.¡± Reynald crept a smile.


    Lara and Reynald¡¯s conversation went on until the conversation then reached a certain point.


    ¡°Lady Lara, if I may, could I hear your opinion regarding the summoned Heroes?¡±


    ¡°Please let us hear Laurel¡¯s stand in this matter.¡± Roland gulped.


    Lara set her sights towards the balcony. ¡°Frankly, they are an unstable element. Whether they will be useful or not, an ally or not, it¡¯s up to the current circumstances. However, right now, I believe they¡¯ll be able to mitigate the damage of war to some extent. But this is my opinion. Laurel itself stands neutral unless provoked.¡±


    Reynald nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But how would you respond if you were asked by Hero for help?¡± Roland asked out of curiosity. For one, he too was interested in the Heroes.


    Lara shook her head. ¡°I cannot say. Not all Heroes are the same people as those in stories. In the end, it depends on their personality and motives.¡±


    A safe answer. Erina thought as she observed Lara¡¯s conversation with the Reynald. She doesn¡¯t adopt a stance, but she¡­


    ¡°That is true.¡± Reynald nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Well then, thought our time is short, I fear that I must bid my farewell.¡± Lara stood from her seat and reached out her hand¡ªa casual form of greeting and farewell for Demians.


    ¡°It is our pleasure, Lady Lara.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t relent, does he?¡± Maxwell peered onto the garden from his balcony. There he saw Charles and his comrades having a chat with his little brother Marcus. Perhaps he was getting into his good side in order to get a legal pass into Laurel¡ªor so Maxwell thought.


    Just a few days ago, Maxwell bid his farewell to his sister Clarissa. Although earlier than expected, he was anxious about Charles sinking his fangs on her.


    I can¡¯t take risks, he thought.


    Although Clarissa was fairly familiar with Argent, and so does the opposite end, they were not that close. However, knowing her duty, Clarissa did not refuse the marriage. Perhaps she thought she would eventually learn to like Argent as a man and not as a friend.


    Still, behind the curtain of clouds that loomed over Spere, Maxwell kept a level mind.


    Maxwell moved his sight to the butler waiting at a distance. ¡°Lester, what of Niveria¡¯s Princess? Was there any change from her?¡±


    ¡°The Princess took an immediate interest to Hero Charles. Perhaps she learned that Sir Charles was the first among the three remaining Heroes to finish their training in Issenheim.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Maxwell nodded. ¡°Please reduce the surrounding surveillance on the Princess. Let her meet the Hero as often as possible.¡±


    In more ways than one, Maxwell thought that Shakti, Niveria¡¯s last Royal, would serve as a good distraction for Charles, if not a great diversion in interest.


    Lester bowed. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°Also, Lester, had the people knew about the Hero¡¯s arrival?¡±


    Lester shook his head. ¡°Apparently not.¡±


    The corners of Maxwell¡¯s lips rose into a smile. ¡°Five days from now, let¡¯s hold a public celebration for the Hero.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Eaaaagh!¡± Mark Laurel clutched his right hand near his stomach as his wooden sword clattered across the ground. Bearing the throbbing pain, he rose to his feet and glared at his opponent. ¡°You barbarian! Just what kind of drug did you use?!¡±


    ¡°Losing fair and square and resorting to a false accusation.¡± A lofty smile crept over Amelia¡¯s face. ¡°What a poor person you have, brother.¡±


    Just recently, Amelia kept wandering around Tercel in search of a clue or hint on how she could resolve her current situation. However, when she crossed paths with Mark, the gears in her mind turned.


    ¡°Good day, Brother Mark,¡± Amelia cheerfully greeted. ¡°Same to you, Miss?¡±


    ¡°A-ah!¡± The maple-haired girl beside Mark trotted away from Mark and curtsied. ¡°Your Highness! The name is A¡ª¡±


    Mark raised his hand and stopped the girl. ¡°What do you want?¡± Mark¡¯s tone, in every little way, expressed scorn.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, brother. I just wanted to greet you and your guest as I happen to come across.¡± Amelia turned her heels with a clack and glanced behind. ¡°And maybe perhaps ask from which Nobility your guest came from? Since, guessing her distance from you, she might as well become my sister soon, no? So perhaps I could, perchance, pay a little visit to her family?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Mark rasped his teeth. He knew what entailed Amelia¡¯s little visit. ¡°Why are you even here! You¡¯re supposed to be holing yourself like a rodent in your fief!¡±


    ¡°A surprise, I guess?¡± Amelia expressed a mischievous smile. ¡°A surprise solely for you.¡±


    Simple as Mark was, he could not take how Amelia kept toying with him. ¡°A match! Like before! I challenge you!¡±


    Amelia covered her lips and exhaled a surprise. ¡°Really? Even though you have yet to win even once?¡±


    Mark¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°I¡¯m not the boy I was before. Unlike you, I took my time and trained in the forest!¡±


    ¡°So not from a Knight, but from an Adventurer. I wonder how useful would those lessons be when you¡¯re surrounded by Guards.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Let¡¯s take this somewhere else!¡±


    And so Amelia was able to coerce Mark out of boredom.


    The battle between Amelia and Mark fell short. All it took was a swing from Amelia that aimed for Mark¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness Mark!¡± The girl kneeled beside the injured Mark. ¡°Please wait for a bit! I¡¯ll heal your wounds!¡±


    Amelia heaved a sigh and turned away. I guess I gave him too much? No, he deserved it, trying to sow chaos within the palace.


    Ever since Amelia returned to Aves, Auguste kept a consistent distance from her. In several occasions, she noticed suspicious gazes within the hallways, and sometimes, in her bedchamber. As opposed to the strength of her surveillance, Auguste kept refusing to meet or speak with her.


    The matter frustrated Amelia to no end.


    So, as an experiment, Amelia told Kanna to move separately from her. It was an experiment to determine if the surveillance only focused on Amelia, or both Amelia and Kanna.


    As Amelia moved away from the injured Mark, a slow clap came from the side.


    ¡°Who might you be?¡± Amelia asked in a bad mood.


    The clap came from a black-haired man wearing a leather armor fitted like a butler¡¯s clothes. His eyes black, gleamed in an unusual snare. ¡°Veight, Your Highness.¡± Like a butler, he bowed. ¡°Your supposed instructor in the art of rapier, Her Majesty¡¯s string, and Hero Evelyn¡¯s Instructor. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

 Chapter 80: A Fork in the Path 3

    ¡°Lia, are you sure about this?¡± Kanna asked with a frown. She turned around and walked back and forth, trying to get accustomed to her long-skirted dress.


    ¡°Sure about what?¡± Amelia pulled one drawer after another, searching for an accessory fit for the event. She once glanced towards a chest she recovered from Talya and resumed her search. ¡°This will do.¡±


    While Amelia was fixing a thin bracelet on her wrist, Kanna continued. ¡°About going out with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course, it¡¯s fine. Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Kanna combed her orange hair dangling on the right side of her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ll bring me into this kind of situation. I¡­ feel uneasy for you.¡±


    Amelia widened her eyes then chuckled to the side. ¡°Really? Kanna? Concerned with something like this? That¡¯s new!¡±


    ¡°This and that are different, Lia.¡± Kanna pouted.


    Amelia traced her finger on her eyelid and stopped her chuckle. ¡°Kanna, I¡¯m not ashamed to show you around. Even if the Nobles we¡¯re supposed to meet are still reluctant about the races, I will still go around with you. Their questioning gazes don¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ it¡¯s kinda hard for me if you receive those kinds of gazes just because you¡¯re around with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the fruit of my labor.¡± Amelia expressed a smile.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Amelia took a step forward. ¡°I was able to restore the ties with the Tribe and advance it. Sure, there are probably some Nobles who did their research and knew that we hid the actual situation from them. But like I said, it doesn¡¯t matter. Even if they are unaccustomed to see a different race and express their reluctance, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. In fact, I¡¯d be proud to walk with you in front of them and receive their unease.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Think about it. The Princess of Laurel walking side-by-side with a person from another race with a smile. What would they think?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Unease for your well-being?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one.¡± Amelia took another step and grasped Kanna¡¯s hand. ¡°But Kanna, will you hurt me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    Amelia pressed Kanna¡¯s hand to her chest. ¡°Will you protect me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s obvious!¡±


    Amelia smiled. ¡°See? The answer¡¯s already obvious.¡±


    Kanna knitted her brows. ¡°But...¡±


    Amelia sighed. ¡°Kanna, don¡¯t mind the others. Let¡¯s just enjoy it together.¡±


    Kanna nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±


    Amelia recalled her previous meeting with Veight.


    ¡°Supposed instructor?¡± Amelia knitted her brows. She glanced towards Mark before gesturing towards an empty bench in the distance.


    ¡°Supposed instructor, supposed instructor...¡± Amelia muttered. She crossed her legs as she searched her memory that fitted the description. ¡°Ah.¡± Upon realization, she looked up. ¡°The Adventurer?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look the part.¡± Amelia expressed a wry smile. Maybe because she knew Veight was one of her Mother¡¯s pawns that she relaxed her expression.


    ¡°So you were the one who gave me that list? That simple list on how to use a rapier.¡± Amelia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the ones listed in that paper was nothing but the obvious.¡±


    It was back when Amelia was experimenting with the capabilities of the Lynxes through Marco when she received the small piece of paper from Ark. She recalled that the instructor she was looking for was unfortunately unavailable due to a pre-existing commitment.


    ¡°So you were tasked by Mother to be a spy for the Heroes.¡± Amelia expressed a light smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t think ahead.¡±


    For better or for worse, Amelia was all too focused in making Randolf¡¯s grand goal come true, to the point that she disregarded the Heroes in her prioritized list.


    ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡± Amelia looked up to Veight, who remained standing before the seated Amelia. ¡°As you can see, I have my limbs torn apart from me. I can barely move around without my guards, without my servants. I¡¯m basically a token of a Princess right now.¡±


    Veight exhaled a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a message.¡±


    ¡°From Mother huh?¡± Amelia shifted her sight towards her knees. ¡°Is it an order?¡±


    ¡°Apparently.¡±


    Amelia heaved a sigh. ¡°Spill it.¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty required you to attend a ball this coming weekend.¡±


    Still, Amelia thought. I didn¡¯t expect that Clarissa would be arriving today¡­


    Out in the dark from her own network, Amelia knew nothing of the events surrounding her. She was like a spider that fell off of her web and was forced to venture into the unknown.


    The ball Diane required Amelia to attend was a celebration for Laurel¡¯s possible future Queen. Due to the importance of the event, obviously, she was required to attend.


    But Mother gave no further instruction. She too refused to meet me like Father. Is she observing the dispute between Father and Me? But Veight, he was just ordered to deliver a message to me? It¡¯s¡­ weird. She could have used someone else as a messenger.


    A spy for the Heroes. It was a completely far-fetched situation for him to become nothing but a messenger.


    Redeem myself?


    Those were the words that came to Amelia¡¯s mind as she tried to guess her Mother¡¯s plans.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    <hr>


    ¡°Alright, just what we needed.¡± Mola planted her palm on her face. ¡°A dead end.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we took the wrong turn?¡± Glasses muttered.


    ¡°No. I believe we didn¡¯t.¡± Liscia chimed. ¡°This passage is among those which are usually open. And besides, we never got lost with Mola in the lead.¡±


    Halbert agreed.


    ¡°Then why is it closed?¡± Meiko asked. ¡°And shouldn¡¯t we be turning around now to look for another route?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done.¡± Mola sighed. ¡°This accursed labyrinth, up until now I can¡¯t create an accurate pattern regarding the labyrinth¡¯s passageways. If it only relied on the time of day, or the minutes of the hour, the Philosophers would have already caught wind of its pattern! Agh! I really hate this labyrinth!¡±


    Academia¡¯s underground labyrinth employed a transforming array of passageways. Though Academia and its Philosophers were able to trace a pattern for the majority of the passageways, there were still numerous paths which have an unknown condition for it to open.


    Now Mola, tasked with memorizing the layout of the labyrinth for the first six levels, had reached the same roadblock as the Philosophers. However, rumor has it that the pattern for some passageways was found, but only a select few knew such and refused to publicize the information.


    In this matter, Mola too was able to trace the pattern for a few routes but withheld the information just as Amelia ordered.


    ¡°Uhm...¡± Meiko knitted her brows as she found a magic from her list. ¡°Should I break it instead?¡±


    At her remark, the grouped gasped in surprise.


    ¡°What are you? A berserk?¡± Liscia¡¯s words cut deep into Meiko.


    ¡°Mei, just breaking stuff to get through doesn¡¯t solve everything. Sure, it would solve our current problem, but what about the consequences.¡± Mola sounded. ¡°Besides, it is against the law of Academia to break anything inside the labyrinth without permission.¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s just a suggestion? I didn¡¯t mean harm.¡± Meiko chuckled. ¡°But if we¡¯re quiet about it, they won¡¯t know, right?¡±


    It¡¯s not like they have surveillance footage that they could watch, right? Meiko thought, thinking that surveillance cameras might be out of this world.


    ¡°Sure they might not found out, but they also might. Even so, we can¡¯t risk Her Highness¡¯s name, okay?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Meiko realized that they weren¡¯t just an individual group.


    ¡°And breaking blockades. It actually affects the pattern of passageways in the labyrinth. So it will be disastrous for those who make a living of the labyrinth. The worst case, you¡¯ll become an enemy of Academia for paralyzing the economy even for a moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ sounds dangerous.¡± Meiko expressed a dry laugh. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Mola sighed. ¡°Well, let¡¯s just take a different route.¡±


    Without a choice, the group retraced their path and took another.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask this,¡± Meiko asked, glancing around the passageway, ¡°what¡¯s the deal with the passageways? Why aren¡¯t they uniform in terms of size?¡±


    In a modern day world, a uniform passageway is a norm. Compared to what Meiko was used to, the labyrinth was far different. It would have been different if it was a lobby and a passage, but the passageways Meiko has been through varied in size.


    ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s enough for us to walk side by side. Sometimes, we can only form two lines. At other times, three to four lines.¡±


    Mola, in-lead of the group, raised her finger and gestured. ¡°There are several theories.¡± Despite her explaining, Mola continued to walk. ¡°But I¡¯ll give you my own.¡±


    ¡°Ooh! Let me take this one.¡± Liscia suggested. It seemed she had found it amusing to teach Meiko. ¡°Remember the blockade before? From what we inferred from it, it seems that the passageways change depending on those who are passing through, or if there is something like a large machine trying to reach a part of the labyrinth. But since most passageways changes depending on the day, the time, and the season, we could say that different beings lived here.¡±


    ¡°Rumors has it that intelligent beasts formed the labyrinth,¡± Halbert added. ¡°Or maybe Heroes of Old.¡±


    Meiko flinched.


    ¡°I bet Heroes had a hand in this.¡± Glasses gave a piece of his mind. ¡°But such a complicated pattern, and the magic circle above ground¡­ I¡¯d say the creators of the labyrinth was trying to defend against something. And as a fail-safe, they made the first few levels of the labyrinth a transforming dungeon. Aside from that¡­ I bet there¡¯s something in the very depths. Because damn, where did this almost infinite source of mana came from? Up until this day, it¡¯s feeding this deserted labyrinth.¡±


    One of the reasons that labyrinth kept living was due to the mana passing through cables forged with a mix of mithril and silver. An obvious display of such was the cascaded poles of light that lined Academia¡¯s streets.


    ¡°Trying to defend against something?¡± Meiko repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that they were trying to isolate themselves instead?¡±


    Mola halted and glanced towards Meiko. ¡°Isolating themselves? That¡­ I have never considered.¡±


    It was but simple recall from Meiko regarding her home country isolating itself from history, but it stoked Mola¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting perspective.¡± Mola nodded repeatedly with a finger on her chin. ¡°Meiko, I¡¯ll ask for more details later.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡± Liscia chimed. ¡°Can¡¯t let an opportunity to learn something new go.¡±


    Several minutes have passed since the group took a detour.


    ¡°And here we are.¡± Mola declared without a hint of excitement.


    The Sanctum. The place was not particularly large, nor was it too small. At most, it was about eighty square meters in area. Although the Sanctum was quite known to most Demians, it was not a special place, hence it was given a generic name. At most, the Sanctum was popular as a landmark or as a resting point due to a statue standing at its center.


    The statue depicted a tower with rings spiraling at its surface. However, the most notable feature of the tower was its state. The tower was unfinished. There were miniature slabs missing at its top, indicating that the statue depicted a tower during its construction.


    ¡°The Tower of Babel?¡± Meiko muttered.


    The tower was all too familiar, though not an exact copy of what she remembered. Meiko heard it from the news once. An artist showcased his take on the mythical tower and presented it in a famous museum. From that point, her image of the tower became that of the artist¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes, The Tower of Babel. It¡¯s quite a famous one in history,¡± Liscia said.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Meiko blinked her eyes. For all she thought, the tower was related to a Hero in the past, just like Glasses suggested. ¡°The tower existed before?¡±


    Liscia laughed. ¡°Of course not! Besides, I never heard an event in our history where the humans started speaking different languages and failed to understand each other. If ever that happened, there¡¯s also the gift of telepathy, so language isn¡¯t much of a problem in terms of communication.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Huh?¡± Meiko¡¯s mind could not keep up. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why would it become famous if that was the case?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s a joke of a tower, a folktale, and something that a Hero muttered.¡± Liscia brushed her fringes. ¡°You know? What a Hero mutters and gets through to us are almost always recorded. Because they might become hints to what they meant whenever their speech or writing become some sort of mess, or at least that¡¯s what is written in the books.¡±


    Which words are important, which are not. They are all filtered by the blessing given by the Gods.


    ¡°But in most cases, their stories or myths are what¡¯s written down and get famous. After all, they are tales from another world. It kinda gives a mysterious aura or something that stokes the interest of the people. But that¡¯s it. Most of their stories are just stories. They might have lessons in them, but it¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t have our own.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡± Meiko expressed a wry smile. However, at the very least, she confirmed the existence of Heroes before her.


    ¡°Liscia, Mola, do you know what happened to the Heroes afterward?¡±


    ¡°They apparently vanished,¡± Halbert chimed, not wanting to be left out of the conversation. ¡°They vanished and the people never heard from any of them.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Glasses nodded. ¡°The most famous one was the Hero wanting to prove Yggdrasil. But his case was the same. He vanished.¡±


    ¡°They¡­ vanished?¡± Meiko was puzzled. ¡°Was there anything in common from them.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Halbert scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°They were quite popular when they vanished. You could say that they were at a point that they can take a High Dragon on their own or perhaps something stronger.¡± Mola approached a pillar and sat beside it. ¡°That¡¯s pretty much what I can say that was common among them with confidence. I¡¯m not sure with the other theories since our information only came from books.¡±


    Maybe, just maybe, I really do have to get stronger? But how strong do I need to be?


    Meiko was optimistic that at least one of the Heroes made it back to their home. Her best candidate was the Hero who pursued Yggdrasil.


    If it really is Yggdrasil, then, there¡¯s a chance that it¡¯s connected to another world?


    ¡°But who knows,¡± Mola added. ¡°They might have gotten a relic or two and managed to do what they wanted.¡±


    ¡°A relic?¡± Meiko snapped out of her thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, a relic. Relics are gifts from Gods. They possess an ability on the level of the God, its creator, itself.¡±


    ¡°A relic...¡±


    Mola shifted her glance towards the statue of Babel. ¡°The depths of the labyrinth is mostly unexplored, but given how Academia was first found, I bet a relic or even a number of it sitting just underneath us.¡±


    Just¡­ underneath¡­ Those words bore through Meiko¡¯s mind. If I can¡¯t physically travel through the walls, then should I¡­ investigate?

 Chapter 81: A Fork in the Path 4

    ¡°Are we really just gonna sit here and do nothing?¡± Liscia voiced, leaning her back onto Halbert¡¯s as she roamed her eyes on the ceiling. ¡°We¡¯ve been here for almost an hour. It¡¯s time wasted, Mola. We better hunt something so we could at least bring back some spoils for extra coins.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m thinking.¡± Mola hunched while seated. She pulled on her fringes as she retraced her conversation with Lara.


    On the other hand, Glasses was staring at Mola¡¯s figure. [Was it just a fluke?]


    [Maybe it is,] Mola replied through Wind Whisper. [But I really can¡¯t comprehend Her Royal Highness¡¯s reason for ordering us to come here.]


    [Maybe we shouldn¡¯t have hoped?]


    Mola sighed. Gaaah! Her instruction is too vague! Just what kind of development was I hoping for! Mola had to admit. She hoped Lara had a piece of information that would unravel a part of Academia¡¯s Labyrinth. Agh! There wasn¡¯t even anything out of the ordinary! The best I could make out of this is to make Meiko think about the relics!


    ¡°Seems like Mola has it hard.¡± Halbert pushed back Liscia, while Liscia returned it, effectively making a game out of it.


    ¡°Hey, Mola, just who was your lead that made you want to come here at this day and hour?¡±


    ¡°Please be quiet!¡± Mola snapped.


    ¡°My bad.¡±


    Meiko lifted an eye and returned to her usual silence. She was sitting beside the Statue of Babel while embracing her knees.


    [Do you have anything in mind, Glasses?]


    [Nothing in particular.] Glasses sighed. He roamed his eyes like Liscia, trying to guess the intention behind Lara¡¯s instruction. [Other than taking the fact that we should bring the Hero, then we should focus on something that Meiko brought into the plate. But there¡¯s none.]


    [None. Nothing. We don¡¯t have any leads. Nor do we have any trace of a hint! Damn! Just what kind of puzzle is this!]


    [I¡¯ve been thinking. Since Meiko has been quiet for a while now, maybe it had something to do with the statue of Babel?]


    [That¡¯s out of the question. That Babel is just an ordinary statue. We both know that.]


    [Well, yes, that¡¯s true. But that¡¯s true when the statue was investigated without Meiko around, wasn¡¯t it? Remember that the Labyrinth has some weird mechanisms that can¡¯t be triggered no matter what the Philosophers tried? Maybe this statue has a trigger or something whenever a Hero is around.]


    [As if. If that was the case, there should be an obvious change. But so far there isn¡¯t a single thi¡ªwait.]


    Mola shifted her sight towards the statue, then towards the path they came from. [Oi. Maybe we¡¯ve been too focused on the statue?] Mola¡¯s heartbeat began to rose.


    [What do you mean?]


    [Remember?] Mola focused her sight on Glasses. [We encountered an unexpected blockade along the way.]


    [¡­] Gradually, Glasses¡¯ eyes widened. [You don¡¯t mean?!]


    [What if the Labyrinth changes whenever a Hero is present?]


    [But haven¡¯t you been with Meiko when you tried to capture a Mimic?]


    Mola rose to her feet. [No, I didn¡¯t notice any. But what if¡­ there are only a select few passages that only Heroes can pass through? And the reason La¡ªHer Royal Highness told us to come to the Sanctum is to retrace that blockade?]


    Liscia sat up. ¡°Halbert, we¡¯re moving.¡±


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    [¡­] Glasses returned Mola¡¯s gaze and nodded. ¡°Which way?¡±


    Mola shifted her sight towards a passage west south-west from where they came from. ¡°Mei, let¡¯s move.¡±


    Meiko broke her silence and stood. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Of all the places¡­ Mola thought. A place where anyone could overlook. A place near the surface rather than the depths¡­ Just what kind of logic did the creator have?


    <hr>


    A little before Mola and the group began to move, Meiko isolated herself with the reason ¡°I¡¯m a bit sleepy.¡±


    A few seconds after she buried her face between her knees, she began to chant in a mutter.


    Manifest, Clairvoyance.


    Maybe I should find the endpoint and trace a route back, Meiko thought.


    As she passed through wall after wall, and floor after floor, Meiko noticed the gradual change in the Labyrinth¡¯s structure.


    Wails and howls from various beasts toned down. Creatures that skittered and wriggled between crevices decreased in number. Traces of dim glowing colonies of eggs were reduced to a nil. All the while the passageways started to become uniform.


    Meiko had thought about the chill the creatures sent her spine, despite her not in the actual location.


    How did such creatures come to be? Why weren¡¯t they exterminated? Why are there steel railings confining the egg colonies?


    There were so many questions to be asked. Questions stacked above a question that seemed endless if answered one after another. However, Meiko withdrew her thoughts and focused on her task.


    Just where¡­


    Academia was far larger than Issenheim¡ªa metropolis compared to a capital city. And unlike her previous search, she had no leads. A blind search of the depths of the Labyrinth in hopes of finding something out of the ordinary, perhaps a clue.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    At times, Meiko would take a momentary stop and read the inscribed symbols she came across.


    Again. It¡¯s the same phrase again. But I don¡¯t understand. That time and the other was different...


    The phrase was entirely the same. However, Meiko noticed that the symbols varied. They weren¡¯t fixed, but they meant the same thing.


    Babel¡­ The tower bothered Meiko. If what Liscia said was true, then why is Babel here? Was there really one language? One human language?


    It was hard to believe. Human civilizations from differing ethnic groups having the same form of language. It didn¡¯t make sense¡ªat least from where Meiko came from.


    Then, moments before Mola called her, she arrived in a large circular chamber decorated with murals. It was but a glimpse but Meiko kept it in mind. A mural of a tower¡¯s construction similar to Babel.


    <hr>


    Charles swung his wooden sword. Once. Twice. Thrice. He kept going. He did so with a visible frown plastered on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pain to deal with nobility, but they are often the triggers.¡± Each swing was accompanied by a rush of wind. ¡°But the hardest to deal with are those who are overprotective.¡±


    Charles heaved a sigh. ¡°Come on Maxwell, don¡¯t be a fool. At least get a hint.¡± He moved his sight towards a balcony three stories from where he stood.


    Ever since Charles was summoned, he harbored a sense of excitement and impatience. And to fuel his desire, he kept an eye on his fellow Heroes, primarily Meiko and Evelyn. Clark was not much of a threat, he thought. Most likely, with a Princess in his party, he¡¯d be swung around by the Royals as they pleased, or so he thought based on his previous experiences.


    In a way, he tried to gauge Meiko and Evelyn by approaching them with a friendly demeanor. And from what he learned in his little probing, Meiko was not a threat either. That leaves Evelyn.


    However, things took a sudden turn. Meiko vanished from Issenheim. And not knowing the reason bothered Charles.


    She¡¯s headed south¡­ and at the south is¡­ Brent? Academia and Laurel, too.


    For Charles, the early stages of a game are important. It is a time to gather as much information as he needed before creating a road-map for his goals. Since the events in Limited-Multiplayer-Online are realistic in nature or can be narrowed down to a simple cause and effect, he needed to pave his path with knowledge.


    There are the refugees. The Princess of the fallen Kingdom, Niveria. The Philosophers of Academia and the Labyrinth. A Kingdom pushing for communication with the races and an ethnic group of Elves and Dwarfs. Which are you after, Meiko?


    As the days passed, Charles kept a concerned expression.


    ¡°Evelyn, where do you think Meiko went to?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. Maybe she went ahead and ditched this Kingdom and turned towards another?¡± she said, sheathing and unsheathing the rapier resting on her lap.


    ¡°Ehh? What makes you think so?¡± Charles knitted his brows. Is the map a generic feature for all four of us?


    ¡°Well, it just kinda happens, right? Come to think of it, being summoned in the same kingdom has that kind of disadvantage. But it¡¯s fun in its own way.¡± Evelyn smirked.


    ¡°Disadvantage? Which?¡± Charles played the innocent role. She¡¯s done this kind of scenario before.


    ¡°I think you already know that, Charles. Besides, even though we are fellow Heroes, it doesn¡¯t mean we all have the same goals. And trash what the King said. That¡¯s the main storyline. I¡¯ll do things on my own and uncover side-quests.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Searching for side-quests was fine and all. Charles too knew about the fulfillment it could give. In the case of LMOs, side-quests can even alter the main storyline¡¯s progress or path. It can turn from waging a war to waging peace. However, the best part was uncovering the world¡¯s secrets and lore.


    Still, it bothered Charles how quick-witted Meiko was upon hearing a bombshell of a rumor. A rumor that Laurel¡¯s Princess took in a Hero.


    I¡¯ve been had¡­


    Along with the news of Laurel forging a renewed bond with the Tribe, Charles heard Laurel¡¯s form of participation in the war. They took in refugees and donated numerous provisions without compromising its own stock for the incoming winter. That in itself told Charles the capability of the peaceful Kingdom.


    Lastly, after being unintentionally driven by Meiko to rush his training and cut off making appearances with the nobility of Libet, he caught wind of an incident East-South-East of Issenheim. An explosion. A sudden rampage of chained beasts. And remains of a beast torn in half.


    ¡°An explosion of this scale, it wasn¡¯t caused by gunpowder, right?¡± Charles muttered to himself after arriving at the said site.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Sir Charles?¡± Selena, the light-blue haired priestess, asked after offering her prayer. ¡°You seem to be bothered lately. Is there something I¡ªno, we can help you?¡±


    ¡°Aiyoo!¡± The female scout saluted from the side. Her maple shoulder-cut hair pinned towards her left a relaxing impression. ¡°This Medea will aid this Sire! Mihee.¡± And then she imitated a butler¡¯s bow.


    Charles chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Selena, Medea, it¡¯s not that huge of a matter. But still, I¡¯m curious how this placed was scoured clean.¡±


    Medea nodded energetically. ¡°Hm, hm. The cleaning operation was way too quick. I thought there will be an investigation first before things were moved around. So it really is suspicious. Unless there¡¯s an underground organization in the work here, it won¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Selena frowned. ¡°True. It is a case filled with doubt. But I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have a lead. Much less a clue.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Charles tapped a finger on his forehead. ¡°Though we could call this an illegal practice of an organization or such, we can¡¯t ignore what caused the explosion. If it really was an underground organization, then the place should be tight with matters that can expose it. In that case... someone attacked this facility?¡±


    ¡°Most likely.¡± Medea crossed her arms. ¡°Problem is, there are way too many candidates that can cause such an explosion. Just the amount of candidates from Academia would leave our heads spinning. So I don¡¯t recommend cracking the source with the current state of our information.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should exercise my right in the nearby temple and get us more information?¡± The rings of the silver staff Selena held clinked.


    Charles shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s fine. Just the list of the beasts that was found in this place is enough. We don¡¯t need to spend much time in this matter.¡±


    Meiko¡­ Just how far have you foresaw these events¡­


    Though the news and rumors from Laurel were distorted to some extent, Charles pieced it and made a partial conclusion for himself. And his conclusion was¡­


    Meiko was involved in the incident with refugees. And probably the incident on the forest near Twin Peaks, too. But linking those events with the explosion is¡­ too far-fetched. It doesn¡¯t make sense, but that¡¯s the only possibility I have in mind. Besides, Selena never heard of priests that sallied towards Laurel. But then¡ªAhhhh! This is driving me nuts!


    Just thinking of Meiko triggering the first events knocked on Charles mind. The first events in LMOs usually trigger how the story would progress. If in case the story veered towards something he did not desire, it will become a hassle to play and continue the game.


    But there¡¯s still a chance. If I can¡¯t decide which vehicle to use, then better ride it and take the wheel. But first, I have to keep track of Evelyn¡­ Charles focused on a map that popped out from his interface. Evelyn has been moving too. But her movements are too erratic and in-between. I can¡¯t make heads or tails about it.


    Though Evelyn has yet to finish her training officially, Evelyn has been roaming around Issenheim. Unfortunately, in Charles¡¯s map, it only shows a top view of Evelyn¡¯s location. A narrow, more detailed, tracking of a person required Charles to be in the same area or structure.


    ¡°Selena, Medea, I have things to take care of in Brent, won¡¯t you accompany me?¡±


    ¡°With pleasure, sire!¡±


    ¡°I have no qualms.¡±


    And thus the reason how Charles arrived in Brent.


    ¡°Really, things are turning for the worse.¡± Charles grimaced at the fact that he was about to show himself in public due to the Royalty¡¯s request. ¡°But things are hard to explain to such people! Why can¡¯t you just get a feel of it and trust me!¡±


    Just the fact that Evelyn left Libet and was already nearing Laurel ticked Charles.


    ¡°I¡¯m being left behind!¡±

 Chapter 82: Moving Forward 1

    ¡°Just whose idea was this?!¡± Liscia hollered, sweat running down her neck.


    Among the group¡¯s clatter of footsteps were ragged breaths.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me!¡± Mola returned. ¡°I never aimed for this!¡±


    A while ago, the group arrived at a massive chamber with large pillars at the center. Since the chamber had two paths, the left and, the right, the group decided to let Mola make the choice. Afterward, Liscia picked up a weird scent. Following after it, they found a beast clinging to one of the pillars. Judging by the size of the pillar, which was about sixty peoples¡¯ worth around its circumference, they withdrew in a hurry.


    However, after a few steps away from the beast, ¡°It seems like it¡¯s asleep. So¡­ why don¡¯t we take it out? It¡¯s a new species after all. I want samples.¡± Mola suggested.


    Everyone except Meiko agreed to Mola¡¯s suggestion. However, as soon as they came close, the beast¡¯s large round eyes opened. ¡°Run for your life!¡±


    ¡°T-the map!¡± Glasses lost his grip on the papers.


    ¡°Tsk! Glasses! You¡¯re an idiot!¡± Mola spat.


    ¡°Back to you, Idiot! This is all your fault!¡±


    ¡°P-please, let¡¯s just keep running!¡± Meiko suggested with a pale face. ¡°We¡¯ll end up wasting energy if we keep on blaming each other!¡±


    Halbert laughed with a hint of despair as he placed himself on the rear of the group. ¡°Look at Meiko go! She sure has some good legs! Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Hal! Hal! Don¡¯t lose it!¡± Liscia reduced her pace. ¡°We¡¯re escaping this shit! Okay?! Just like we used to!¡±


    Halbert slapped Liscia¡¯s rear.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°On with it! I can¡¯t have you take this spot!¡±


    ¡°Hal...¡± Liscia glanced back, tearing up. ¡°I will sell your stuff if you die! All of them!¡±


    ¡°Oi!¡±


    ¡°AAAAHHHH! Damn it all! Shut up you two!¡± Mola interrupted. ¡°How I wish that Dragon Slayer was here!¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Glasses chuckled in despair. ¡°That will reach Her Highness¡¯s ears, Mola!¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll ditch you here!¡±


    ¡°Dragon Slayer?! The Princess?! What?!¡± Liscia cried.


    ¡°Dragon wha¡ª?!¡± Midway Halbert¡¯s retort, was a bone-chilling roar.


    ¡°RUUAAAAAAAA!!¡±


    ¡°Crap?! It¡¯s gaining on us!¡± Mola pumped her weary feet as if there was no tomorrow. ¡°DAAAAMN! Meikooooo!! Do something! You¡¯re a He-he-heavenly something! Never mind!¡±


    ¡°L-like I could!¡± Meiko kept gaining distance ahead of the group. ¡°I¡¯ll be better off with a Mimic! But not something like that!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you hug the Mimic back in the storage!¡± Mola retorted.


    ¡°On second thought, I don¡¯t want both!¡±


    ¡°Shit! To hell with this!¡± Mola removed her left glove. Holding it by the tip, she jumped. Then in a quick succession, after slamming the portion of the glove encrusted with shards, she turned around and pitched. ¡°Eat my sweat you monster!¡±


    Shortly, a fireball burst from behind the group, followed by an explosion of light shards and a whirl of wind blades.


    At the same moment Mola threw her glove, the group took a glance once more, hoping that beast chasing them would be defeated. However, rather than quell their fear, the burst of light had further redeemed the features of the beast.


    ¡°RUAAAA!¡± the beast wailed.


    Thin springy limbs with webbed palms. Quadrupedal. Cushion-like sacs underneath its palms and frog-like toenails. A long and thin body covered with a thick skin dancing between flesh and rust. An elongated neck with a head shaped like a venomous snake. A long tail reared with a gourd at its end.


    ¡°Just what is that really?!¡± Liscia cried as they continued their struggle. ¡°And since when did something like that existed?! Even Academia¡¯s roster of beasts never included such a thing! Ahahaha! Go back to the forest you strange reptile!¡±


    Fortunately for the group, the beast naturally stops at fixed intervals. Adding the fact that the beast was sensitive to bright lights, they managed to make a decent distance between them and the beast. However, despite their efforts, the beast caught up with them.


    ¡°Those feet are annoying!¡± Halbert shouted.


    The fact that the beast was large in stature, and the fact that the area was unusually spacious, enough to fit three galleons side by side, the sound of its footsteps were rather suppressed. It was as if they were against an invisible enemy with the minimal light the area provided.


    ¡°This is the worst! If only alloys were easy to mold like earth, then we won¡¯t have a problem!¡± Mola complained. Ever since she entered the labyrinth, she found that a first level Earth Magic would be useless. Much less the oh so convenient Earth Spike.


    Would Flare be enough?!  While Mola and the others were crying out questions and insults out of sheer desperation, Meiko searched through the dizzying number of Magic she could use.


    With her resolve filled to the brim, she began to chant while catching her breath. And then, in a rhythmic beat, Meiko planted her feet and took a pivot.


    I heed you! Grand Flare!


    ¡°Mei?!¡± Liscia shouted in surprise. ¡°Since when did yo¡ª?!¡±


    Right there and then, a flash of flame from a single point was born. The flame tottered between orange and blue and flew towards a Magic Circle. As it went through, a burst of flame lashed out.


    ¡°Wha¡ª...¡± Mola was left speechless. She tried to catch her breath as the flare devoured the beast.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Halbert muttered.


    One second. Two. Three. Then another three. The flame kept going up until the tenth second.


    Thud.


    At the same time, Meiko and the beast fell on their knees.


    ¡°Mei...¡± Liscia was troubled. However, she approached Meiko and supported her back to sit. Just¡­ just how large is her mana pool? And Grand Flare¡­ it¡¯s somewhere along the advanced level... Probably high up in the advance.


    ¡°Ruuu...¡± The beast lifted its roasted arm, quivering. As it did, some parts of charred skin peeled off, revealing an ooze of its juices. It didn¡¯t take long before the beast lost its balance and fell to the side like an unmoving object.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    On the other hand, I think I overdid it¡­ Meiko thought.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hey, are you excited?¡± Amelia teased, smiling mischievously.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Argent replied with a sigh.


    ¡°Mel, she¡¯ll come, right? I wonder how she¡¯ll take this?¡± Amelia giggled.


    ¡°Why are you even here?¡± Argent glared, sitting in front of a coffee table inside a vacant parlor. ¡°Do you really have that much free time? And why don¡¯t you bug someone else? And can¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying to relax here?!¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Amelia approached from the door with Kanna in tow. She sat down opposite Argent, placed an elbow on the table and rested her cheek on her palm ¡°Yeah. I guess you could say that I have too much time now. To be honest, I¡¯m at a loss on what to do.¡±


    Argent lifted his cup and took a sip of his wine. ¡°I can¡¯t blame you. Even I find Father unreasonable for your current punishment.¡±


    ¡°Lia, I¡¯ll just sit here.¡± Reading the mood, Kanna took distance from the two and sat on a sofa.


    ¡°Thanks, Kanna.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the wyvern rider from before. It¡¯s nice to meet you again.¡±


    Kanna flashed a smile. ¡°Same here. Brother-in-law.¡±


    Amelia sighed after hearing Kanna¡¯s faint mutter. ¡°Argent, have you heard anything from Mother?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Heard about what?¡± Argent knitted his brows. ¡°If you meant Father¡¯s punishment, then no.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s lips curved into a frown. ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Why not go about as always? Get support from the Nobles and do your stuff? Like how you built the Duchy?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°It takes too much time. Just thinking about the amount of planning, negotiation, preparation, and execution¡­ Haah¡­ It¡¯s a hopeless case.¡±


    Argent scratched the back of his head. ¡°You¡¯re asking for the impossible if you wanted to sweep everything in one quick swoop.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°But what gives? What¡¯s with the rush?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Amelia played with her necklace.


    ¡°That really became a habit of yours.¡± Argent smiled.


    Amelia blinked her eyes. ¡°Which?¡±


    ¡°Playing with Grandfather¡¯s necklace. Whenever you¡¯re in deep trouble, you end up playing with it. Seems like a charm or some sort if you¡¯d ask me.¡±


    Amelia narrowed her eyes on Argent¡¯s neck. ¡°And you¡¯re about to catch the same habit, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Argent chuckled. ¡°Probably.¡± He pulled out a necklace with a ring dangling at its end.


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise Mother and Father allowed you to have Grandmother¡¯s ring.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just being considerate. I bet they wanted to keep it as well. Probably store it as an heirloom.¡±


    A moment of silence carved its way into the parlor.


    ¡°Say, Argent, if you could see Grandmother again, what wo¡ª¡±


    The chair rattled. ¡°I¡¯ll tell her how much I appreciate her upbringing. I¡¯ll tell her how much I missed her. How much I had fun when I grew up with her. ¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Argent realized his sudden burst and quietly sat.


    ¡°It¡¯s the opposite, Amelia. You need to involve people as much as you can. Or maybe you believe that you can resolve everything by relying on your own strength?¡±


    Amelia clenched her fist as she recalled Celes¡¯s words.


    Amelia reached out her hand and held Argent¡¯s ¡°Brother, will you believe me?¡±


    Argent expressed a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°Answer me, will you believe me?¡±


    Argent¡¯s mind was thrown into turmoil. ¡°It depends.¡±


    ¡°Then if I told you I know where Grandmother is, will you believe me?¡± Amelia stared at Argent¡¯s eyes as if looking through his soul.


    In response, Argent shivered at the unexpected situation. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Argent returned Amelia¡¯s gaze. ¡°Whatever information you have, be it truth or lie, I want it. I need it. If it¡¯s about Grandmother, then I won¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    Amelia freed Argent¡¯s hand and walked around the parlor, leaving Argent in deeper confusion. A while after Amelia searched through the nearby drawers¡ªand after closing the curtains¨Cshe returned to her seat and handed Argent the scissors she found. The remaining source of light was but a light ball hovering behind Amelia.


    ¡°Kanna, please lock the door for a moment. Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡±


    ¡°What gives?¡± Argent shifted his sight between the scissors and Amelia.


    ¡°Trust me.¡± In a matter of seconds, Amelia deployed an illusion surrounding her and Argent, to which he did not notice.


    Amelia kneeled beside Argent and made him point his scissors underneath her chin.


    ¡°Oi. Are you mad?! Just what do you think are you making me do?!¡± Argent tried to pull his hand away, but Amelia won¡¯t budge. ¡°What are you doing?! We both know this is dangerous!¡±


    Amelia closed her eyes and muttered, ¡°Open.¡±


    Suddenly a rift in space appeared.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡±


    And the rift devoured both Argent and Amelia. Not knowing where the rift led, Argent unconsciously shut his eyes. The moment he opened his eyes, a giant block of ice stood behind the kneeling Amelia.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Amelia muttered. ¡°I should have shown you this sooner.¡±


    One ridiculous situation after another. It was thoroughly bad for Argent¡¯s heart.


    Once. Twice. Argent blinked his eyes, unable to believe the reality before him. ¡°Is that¡ª?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    Before his eyes, Argent¡¯s efforts crumbled like a tower smashed at its foundation. The time he took to investigate. The web he eagerly expanded. The leads he found. The failures he encountered. His reason for putting up a front that imitated his Father. Everything. Everything collapsed.


    ¡°Since¡­ when...?¡± A rush of mixed emotions devoured his being.


    Amelia tightened her grip on Argent¡¯s hand. ¡°Since I restored the treaty with the Tribe.¡±


    Argent shifted his sight to Amelia, his jaw quivering. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us? Why did you hide it from everyone? If things did not go bad for you! If Father had not brought you back here! Would you have shown me?! Would you have told me?!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Answer me!¡± Argent¡¯s arm trembled. He now realized what the scissors were for. ¡°Do you think everything will be over if I drove this into your neck?!¡± The tip of the scissors reached Amelia¡¯s skin.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you speak?! I have so many questions to ask you!¡±


    ¡°I had no hand in this.¡±


    ¡°Impossible! Then how did you retrieve Grandmother?!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Amelia rasped her teeth. ¡°It! Wasn¡¯t! Me!¡±


    ¡°Then how would you explain this?!¡± Blood rushed towards Argent¡¯s head. But his conflicting feelings stopped him from doing any action.


    ¡°I can¡¯t! I can¡¯t explain it, do you understand?! Even I don¡¯t know how it ended up like this! I know it¡¯s me being selfish, but I didn¡¯t want you, Father or Mother to see her! Because I don¡¯t know how I would explain it! I mean, if I told all of you that an all-powerful being retrieved her, would you believe me unconditionally?! Besides! All I know is that I have access to where her body lies! I don¡¯t even know where this place is!¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°I know! Which is why I want you to believe me! All I know is that Grandmother was caught by the Fairies! And Grandfather worked his way to retrieve her!¡±


    Argent gritted his teeth. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t Grandfather tell anyone if that was the case?! He¡¯s not the only one who cared for Grandmother!¡±


    ¡°He did! He told me in a roundabout! Perhaps he did tell you too! He always consoled me that Grandmother is touring the world with butterflies! But maybe, just like you and me, he took everything to himself, not wanting to drag anyone else in the ridiculous situation he was put into!¡±


    ¡°Gh!¡± Argent could not deny it. He himself knew the feeling of taking the situation by his own hands and not relying on anyone else.


    ¡°For now, I want you to decide! Drive it or not! And don¡¯t worry about leaving a corpse behind, because I¡¯ll stay here if you decide to do so and return you to the parlor!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sick, Amelia!¡±


    ¡°So what if I am?! I have always been since everyone left me!¡±


    Argent pulled the scissors out as Amelia relaxed her arm. Then, after throwing the scissors away, he raised his arm.


    Slap!


    ¡°You really have a death wish, don¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°¡­ So what if I had?¡± Amelia remained kneeling, retaining her gaze on the floor beside her. Her shoulder shook up and down as she expressed a laugh. ¡°Do you even know how it feels to know that you¡¯re the center of the conflict you never wanted to be into?¡±


    Argent knitted his brows. ¡°¡­ Are you running away again? Are you trying to blame your situation so you could have a reason to give up?¡±


    ¡°Brother, does this look like a person running away?¡± Little by little, Amelia¡¯s horn manifested before Argent¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is forsaking my humanity running away?¡± Amelia laughed.


    ¡°Just what¡ª¡±


    ¡°Big Brother. I decided to not do the same as before. I don¡¯t intend to do everything on my own. No, perhaps, if someone did not let me realize it, I¡¯d still be doing things on my own. But she¡¯s right. She¡¯s frighteningly correct. There are things that I can and can¡¯t do. I¡¯m not perfect. Not even after throwing what I used to be.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this for now. Clarissa would be arriving soon. We can¡¯t have her wait.¡± Amelia stood and turned the other way. It didn¡¯t take long before the surroundings returned to the parlor with Amelia¡¯s horn out of sight. ¡°For now, please think about it. I¡¯ll hear your answer afterward.¡±


    Amelia left Argent speechless and fetched Kanna. Even after closing the door, Argent remained standing with mixed emotions plastered on his face.

 Chapter 83: Moving Forward 2

    ¡°Auguste dear, did you really not plan something?¡±


    Moments before Clarissa¡¯s arrival, Diane and Auguste had a little chat on their throne.


    Auguste took a deep sigh. ¡°None. Zero. In fact, I think I overdid it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ All this time you avoided Amelia was just to sort your mind?¡± Diane was perturbed. Such reason was unthinkable. ¡°Auguste, that¡¯s unbecoming of you. You do know that detaining your daughter unreasonably would allow hate to grow between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it, Diane. I¡¯m bothered. Deeply bothered.¡± Auguste roamed his eyes around the throne room. There was nothing. Only the moonlight and light balls visited the empty room. ¡°There is this itch that I kept feeling whenever I¡¯m around Amelia. Although I don¡¯t know what it is, I feel that there¡¯s something.¡±


    ¡°Auguste, I have to remind you. Your instincts are often on the mark, but it isn¡¯t perfect.¡± Diane held Auguste¡¯s hand on the armrest. She slid her slim fingers from the back of his hand till his forearm. ¡°You were injured once. It was a fool¡¯s action. But I can remember how deep the cut was.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Auguste¡¯s open and clenched his hand, trying to recall the sensation of losing control of his own hand. ¡°But this and that are different. That time was a battlefield. This time, it¡¯s about our daughter.¡±


    ¡°So you won¡¯t budge.¡±


    ¡°Not an inch. Not unless I found out what is happening.¡± Auguste looked to his side. There sat his sword he used against Amelia to own his trust. Just recalling how they fought each other gave him a sense of regret. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have given her a handicap.¡±


    ¡°Auguste. A loss is a loss.¡±


    Auguste chuckled. ¡°She did grow to be a strong woman. But honestly, it¡¯s making me uneasy. The more she grows stronger, the more she¡¯ll end up in the front lines. Just imagining it makes me worry about her future.¡±


    Diane leaned on her throne. ¡°I feel the same. But I cannot blame her. Given what she has been through, it was obvious that she¡¯d make it her wish to continue Father¡¯s dream. In that sense, I hate Father.¡±


    Auguste laughed. ¡°To think that you¡¯d fail to douse your daughter with the reality of what she¡¯s after, it kind of makes me think she surpassed you in some ways.¡±


    ¡°No, Auguste. I did not fail to make her realize the difficulty of what she sought. Her sheer will was what ferried her through the ordeals we have given. However, on that matter, I accept that she has beaten me. In fact, I thought she¡¯d give up halfway through.¡± Diane massaged her forehead. ¡°But I have to say, never in my life did I imagine that she¡¯d grow up like this.¡±


    A weary smile crept on Auguste¡¯s face. ¡°So did I.¡±


    ¡°That matter aside, Auguste, it seemed that Hero Charles took an interest in Amelia.¡± Diane slid her fingers between Auguste¡¯s. ¡°I feel uneasy.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Auguste shut his eyes and imagined a course of action. ¡°That boy, Maxwell. He was taking care of it, right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°What about the other Heroes?¡±


    ¡°So far, it was only Hero Charles. Regarding Hero Meiko¡­ Judging by how you were acting recently, I believe you already knew.¡±


    Auguste nodded. ¡°The other two?¡±


    ¡°They remain in Libet.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s only Charles.¡± Auguste look beyond the window and said, ¡°Your plans? How will you interact with the Heroes.¡±


    ¡°Them coming from Libet makes them a potential enemy rather than an ally. So far, I have ordered to not let a Hero go through the borders. But I believe it isn¡¯t enough to stop them. Regarding Charles, it¡¯s fortunate enough that he intended to go through a formal process of meeting with our daughter. It¡¯s a relief. However, when it comes to engaging the Heroes, I believe we have none who can match up to them¡­ not unless we employed the Tribe¡¯s help.¡±


    Auguste¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He then recalled the Tribe¡¯s recent victory against a dragon. ¡°Right. They manage to take one down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Nobles are thrilled that we are allied to such a force. However, I can¡¯t see them acting under our military.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Their and our goals are different.¡±


    ¡°True. But it¡¯s sad to say our military force is not formidable.¡±


    Auguste clenched his fist. ¡°We have been living in peace for a long time. It has dulled the blades our knights and soldiers. Even the horses bred for war are now being used for transportation. It¡¯s inevitable. Our ancestors have focused much on prosperity in the name of peace, leaving our military to wither.¡±


    ¡°So it seems.¡± Diane stood and walked a step down the throne. ¡°Other than a fight with stamina, I believe our only choice is to engage them in wits.¡±


    Auguste stood behind Diane and held her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Diane. I know I¡¯m giving you most of the burden, but you¡¯re the only one who can handle this. But I promise you this. In a year, Laurel¡¯s strength would increase.¡±


    Diane snickered. ¡°A year? Just that much?¡±


    Auguste chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be haughty now. I know you¡¯ve been imposing an image on Argent and Amelia, but don¡¯t push yourself too much. I myself know how much you wanted to act as an ordinary Mother.¡±


    Diane took another step down the throne. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Auguste. Argent and Amelia must learn. We have accepted the mask of royalty, so we must wear it until the time to pass it towards another actor.¡±


    Auguste walked passed Diane and looked up to her. ¡°One of these days. As a family, let¡¯s all go out.¡±


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    An endearing smile found itself on Diane¡¯s expression. ¡°I wonder how Argent and Amelia would react once they see us far removed from usual.¡±


    Auguste laughed. ¡°I bet they¡¯ll ask if we really are their parents.¡±


    ¡­


    Empty. The night sky was vacant apart from the clouds and the stars, but it felt rather empty. No, it might have been me who felt it was empty. However, I could see nothing. Feel nothing. Sense nothing. Hence, I concluded it was empty.


    I raised my arm and placed my palm against the window. With a wine on my other hand, I raised it and downed a mouthful. It was a waste for a wine of such quality. However, matters were different. The night was different. My life became different.


    To be precise, it was the same life I lived since I stood on my own. But it was shattered, mercilessly, unforgivably. To think the that my sister would be the person to trample over my efforts was unexpected. Truly. Daunting even.


    Most of all, ¡°Why now?¡±


    Of all the possible time she could have told me the truth, why was it now? A time when I was supposed to meet Clarissa? Collecting all the information I had and my knowledge as her brother, I came to one conclusion.


    Desperation.


    Right. That sister of mine. That insane sister of mine, Amelia, was desperate. There was no shred of doubt that lingered in my mind when the thought came to be.


    I knew it. I felt it in her firm hold of my hand as she pointed the scissors'' blade at her own neck. She herself probably knew it was an act, but her taking the action itself said otherwise.


    However, something felt off. Something was completely amiss. And to be honest, my emotions were in a complete jumble. It was like a pile of rubble from the once collapsed ideals of mine. But her words took a root inside my mind.


    ¡°Is forsaking my humanity running away?¡±


    I could not take it out of my mind. Those words, rather than inducing my hatred from keeping me away from the truth, it invited an inexplicable emotion. Because, first of all, I never knew how it felt to throw away my own humanity. Rather, I never knew a way to trade my humanity for something else. It could be possible if one offered his soul to a demon, but tall tales were far from reality. Demons, from the very start, was a term coined by the massive religious organization of Libet. So, for those who knew the facts, there was not a well-known method to trade one¡¯s humanity for something else.


    Satire.


    However, the horns that grew from her head felt real. Though I knew my sister could conjure an illusion and delude me, the look in her eyes convinced me. It was the very same eyes she held onto me when she wanted to save her Maidservant, Erina, from being sentenced. They were eyes resigned to the only path she could tread to move forward.


    But emotions sure are fickle. Whether I should remain with this inexplicable emotion or tread the path towards wrath was unknown.


    Or maybe it was fear. Yes, it could have been fear. Possibly.


    Her strength completely outmatched mine. It was not even on the level of a child against an adult. Perhaps a child against an experienced knight would be fitting. Still, it was heart-rending. Who knew? Who knew that she gained such strength by denying her humanity? Or rather, would she still hold the same principles as humans afterward? It could have been a misguided question, but it was unsettling to know that you are dealing with an unknown.


    Besides, what are the side-effects of losing one¡¯s humanity? Would her sanity be the same as before? If perhaps she had become part of those long-lived races, would her concept of time change? Would her habits change? Would her tendencies change?


    There was no definite answer. Which was why I was locked down in place with thoughts running in an endless loop.


    ¡°How did it come to this?¡±


    I focused on learning how to rule. How to spread influence and the like. All the while making use of it to gain information about Grandmother. At one point, I came to notice that it was useless to search for clues around the palace, despite it being the last location she was last seen.


    Strange it was, that was what I came to after years of information gathering. But behold, despite my efforts, my sister who had her mind set on an entirely different matter found her¡ªeven retrieved her. Funny. Laughable. It was as if the Gods came down from their realm to mock the time I have spent.


    Should I?


    The thought crossed my mind several times. Maybe I should seek Mother¡¯s advice about this unbelievable situation. However, I hesitated. I did not know how would they react. I could not imagine how things would flow if end up exposing her secret.


    ¡°Your Highness, the carriage is about to leave.¡± The voice across the room interrupted my state of mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± I answered.


    The moment I sat in the carriage, my butler inquired my mental preparation.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I knew Clarissa since we were children. We are no complete strangers. However, getting to know her once more would probably the best action I could take.¡±


    My butler rattled on, expressing his joy regarding the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. However, my being remained muted caused him to smile regardless. Perhaps he thought I was in a deep thought about me and Clarissa¡¯s future.


    I should get to the bottom of this. I swore. I swore as I quelled the raging fire within my core. Amelia, you have a lot of explaining to do.


    Getting swept by my emotions and resorting to violence would do me no good. Or even, is violence even a choice now that my sister is completely out of my league? Knowing her, perhaps she would let me release these smoldering emotions.


    I shook my head as I thought of it.


    Truth. The truth must come first before the verdict. Yes. That is how it should work. Royal or not, it is Laurel¡¯s law. I must abide with it as a future ruler.


    It did not take long before we arrived at our destination. The location was in the midst of the Noble division of Aves, where a Grand Hall stood for such occasions. Usually, events as such are held in the palace, however, following after tradition, the next candidate was this Hall.


    Unimportant matters aside, I arrived and mingled with the Nobles. They raised questions and hinted their expectation of my being King. But such matters were not of importance.


    ¡°We will see when the time comes.¡± A safe answer. Then another.


    The clock ticked, but she has yet to come. My sister has yet to arrive.


    Why?


    I have expected her to be the first to arrive, aside from Mark, among us siblings, but she was nowhere in sight. I had asked the Nobles if they came across her. Unfortunately, she had not arrived.


    Maybe she backed out to give me some time to think. Or perhaps, she wanted me to spend the night with Clarissa. But such rash action would earn Mother¡¯s and Father¡¯s questioning gazes. After all, to the Nobles, it may seem like she had not fully given her consent on my and Clarissa¡¯s betrothal¡ªdespite her and Maxwell declaring it themselves.


    I shook my head in denial.


    No, she should arrive. She must arrive. There¡¯s no telling what rumors could have spread if she did not arrive.


    Possibly, it could become a hole for the Nobles who were against the marriage to undermine.


    Soon, Mother and Father arrived.


    ¡°Where is your sister, Amelia?¡± Mother asked, unsmiling.


    ¡°She has yet to arrive.¡±


    I did not miss it, the twitch in her lips. I was sure Mother¡¯s blood was starting to boil. The disgrace my sister brought, for Mother, who was present, it was inexcusable.


    Mother walked towards Father¡¯s celebratory throne and delivered the matter¡ªwhich cast a frown. Immediately after, a knight walked after Mother and Father and delivered another message. This time, the news warped their faces in distraught.


    Curiosity urged my feet, but that same curiosity froze me in place.


    My sister, Amelia, went missing.

 Chapter 84: Moving Forward 3

    The sound of my saliva sliding down my throat never felt this loud. It was like a drum beating the side of my ears. It was at the point where I was hoping that the sound it produced would never reach the other side of the closet.


    Each time my trembling body rubbed against the clothes in my surroundings, my heart seemed to stop. The sound it emitted, though originally trivial, felt like the sound of a lashing whip. There was no helping it. Surely, my brother, Maxwell Brent, would understand what I was feeling. But I was alone. Far away from home and in a land where I was supposed to meet my betrothed.


    What is happening¡­?


    There were none who could answer my question but the eerie silence. A few answers came to mind, but I never thought of a situation as such would arise. Were they trying to prevent Brent and Laurel from having a solid bond? That I did not know. However, it was the most probable reason that came to mind¡ªwhich I hoped not to be the truth.


    Libet. Or maybe it was Niveria¡¯s last princess? It¡¯s highly likely to be Libet. However, how come? How come they managed to infiltrate the capital, Aves?


    Strategically, Aves was at the center of Laurel. However, at the same time, it was wide open as it faces the Sea of Formos. Perhaps it was there, at the port, where those who wanted to take me had infiltrated.


    Was it even possible?


    I was sure the Royals of Laurel knew that opening from long ago, hence the heavy security at the port. I myself witnessed that fact, so my conjecture felt off.


    Not unless it was a conspiracy¡­


    My mind was running in a full throttle despite my haphazard breathing. I kept constructing a plan on how to escape, but to my dismay, there were none that felt right. All I could think of was get out of the closet and break into a run. Really, being unfamiliar with the land was a huge disadvantage. At best, I could only regret.


    Suddenly, my hair stood at its end. One by one, doorknobs clocked and doors swung. It was a bit far, but the sound came closer and closer.


    I shut my eyes and held my knees. Please, let me go.


    ¡°Are you there?! Answer me!¡±


    The voice was not familiar, but the hint of urgency gave me the slightest bit of hope.


    I urged my stiff arms and pried the closet open, just enough for me to peek through a gap. I waited patiently for the door to swung open. I betted my all in that single hope, in that voice. At each gulp, at each door opened, my beating heart ran faster. Then, as soon as the door opened, my tension overflowed.


    ¡°You¡¯re there, right?¡± The unfamiliar girl said.


    She flashed a smile and looked in my direction. It was a wonder how she immediately noticed me from the closet, but it was a relief. I was so relieved that a vague heat rose into my eyes and started a dribble of tears.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± With uneasy and trembling steps, I came out of the closet.


    Even before she took my hands, I kept muttering my gratitude. Although she was small, her confident eyes washed my unease away. Even the uncharacteristic sword hanging at her hip felt pleasant.


    ¡°Lia wants to apologize in advance,¡± the girl muttered as we ran through the hallway.


    ¡°Lia...? Ah...¡± It did not take me long to recognize the name. After all, Brother kept on calling her in that nickname. There was no way for me, who sometimes becomes a sounding board for him, to not remember.


    ¡°Is she around?¡± My tension rose once more. ¡°She could be in danger if she is.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    I felt it. I have seen it. The girl¡¯s lips curved into a frown.


    ¡°Yeah, Lia could be in danger.¡±


    We ran down the stairs and reached the door towards the garden.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave her, but she told me that I was the only one she could trust to retrieve you. The guards surrounding her could not quell her worry, so I decided to accept the job of rescuing you.¡±


    This time, it was my turn to be quiet.


    ¡°However, in return, I gave her a condition.¡± The girl pulled harder as I started to regain strength from my stiff legs. ¡°I would move alone and all the guards would remain on her side.¡±


    It made sense.


    I urged my feet forward. A few seconds saved meant the world to me. My situation was not the least pleasing, but it would do well if it did not befall her instead.


    ¡°I believe it would be best if you leave that girl here, little girl.¡± The husky voice came from behind a nearby tree. As soon as he revealed himself, the little girl took a stance with her sword.


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    ¡°At least call me by name, Kanna.¡± She took a step ahead of me and lowered her back. ¡°And I believe you¡¯re mistaken for calling your elder a little girl. After all, I¡¯m probably at least twice to thrice older than you.¡±


    ¡°An Elf huh.¡± The man pulled a broadsword from his back, reflecting a shade of the moon onto his masked face. ¡°Quite rare but unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°Close, but not quite.¡± Kanna chuckled. ¡°Clarissa, you don¡¯t have to mind this guy. Focus on the surroundings instead. Try not to get caught in an ambush.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I nodded and roamed my eyes. It was dark, but the silence was enough for me to keep my focus. I must not become a burden.


    Anxious, I gripped my necklace laced with three Sacrificial Crystals. I took a few glances from behind to ascertain Kanna¡¯s condition. However, it was for naught.


    From the point when Kanna took a dash, I have only heard a single clash of blades. Never did I thought that it would end swiftly.


    Kanna gripped the hilt of her sword and kicked the man from behind, freeing her embedded sword from his body.


    ¡°Clarissa, come, quick. I don¡¯t want to waste a few more minutes with these guys.¡±


    I wanted to utter a rebuttal that it only took her a few seconds rather than a minute, but it seemed unnecessary. Thus, again, we resumed our flight.


    ¡°Kanna, you¡¯re really good.¡±


    ¡°It just happens that I¡¯m small and quick with my feet. It¡¯s a battle of who hits who first after all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re unusually fast.¡±


    ¡°I guess an elf¡¯s stature and an ounce of a dwarf¡¯s strength is responsible for that.¡±


    Kanna pulled harder than before, but I could not blame her. It was a race for time. Still, a mix of an elf and a dwarf. It was an unfitting combination based on their history, but the result was nothing to scoff at.


    Not long before we took the road outside the manor and raced towards the palace.


    ¡°This is far enough. I believe I can find a guard roaming around here. You should get back to her.¡±


    I was afraid. I was not even sure if I could find a guard before I get caught by one of those unknown assailants, but I stomached my fear.


    Kanna shook her head. ¡°Then we have to find a guard.¡±


    Luckily, it did not take long before we found one. And as soon as we did, Kanna requested the sword hanging by his hip. In order to help, I took out my emblem, the proof as a royal of Brent.


    ¡°This girl saved my life. I request that you let her borrow your sword in order to aid Her Highness Amelia, who has engaged the unknown threat.¡±


    I did not have time to explain the situation. So I requested the guard to take me to the palace. Nor did I know the reason why Kanna wanted a second sword.


    ¡°Kanna, thank you for everything.¡± I bowed. ¡°I swear by this emblem, I will inform the King and the Queen of the situation and request help.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± With the sword in hand, Kanna dashed towards the Manor I¡¯ve been staying.


    ¡°Now, to straighten things out...¡± As soon as Kanna¡¯s figure faded into the night, my knees buckled. ¡°That¡­ was horrifying...¡±


    <hr>


    They fell one after the other¡ªthe guards my Father posted around me. It was not even a contest. It was a matter of whom met whom. And unfortunately, they met someone they should have not and lost. However, what I found odd was the eerie silence. The evidence of battle. And lastly, the remains of the defeated. However, the scent of blood lingered.


    ¡°Your Highness, save yoursel¡ª¡±


    An arrow drove into the guard¡¯s skull, ending his life after a few convulsions. A few seconds after, like the other guards that fell around me, he vanished. Armor, weapon, the arrow stuck in his head, and the body itself. It all vanished without a trace. Perhaps it was the reason that there was no evidence of battle in the surroundings. It was also the reason that I was not able to grab a weapon for my own.


    ¡°You are rather composed for a girl.¡± The voice seemed like that of a girl. But her mask and her gaudy robes hid her features.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s useless to ask who you are?¡± I stood my ground, observing her every movement as she took a lap at a set distance around me.


    The girl returned my question with a shot of an arrow. Although the aim was lousy, it passed over my shoulder.


    ¡°So I was not mistaken that you knew none of it would hit.¡± The girl chuckled. ¡°Maybe the rumors held true after all, Silver Princess.¡±


    As soon as we met, the girl rained a barrage of arrows towards my direction. Or to be precise, towards my guards.


    However, it was completely odd. Otherworldly, perhaps. There was no sound of stretched bowstrings. There was no twang. Not even a bow was present in the vicinity. Even the likelihood of archers hiding nearby seemed unlikely when considering the number of arrows unleashed at such a short time. Even for magic, something like a standard arrow seemed impossible to conjure.


    ¡°Before anything, I would like to start with a line.¡± The girl took a bow similar to that of a butler, her hands empty. ¡°Shall we dance?¡±


    It seemed that she had a few loose screws in the head, but her ability says otherwise.


    It started off with another arrow suddenly appearing in mid-air. This time, I turned to the side and ducked to dodge the two arrows that came. Then with a twist and a jump, I evaded her incoming fist.


    ¡°Nice reflexes.¡±


    Before raising her swung fist, a sword materialized in her hand and drew an arc towards my arm. Manipulating the thin membrane of mana around my body, I took another jump. As soon as my feet touched the ground, numerous arrows flew.


    Just in time, I was able to raise my hand quipped with a bracelet and was able to conjure a barrier.


    Clatter. Clatter. Clatter. Clatter¡­


    It did not take long before the barrier cracked and break. But the time it gave was enough for me to move out of the arrows¡¯ pathway.


    So this is a Hero huh¡­


    I had to admit, her abilities far surpassed what I have imagined. However, it seemed like she had shown me too many of her cards. Although the principle seemed vague, it was enough to build an expectation on how she would move. Needless to say, being complacent was not an option.


    After a series of a cat and mouse chase, the rain of arrows seemed to decrease. In return, her robe vanished and revealed a set of leather armor.


    ¡°You¡¯re better than I expected. But unfortunately, buying time won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I kept my silence as another set of footsteps arrive from behind. Surprisingly, the owner was Veight. What followed was another set of footsteps from a man I was unfamiliar with. ¡°To have betrayed Mother, what has Hero Evelyn offered you, Veight?¡±


    After a moment of silence, I chuckled. I chuckled not because of my question not being answered or being surrounded with enemies on three sides. However, I chuckled at myself. I laughed at the crazy idea that came to mind. Perhaps I was really insane for coming up with such an idea.


    Gradually, bidding Kanna an apology, I raised my arms into the air. ¡°I surrender. It¡¯s my loss.¡±

 Chapter 85: Virtual and Reality 1

    Soon as Auguste, Diane, and Argent left the Grand Hall, unease descended on the Nobles. They began to question the situation. They asked the nearby guards. However, the guards responded with a simple shake of their heads. A gag order was immediately issued.


    Amid the confusion, a man announced his name. The man, or perhaps a boy, was Mark Laurel.


    ¡°Fear not!¡± He shouted, abreast with glee. ¡°I will ask my Father, His Majesty, the situation. Standing about in confusion in this hall is nothing but a waste of time. Let me deliver to you the details and let us act in kind to earn His Majesty¡¯s favor.¡±


    In Mark¡¯s statement, several Nobles were reluctant, but a few are willing to earn the favor. Some decided to observe, while the remaining fetched their private guards and started an individual investigation.


    After Mark confirmed the faces of those who thanked him, he followed his Father.


    <hr>


    Arriving at the palace, Auguste, Diane, and Argent rushed towards Clarissa¡¯s chamber. Surrounded by maidservants, Clarissa got up her bed as soon as the door swung open.


    ¡°His Majesty, Her Majesty, His Highness, I apologize.¡± Clarissa bowed low, imitating Laurel¡¯s form of apologizing.


    For one, the three were relieved to see Clarissa¡¯s safety.


    ¡°No, it is our shame. We have allowed the assailants to enter the capital and endangered your life.¡± Auguste bowed in return. Along with him bowed Diane and Argent.


    ¡°But I am relieved you are safe.¡± Diane sighed.


    A frown crept up Carissa¡¯s face. ¡°My safety. I owe it from Her Highness Amelia.¡±


    Clarissa could not weep over her servants¡¯ death. She felt she did not have the right, not until Amelia has safely returned. Strong she was in bottling her emotions, she could not help but dig her nails into her palms.


    A while ago, Auguste had ordered an explanation from the guard, to which the guard pointed to his captain. The captain, as a matter of protocol, explained the situation in detail, though filled with holes.


    After Auguste relayed what he knew to Clarissa, the maidservants were ordered to leave. As soon as they left, Auguste, Diane, Argent, and Clarissa sat around a tea table.


    ¡°It started when guards went missing one by one. It was as if they were abducted with no trails left behind. It felt like they just¡­ vanished,¡± Clarissa confessed, recalling her memories with a sour expression. ¡°Since then, my servants told me to hide since it was the silence around the manor was odd.¡±


    ¡°After stuffing myself in the closet, I waited and waited. But no one came, so I was really afraid. I feared what had become of my servants. I feared what would have become of me.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ after that, Kanna came.¡± Then Clarissa told the three how Kanna brought her to safety, but at the cost of Amelia. ¡°If only I was able to help Kanna¡­ then maybe¡­¡±


    Clarissa kept muttering her inaudible regrets.


    As Clarissa kept her head hung low, Argent reached his hand towards hers. ¡°Clarissa, it¡¯s fine. My sister would be glad to know you are safe if she were here. Besides, we cannot rule her safety just yet. There¡¯s still time to hunt the assailants, so we need your help to piece whatever information we can gather and get her back.¡±


    Argent¡¯s sudden action surprised Clarissa. Since, ever since he entered her chamber, Argent was visibly silent other than the time he apologized.


    ¡°Be at ease, Clarissa,¡± Diane added. ¡°My daughter does not give in easily, just as how your brother viewed her.¡±


    For a moment, Clarissa recalled his brother¡¯s ramblings regarding Amelia¡¯s continuous refusal, enabling her to express a light smile.


    ¡°Yes, I have to work hard. It¡¯s my turn to help her.¡±


    Relieved Argent was from Clarissa¡¯s response, he still could not find a reason as to how Amelia got herself caught in the situation.


    ¡°Where is Kanna?¡± Auguste then dragged them back to reality.


    ¡°I heard she¡­¡±


    After Kanna found an empty lot, she ran a lap around the manor, each time extending her distance from the manor. However, after expanding her search radius at about 500 meters, she gave up and nabbed a nearby horse. Afterward, she was last seen exiting Aves¡¯s western gate.


    Auguste frowned. He loathed Kanna¡¯s actions. He thought that Kanna should have shared what she knew before running off on her own.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the relationship between Kanna and Amelia, but I felt she was really afraid of losing her. So please, don¡¯t blame her for her rash actions. Since I too might have rushed out on my own to chase the assailants if it were for my family.¡±


    Auguste understood it very well, but he could not contain the rush of worry that had turned itself into anger.


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    ¡°There is still one who might have known some information,¡± Clarissa muttered.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Auguste asked.


    ¡°The coachman.¡±


    <hr>


    It all started when Lia ordered the coachman to divert from his course.


    ¡°Sorry, Kanna, I guess I¡¯ll have to pass on the event, after all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied, taking notice of her wry smile. ¡°I guess it¡¯s a bit awkward for you to see your brother after that, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lia shifted her sight towards the passing street.


    Although Lia did not tell me how it went when they entered the rift, her expressions and tone told me that it was not good.


    ¡°But where are we headed?¡± I asked, curious.


    ¡°I want to apologize to Clarissa. I¡¯ll tell her that I¡¯m feeling under the weather and cannot attend.¡±


    I nodded.


    A few minutes later, after Lia continuously communicated with the guards around the coach, Lia ordered a select few to rush towards the manor where Clarissa remained. However, after a few minutes, none came back.


    That was when I argued with Lia to take all the guards with her as I round the manor and retrieve Clarissa, to which she accepted.


    But¡­ she¡¯s gone¡­


    I could not describe with words how blank my mind went at that time. I just stood there, trying to take in the reality that she was gone, but refused to do so. From that point on, my mind was in a daze. I made rounds with nothing in mind, not knowing what to feel or what to express. Afterward, in just a random rush of emotions, I took off from Aves in hopes of finding a trail.


    Morning came and the horse fell down on the pathway, foaming at its mouth. On the other hand, all I could do was stare at its heaving body and my empty hands.


    ¡°Lia¡­¡± Rain trickled on a small area. ¡°Where are you¡­?¡±


    <hr>


    An inconceivable smile was plastered on Celestia¡¯s face. To think that she would express such a smile¡­ it was unthinkable¡ªat least during this time that Elena did not live. But then again, there was one person who could bring about such a smile. And that person was the same girl that she tasked me to play along with.


    [You seem filled with delight just now. Did something amusing happen?]


    ¡°Far interesting that you could imagine, Fenrir.¡±


    She skipped about on the massive roots of the Tree of Origin, making her way up on a small peak. In this sense, she was like a child dancing in glee¡ªto which I found utterly abnormal. Unbecoming, even. However, despite my bewildered expression, she kept skipping, jumping from one root to another as if flying.


    [Care to tell me?]


    Celestia shifted her sight towards me and leaned forward. ¡°You see, Amelia had dragged herself in a predicament with a Hero.¡± Then expressing a smile, a mischievous smile, she said, ¡°It would be a great learning experience for her.¡±


    [¡­] I could not help but keep my silence. After all, rejoicing at the sight of others in a predicament was hardly understandable. However, given that Celestia was that kind of being, there was a sliver of sense for her to rejoice. But knowing Amelia¡¯s condition, it was neither here nor there. Or so to say, I found it hard to make use of that silver lining to rejoice over her predicament.


    ¡°Oh, it seems you don¡¯t share the same joy I am feeling right now.¡±


    [Unlikely.] I jumped over a nearby root and turned my head towards her, gesturing my paw towards the massive tree in the distance. [But do explain as we head to our destination.]


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a leisure pace then.¡±


    We passed by various creatures as we walked. Normally, it was unthinkable that such creatures would be present in a subspace¡ªsince subspaces needed a mechanism to replicate weather conditions for creatures to live for a long period of time. Nevertheless, there was no creature who expressed hostility towards us. They themselves knew the difference in strength.


    [I have been using the same words to ask you, but I¡¯ll ask it anyway. Celestia, what are you planning?]


    ¡°Nothing in particular.¡± She snapped her finger and reached her hand towards a root crawling in her direction. Once in her range, she grabbed the transparent marble at the end of the root and continued as if nothing occurred. ¡°I¡¯m just glad there¡¯s a chance for her to grow with her actions alone.¡±


    [¡­ Then I guess it is worth the expectation.]


    ¡°Very so.¡±


    In that matter, I understood what she meant. Amelia, for one, was exceptional. As a half-baked Divine, her growth rate was alarming if compared to an average Divine. Still, she has yet to reach a full year and far was from harnessing her full extent. On another note, though her knowledge is considerable, there were numerous things she overlooked.


    However, her overlooking the scattered hints was what Celestia and I expected. Immediately noticing and understanding the principles of the things happening in her surroundings was unthinkable.


    [But I must say, what you are expecting to happen is unlikely.] Knowing Celestia, and the amount of joy she expressed, it was probable that the situation took her favor.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t douse my expectation like that. We don¡¯t know the result yet, after all.¡± Passing the marbles between her fingers, she continued. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m betting that she¡¯ll notice something, at least. If not, well, nothing. A coincidence wasted, if anything.¡±


    [¡­ You did not tell her the whole story, but you¡¯re still hopeful. It¡¯s hard to believe, to be honest.]


    ¡°I did not lie? And besides, that information isn¡¯t necessary. She might turn towards mass massacre if I did? But would it be a massacre if she did on criminals?¡± Celestia giggled. ¡°With her authority, it¡¯s not an event I cannot foresee. But such method is distasteful. It won¡¯t be hard to imagine that such a method would exponentially increase her mental burden anyway.¡±


    [You know well you can manipulate memories.]


    ¡°Resorting to such is a no. A definite no.¡± Celestia frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make a monster, after all. I¡¯m raising her as my kin.¡±


    [It¡¯s hard to believe that you don¡¯t see your kin and yourself as a monster.]


    ¡°Because we are not?¡± Celestia tilted her head.


    [You are the only being that believes that.]


    ¡°I wonder? If I showed myself to humans, they won¡¯t see me as a monster, probably. At that point, you¡¯re wrong. Not unless if we¡¯re talking about Divine beings alone.¡±


    [¡­ Your adamant denial is somewhat¡ª]


    ¡°Somewhat¡ª?¡±


    [No. Nothing. We¡¯ve arrived anyway. Let¡¯s get this done.]


    Celestia giggled. ¡°Cut short by the trip, is it?¡± After her casual remark, she vanished like a wisp of smoke.


    [No matter what, I can¡¯t help to think that guarding the surroundings of this tree is meaningless,] Fenrir muttered to himself. [Still, I can¡¯t help but wonder what is inside.]


    I had lost count of the time I guarded the Tree of Origin each time Celestia entered its midst. In those countless times, there was never an issue or was there any attack. I simply stood in attention as I raised my senses as if preparing for a battle that would immediately break out. However, just like those times, nothing significant happened.


    ¡°And we¡¯re done for the day.¡± Celestia reappeared as quick as she vanished.


    Just like usual, Celestia would say her short farewell and I would return to the far ends of the graves. Still, no one knew what was happening inside the Tree of Origin. Or if Celestia was really entering the tree. In any case, all I knew that each time she approached the tree, she held a marble and returned with none.


    At some point, it was meaningless to ask. Celestia would always ignore the question and change the subject. It was up to the point that even her siblings, the True Divines, did not know what was inside the tree. Nevertheless, it can only be assumed that it was one of the main tasks solely given to her by the Gods that created her.


    In any case, I guess it would be better off to listen in on Amelia¡¯s predicament. I myself felt curious after encountering Celestia¡¯s unusual response.

 Chapter 86: Virtual and Reality 2

    My name is Evelyn Wald. In this world, I was one of the four summoned Heroes.


    Usually, for the sake of the target audience, Limited Player Online games cater to a specific gender. For instance, it could be a situation where four male Heroes, or players, were summoned. The same was true with the opposite. The difference between the games who specified a target gender was huge, to the point that they could be separated as games of a different genre¡ªwell, not that I cared anyway.


    Either way, most LMOs that did not show a bias or preference towards one gender came out to be more of a serious type of a game. By serious, I meant realistic, or at least that was how I would describe it.


    It was realistic in a sense that the NPCs had a mind of its own. They were given an array of emotions. A set of memories. A series of tasks where it would not be seen a merely repetitive. In short, the NPCs were given life. A fake life. Regarding how, I did not know. But from what I knew, the first NPCs with emotions came along with the rise of quantum computation.


    Originally, NPCs were mere tools to progress a story. Those kinds of games were generally linear. They did not branch out to unexpected events outside of the pre-determined set of scenarios. However, those linear games remained. After all, they were games that required a fixed amount of resources, unlike LMOs which needed to expand the situation based on the series of events.


    In fact, LMOs are not that popular as it seemed years ago. Though everyone was hyped to play and be part of a realistic game, it did not last long. For one, the difficulty cannot be changed. One could even say that it was hardcore. Little actions that the players deemed trivial resulted into large ordeals. Merely following orders drove them into a situation where they were used and betrayed. Failing to gather information and letting a faraway village burn down punched a hole into the state of the kingdom.


    There were countless examples, but most punished the player in an unimaginable way. Or at least for casual people who barely knew anything about management, information gathering, terrain, logistics, laws, and much more, it was a ridiculous turn of events. So ridiculous that people started to whine that it was supposed to be a game.


    A game where they could relax and relieve their stress. A game where they could be competitive. A game where there are more rewards than punishment. A game where it replicates reality, but not as realistic as possible. The list of complaints goes on.


    So, in the end, LMOs never became popular. That was when I thought that humans were a bunch of asses. Get good people.


    However, LMO¡¯s existence never vanished. Why? Because of data.


    Around the world, companies and countries began to support organizations that focused on replicating reality through virtual means. From the perspective of these governments, there were a number of beneficial information that could be gained.


    One of those benefits is replicating history. Though the reason seemed dull for outsiders, it was a complicated topic. By replicating history, governments gained information on the rise and fall of civilizations, and the reasons and triggers behind it. Although that is one reason, there are still more to it which is kind of hard to explain.


    Either way, another reason is behavioral observation. Wise governors or world leaders needed this the most. By pairing behavioral patterns with the current data, it opened more possibilities and options when predicting the future turn of events.


    Another of which I knew was a means to investigate if simulating a world was possible. Though it sounded ridiculous at first, the theory was hard to deny and was hard to affirm. So, in trying to simulate a world, they take a step in realizing what the world is.


    All that said, I was one of those who were under those organizations. The main reason is that I was born disabled. So you could say that I was a lab rat.


    Obviously, as technology rose, so does the medical field, but not proportionally, of course. However, my disability was not something that could easily be cured despite the breakthroughs.


    Did I ever regret that I was born? No. Never.


    Honestly, I would say I was in luck. I could proudly say that dealing with others is hard. Since every time I watched the news or surf the net, ridiculous events popped in. Sometimes it was so ridiculous that I found myself losing hope in humanity. So, I¡¯m glad. Glad that I was not outside. Glad that the risk of meeting such ridiculous fate was nil.


    Though I said it was hard to deal with others, it did not necessarily mean that I was hard pressed when speaking with people. It¡¯s just that I have disgust that I cannot explain myself.


    In any case, being part of those who could play games to my heart¡¯s content, I could say that I¡¯m happy. Happy enough that I could easily forget of my disability. It¡¯s the best.


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    Anyway, ever since I was summoned, I felt bored. But I was excited too, but I could not let it show.


    Ah, what a clich¨¦.


    Ever since we met the King and received a briefing, I thought that the situation was boring. I mean, wasn¡¯t it too obvious that the King wanted to rein us? Sending a handsome yet inexperienced knight into my chamber, what a sick joke. I mean, seriously? That¡¯s what you had in store? But well, in a way, it worked. It worked on that dumb Clark. And although I was not sure, it seemed that it worked on Charles too? What a letdown. Did the competing organizations even think about whom to send as a representative? Well, whatever. Less competition, the better.


    SLAP!


    Ouch. That has got to hurt.


    ¡°Of all people! You! You! Ugh!¡±


    Right before me was my seething client. The client was a blonde woman wearing a mask punched with simple holes. Though her facial features were hidden, it was obvious to me who the woman was.


    Collapsed before the woman was our hostage. Obviously, she was chained in both hands and feet, collared around the neck, gagged with a dirty cloth, and blindfolded. One could say it was excessive, but it was necessary. Despite that, she was conscious, or at least I felt.


    ¡°Why did you have to meddle?!¡± The woman kicked the collapsed girl repeatedly.


    I shrugged.


    She¡¯s still your step-daughter, you know? That kind of treatment. Did you hate her that much? But yeah, I kind of understand your frustration. The plan fell apart, after all.


    Again, and again, the woman dissed. The woman threw a fit. Without a care for the girl, the woman expressed her anger. It was up to the point that she drew a sword from a nearby rack and raised it overhead.


    ¡°Please cool your head.¡± I moved forward with my arms raised. ¡°Ending her here won¡¯t do us any good. She is still a Princess, after all.¡±


    ¡°Who told you to stop me?!¡± the woman barked as she breathes roughly underneath the mask. ¡°Do you know who I am?!¡±


    ¡°Please think it over. She¡¯s the First Princess of Laurel, your step-daughter.¡±


    ¡°There is no need for this scum! She¡¯s the very bane of my son!¡±


    ¡°I mean, just look at her. She¡¯s reduced to this. Is there any other reason for you not to stop?¡± I glanced at the Princess. Just as expected, her gag was already tinged with red. ¡°And besides, if she arrives safely into Libet, who knows how much the church would favor you. So please calm down and think this through.¡±


    You¡¯re blinded by anger and hatred. Please realize that and sort out your emotions.


    ¡°Tch!¡± The woman threw the sword to the side. ¡°And you! You were supposed to take Clarissa!¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but because the Princess meddled, Princess Clarissa was able to escape. Given the time, if we didn¡¯t withdraw as soon as possible, some traces might have been left. Because of that, we took the liberty to withdraw as to not endanger you and ourselves.¡±


    Again, the woman clicked her tongue and turned away. ¡°Leave! I don¡¯t want to see that girl¡¯s face again!¡±


    ¡°Whaa. Family problems sure are ugly.¡±


    As soon the woman left, I called in the helpers and had the Princess transferred over to the next ship.


    ¡°Careful not to touch the necklace, or you¡¯re in for some pain.¡±


    When we left the port of Aves, we boarded a Caravel. Courtesy to that woman¡¯s connections in the mercantile world, we were able to board without a thorough check. Ah, the convenience of power.


    The ship left the port five hours before sunrise, which was the ship¡¯s scheduled leave towards east. And since the events happened just an hour ago, I was sure the Nobles and the Royals were still fumbling their fingers due to the lack of evidence. And it seemed the order to block any leaving vessels did not reach us in time. Maybe they wanted to keep the situation in wraps and avoided catching the public¡¯s attention? Well, anyway, it has saved us time.


    After which, after arriving at the first fishing village, we transferred the cargo onto another ship and headed further east. At the second transfer, we met the client.


    This time around, we transferred to a much smaller ship. It was just enough for the cargo, my party, and three sailors to fit. You could even say it was a boat.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    At my signal, the sailors began to operate the shards on each side of the boat. As soon as they did, the water sloshed around and gradually moved the boat forward. It was quite a wonder, propelling the boat by the means of water magic. Quite clever but simple if I were asked.


    ¡°Now then.¡± I glanced towards the west, where Aves was. Although I could no longer see its towering walls, I could still imagine the uproar within the city. A Princess vanished without a trace, after all.


    Laurel has a critical flaw. Although its security was tight, it was quite lax on the eastern portion of its territory. It can be blamed on the lack of development and the untamed frontier. Nonetheless, the number of ships patrolling the eastern side of Formos is few. Reason being that the eastern side was believed to be the territory of another race. The Nereids.


    The Nereids were quite an enigma, or at least from what I heard. Either way, Laurel had capable people. They were able to set a border on the sea which did not trample on the territory of the Nereids. Well, knowing their agenda, they probably wanted to avoid war as much as possible. However, that did not stop the fishermen to sometimes cross the border out of stubbornness.


    In any case, ¡°What to do?¡±


    The trip would take several hours to reach the volcanic island at the center of Formos on the roundabout route we were taking.


    ¡°Really.¡± It was surprising. Despite the beating she took, she was still conscious. ¡°I know I¡¯ve asked this before, but are you really a human?¡±


    And just as usual, she responded with silence. ¡°Ah, right, you can¡¯t speak with the gag. Sorry.¡±


    I untied the soaked cloth and threw it aside. ¡°Though I guess it¡¯s obvious, your step-mother wants you dead. Did you do anything to provoke her this much?¡±


    ¡°Cough! Cough! What is¡­ your goal?¡±


    Straight to the point.


    ¡°¡­¡­¡± I recalled the previous encounter with this girl. If anything, the encounter was not funny. In fact, it was a shock. To dodge or block all my attacks¡­ ¡°Hey, do you mind hearing me out?¡±


    The girl spat blood. ¡°¡­ It depends.¡±


    ¡°You see, since the plan has all but failed, mind if we discuss things?¡±


    This girl was dangerous. That was what my intuition kept on telling me. It was as if I met a boss right off the bat. A ridiculous enemy that would usually require planning and a number of resources.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But first, let me set things straight. I don¡¯t believe in what you are advocating for.¡±

 Chapter 87: Virtual and Reality 3

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in what you are advocating for,¡± Evelyn said.


    Amelia responded with silence, to which Evelyn sighed. Perhaps she expected a glare, a twitch, or even a slight frown, but none of those happened to climb on Amelia¡¯s face. She was unperturbed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± Evelyn raised her brow. It was a surprise. An overwhelmingly unexpected behavior, but she was careful not to express it through her actions. However, her thoughts were thrown into confusion.


    Is she that different? Like, really?


    Evelyn searched her experience with LMOs. She did not boast it, but she had met several NPCs, both Royals, and Nobles alike. Among those, it was not rare to see such people advocating for an idealistic cause. At times, even, they were blinded by those ideals that they served to be a zealot of their own belief. And so, she, after declaring her stand on the matter, expected an outburst from Amelia.


    Fine.


    Evelyn took a glance to the side, observing the movements of her party members. A party of five including herself.


    On the left was the young knight who first pledged his loyalty to Evelyn. His name was Oswald Dwight, the second son of the House of Dwight. Overall, he wore a thick set of leather armor with bits of steel protecting his chest, shoulders, knees, and elbows. On his face was an open-faced helm that revealed his sharp facial features, as well as a twinge of brown fringes. His dark-brown eyes peered through the horizon, seemingly bored of the dark, harsh sea.


    Next was the girl, Marina and the man, William. Handpicked by Evelyn herself, Marina served as the groups¡¯ supporter while William served as the main vanguard.


    Marina sported a hair a few inches down her shoulder. On her head was a wooden headband, keeping her somewhat fluffy hair at bay from covering her childish face. At the age of 19, Marina was considered an excellent rearguard, which made her fall into the category of being a supporter. Armed with a wooden staff spearheaded by a rectangular metal, she kept her head down while leaning on the side of the boat. From what it seemed, she took advantage of her long brown robe and took a nap.


    William had a large build. His shaved head and his rotund features invited a sense of caution. His sharp eyes and sharp nose further invited unease. However, William was not all look. Knowing that he could not help himself from eating and from drinking in large amounts, he used the state of his body to add weight to his attacks. In Libet, he was known to be almost unmovable, a testament of his weight coupled with his favored full plate armor. However, this time around, his armor could not be seen.


    Last but not the least was Veight. Veight was not originally a party member. After he trained Evelyn in the art of using the rapier, he chose to accompany Evelyn. This fact was what bothered Amelia dearly.


    From what it seemed, the sloshing of the waves was able to drown Evelyn¡¯s mutters. Perhaps her party members thought she was about to interrogate Amelia, to which they gave way and moved towards the front of the boat.


    No matter the case, Evelyn frowned and again cast her eyes towards Amelia.


    ¡°I think you understand the situation right now¡­ or you don¡¯t?¡± Evelyn held a high expectation of Amelia. Though little did she know of her in person, her exploits, which turned into malicious rumors in Libet, made Evelyn think otherwise. After all, Evelyn did not have a religion, and her views made her evaluate Libet on a standpoint leaning towards the negative side.


    ¡°Whatever¡­ do you mean?¡± Amelia questioned, keeping her eyes cast on the rugged surface of the wood.


    ¡°I think you already know that. Something that obvious should have already popped up inside your head. If it didn¡¯t, then I guess you¡¯re just an average royal.¡±


    Amelia knew what Evelyn meant. In fact, Amelia wanted to revisit the scene and laugh her guts out. In the literal sense, she found the matter as a surprised. A surprise worth laughing her to her heart¡¯s content.


    In all honesty, Amelia found her move, to be held as a captive, as a ridiculous choice. However, it seemed to have paid off immediately, disregarding Kanna¡¯s condition. After all, she herself became a witness. It was an evidence enough to write Liz off as a traitor to the crown¡ªand possibly Mark too.


    Despite that, Amelia played the fool.


    ¡°If you tell me more¡­ maybe I would. There is no way for me to confirm. Not unless you speak of it.¡±


    Evelyn clicked her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you accept my proposal.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia shifted her sigh towards Evelyn. ¡°And those are?¡±


    [I¡¯ll tell you anything I know about Libet. It¡¯s nobles, the priests, the people whom I met before this request and so on. Practically anything I¡¯ve scrimped up during my stay in Libet.] Then Evelyn grinned. [I¡¯ll also act as a witness and as an aid to root those who of Laurel¡¯s Nobles who still has connections with Libet.]


    [And what do you want in return?]


    [Support. Weapons, materials, new party members, legal passes, rights to a certain piece of land, and a contract. The contract would have both of us end our relationship after each of us has given what the other side needed. Basically, a one-time alliance. After all, I don¡¯t want to be a gofer for somebody else.]


    Amelia frowned. [How could I trust one that is willing to betray their comrades? It is not an action fitting for a Hero, so why would I place my trust in you? A person who, in the first place, intended interfere with the relationship with Brent and Laurel?]


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    [Hero this, Hero that. I don¡¯t intend to do what I was entitled to. You people were the one who gave me that title after being summoned. And anyway, wasn¡¯t that title supposed to be given to someone who achieved great feats? For me, being called a Hero just because I was summoned was a flawed logic.]


    [¡­]


    [Maybe Libet wanted us to feel shame, or to fear the disdain of the people if we commit a crime. But that won¡¯t cut it for me. Being in this world and being called a Hero won¡¯t make me act like a saint or something. I am here to have fun and experience new things. And sadly, being a person whom the people would revere is not on the list of my goals.]


    [A self-serving Hero, huh.]


    Evelyn chuckled. [You could say that.]


    Evelyn was just being Evelyn. There was nothing wrong with being selfish and self-centered. Since this world is a game, at least in Evelyn¡¯s mind, it does not matter whatever she wanted to achieve. She could hope to do whatever she wanted. And if she was not able to, she could always quit and start all over on a different server.


    [But just like I said earlier, I don¡¯t want to fight for your ideals. So, with that in mind, we have to cut ties after the contract¡¯s conditions are met. But oh, let me warn you. This is something based on my experience, so I think it would be helpful for you.]


    [And that is?]


    [Trying to unite the people and changing how they view the demi-humans would cause a disaster.]


    [I have no interest in what you think.]


    Evelyn sighed. [If you kept this up, and if ever the war reaches your kingdom, you¡¯ll probably end up crying in regret. Just in case you achieved what you wanted, your people would think twice when they encounter a demi-human. There is nothing wrong with that, of course. But that moment of hesitation would cost them their lives.]


    Did you think I have not thought of that? Amelia wanted to retort but refrained.


    [From what I saw in Libet, there is just reason for the seething hatred between the humans and the demi-humans or demons in their term. That hate has already been passed on to their next generation of people. It would take numerous years after one side has been vanquished before that hate stabilizes. And from the looks of it, that won¡¯t happen within your lifetime. Not unless the war ends too swiftly.]


    I know. I know that very well. Even I could foresee that. And besides, who has told you the scope of my ideals? You know nothing. Nothing at all.


    It was fine and all for Amelia. She has long realized that being too idealistic is not what she had to take. Besides, she herself knew her bias. She did not intend to save Libet. In fact, Libet struggling against the demi-humans is what she wanted. They could exhaust themselves for all she cared. In truth, it has already begun. Supplying Brent with supplies and withholding it from Libet, it was like spitting in the face of those people who branded her as a demon. Besides, not all non-human races deserved peace. It was ingrained within Amelia¡¯s core after meeting the Fairies.


    But those thoughts are wasted on Evelyn, so she refrained from speaking.


    Either case, there was a reason for Amelia to be around Evelyn. And thus, she replied, [I know. And doing something is better than doing nothing.]


    Evelyn cracked a smile. ¡°Couldn¡¯t agree more.¡±


    [Our difference aside, how about it? Willing to sign up?] Evelyn leaned forward, pressing her fingers on the wood before Amelia¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Let me¡­ think about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you only have a few more hours and a day, probably.¡± Evelyn stood and walked towards the back of the boat. She sat down on a plank and crossed her arms and legs.


    There were numerous benefits in store from Evelyn¡¯s proposal. In fact, being able to return and immediately driving the nail on Liz would be favorable, so Evelyn¡¯s proposal was tempting.


    In addition, though Amelia has forgone the state of Libet and had been focusing on the Angels alone, information is information. Even knowing the slightest movements in Libet would make a great reference for the future. However, in her current situation, just the matter of the Angels was already mind-wracking. But perhaps, for her mother, Diane, it would be of great use.


    More importantly, aside from those discussed between Amelia and Evelyn, the matter of her necklace has lingered¡ªfar more than she had ever thought.


    Celes kept on teasing her, or so she thought. Celes would utter words that accompanied a deep meaning, but those words were either pitfalls or oases. If she delved deep into her vague words, it would stem to several specifics, which was obvious. But that was what it made quite a task for Amelia. She had to plow her way through to find the meaning of Celes¡¯s words. Often, it was complex, but sometimes rather simple.


    Among those was the reason for controlling mana in its natural state.


    Looking back to the time she fought against Celes in the lake, she first thought that controlling mana was a huge waste. In fact, it was impractical, a waste of resources.


    But then, it became useful. Very useful in the realm of chantless magic. Not to mention the task of controlling the doll¡¯s body.


    But what else was it useful for? Amelia did find another use for it, but it made no sense. Simply, it was expanding her capability to see things that a normal human could not. It reached the point where she could see spirits, but technically, she was unable to communicate with them. Thus, she shelved it in her mind until she finds a mode of communication.


    She did ask Fenrir regarding spirits, but Fenrir told her that it was useless. Rather than ask a spirit, which is lower than a Divine in every sense, she should focus on what a Divine is capable of.


    That point aside, Amelia had a glimpse of it. A glimpse of what she concurred as a ¡®soul¡¯, or at least a part of it.


    After she surrendered herself, she had herself cuffed, collared, and weakened to some degree to reduce the risk of retaliation. Unexpectedly, when Oswald tried to remove her necklace, in part of eliminating Amelia¡¯s odds of surviving when she retaliates, a shock was generated and knocked Oswald back.


    ¡°Gh!¡± Gritting his teeth, Oswald tried once more, but the same result occurred.


    William chuckled at the sight of Oswald and approached to stop him. ¡°Let me try,¡± he said in a calming, yet low, voice.


    Unfortunately, William met the same fate. And that was when Amelia found it odd.


    Though it was true that Amelia had never let anyone try to remove the necklace aside from herself, she never thought it had that kind of defensive mechanism. However, recalling that Celes embedded countless, small-structured magic circle, it may have had that kind of mechanism. But Amelia did not know, for it was almost impossible to understand what had Celes placed inside it.


    From that point on, Amelia expanded her vision by roiling her mana onto her irises. Though faint, Amelia saw the flow of mana on Marina¡¯s staff as she tried to cast a disarming spell. And in turn, she saw how her necklace twinkled and propagated some sort of barrier to negate Marina¡¯s spell. In short, the necklace was retaliating on its own.


    At a certain point, Evelyn arrived and found the situation confusing. In all likeliness, Amelia¡¯s necklace looked and felt nothing but an ordinary sacrificial crystal. Struck by curiosity, Evelyn tried to verify her party member¡¯s statements.


    From that moment, Evelyn was struck by a result that far differed from what the others felt.


    ¡°AHHHHCK!¡± A continuous, sharp pang crawled on her skin and made its way to her core. It was a burning, searing pain that numbed her senses.


    However, her party members were quick to act and had pulled Evelyn away, leaving her panting for air.


    Evelyn and her party members were not the only people who were puzzled. Amelia herself could not reason why the effect had been drastically different. But Amelia saw it for a moment, something inky and mist-like that had traveled from Evelyn¡¯s body, towards her hand, and into her necklace.


    The closest semblance she knew were the contents of the black marbles scattered around the Grave of the Heroes. Or in other words, a Hero¡¯s soul.

 Chapter 88: Virtual and Reality 4

    With a splash, Darwin¡¯s boots pierced the surface of the water and reached the shallow, sandy bank. As if guided by the waves, he walked towards the shore¡ªhis men behind him, pulling on the ropes tugged on their boat. The beach was a little too shallow for their ship to moor, and thus their situation.


    Darwin kept his pace, not minding the work of his sailormen. Soon, his eyes rested on the array of trees and bushes that lined the shore. Among the array of trees was a large, familiar rock. For Darwin and his men, it was a hint for the trail they seldom used.


    About two days, Darwin noted.


    They arrived a little too early, but Darwin did not mind. Though Darwin is a man of the sea, it was not his passion to live floating above it for the rest of his time. A little breather was needed. A change of foodstuff is better than a constant stream of fish and dried meat.


    Darwin set foot in a cabin not far from the shore. He cleared the few branches blocking the door and entered. At the same time, he drew a short sword and raised his caution. A few steps after, he returned the sword to his waist and approached a nearby window. Though it was dark, Darwin knew by intuition where the lock was.


    After a quick twist on the window¡¯s lock, Darwin pushed the window open and used a wood to jam the window open.


    ¡°Seems like there¡¯s nothing this time.¡±


    Darwin traced his way towards the back of the cabin. Just about a meter and a half away from the window stood five rods with varying skulls hitched at its end. It seemed that their make-shift ward did its job in preventing animals from trying to enter the cabin, which Darwin considered a great luck.


    Darwin chuckled. ¡°For it to work, I guess it¡¯s not a mere superstition.¡±


    There were many superstitions within Libet, all thanks to its religion. And Darwin, who once grew up in a town near the sea, found those superstitions unpleasant. Though he is a believer of the church, his faith did not bind his mind into its doctrines. In other words, he was not an advocate of the church.


    If anything, he believes more in the God of the Sea rather than the God of humans.


    Darwin opened one window after another, repeating the same process to let light and air to filter into the interior of the cabin. After which, he laid himself on a long wooden chair and took a sip from his canister.


    Finally, a rest. Haah¡­ That damn Welkin is a damn pushover. Why does he keep on accepting ridiculous jobs such as this? Well, I¡¯m not one talk. But hey! Why do I have to be involved with this? Shit, I want something more honest.


    The job required a degree of professionalism, even if it was a shady job. Though Darwin was not involved with such in the past, him receiving his Lord¡¯s favor earned him a position in his private army, to which Darwin accepted with delight. After all, earning something from sheer effort was rare. Often, people with talent is rewarded than those who spent more effort.


    Either way, there was no longer an escape for him. Though he could always plot to vanish, he can¡¯t leave his family behind. So, the only option for him was to obey.


    Two days have passed without a significant event. Other than them taking risks in hunting in the nearby vicinity, careful not to come too close on the rocky flats where the Flameclads dwelled, nothing much happened.


    ¡°They¡¯re late,¡± Darwin said. Welkin¡¯s order was to retrieve his so-called client. Darwin had no idea who Welkin was referring to, but according to his orders, there is a fixed meeting location, which is just by the shore of the northeast beach of Surtur, which is the island at the center of Formos.


    ¡°Captain, shouldn¡¯t we search for them?¡±


    ¡°No, we shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Though infrequent, the island was still between the kingdoms of Laurel, Brent, and Libet, so there are times where soldiers set foot on the island to inspect if there are invasive structures. Structures like ordinary cabins were allowed, so they were free to dilly dally inside without worries. However, encounters with soldiers of another kingdom is a pain. And if anything, it would only raise suspicion.


    ¡°Just keep watching from a distance. And as soon as you meet the client, dig out our implements.¡±


    Another day has passed but the client, Evelyn, has not arrived.


    ¡°Really, what¡¯s going on?¡± Darwin mused. If he considered the delay caused by the sudden change in weather, a day or two was enough. But the weather was not that unpleasant in the recent days. So most likely, a day of delay was enough.


    ¡°Captain!¡± One of Darwin¡¯s sailormen burst through the door.


    ¡°Have they finally?¡± Darwin stood with renewed vigor. ¡°So where are they?¡±


    The sailorman frowned. ¡°No, Captain. You see, someone has washed ashore.¡±


    Darwin knitted his brows. ¡°Washed ashore? You meant someone was swept by the waves here?¡±


    Darwin rushed outside. Even though he was at a position to keep on a steady watch, helping people in need, especially those struck by the nature of the sea, was second nature to him. He lived in the waters enough to experience that phenomenon himself.


    When he arrived at the shore, three people were laid out on the beach. One was a rotund man. The other was a woman in a robe. The last was a man wearing a leather suit cut similarly to that of a butler.


    ¡°You have¡­ my gratitude,¡± Veight spoke in a trembling voice. Soon, he collapsed like William and Marina.


    ¡°Carry them to the cabin!¡± Darwin ordered.


    ¡°But captain!¡±


    ¡°This is an emergency! And can¡¯t you see the crest on that girl¡¯s robe?! That¡¯s a crest that belonged to the Nobles of Libet!¡±


    Darwin was not acquainted with the crests the Nobles of Libet bore. Neither had he thought of memorizing each one them as he often sets out in the sea, far from the lavish life the Nobles had. But sensing the hesitation of his men, he took notice of the crest and handed a false remark. Such was the importance of life for Darwin.


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    Darwin¡¯s men promptly carried William, Marina, and Veight to the cabin. Scattering the chairs and tables aside, the three of them were laid on the floor.


    ¡°Get me some rags. Any will do.¡± Darwin¡¯s voice hinted calm and unease.


    Darwin started with Marina, who was entirely wrapped in her robe. He unstitched the knots around her neck and began pulling on the strings, effectively loosening the robe.


    ¡°Start with the old man and the other one,¡± Darwin ordered, his eyes focused on unwrapping Marina¡¯s robe.


    It did not take long before Darwin was able to part the robe to the sides, which revealed Marina¡¯s cotton clothing frilled from her neck down to her stomach. It was sensual, tempting. Her thin clothing stuck to her skin and inspired lust, which is why Darwin chose to prioritize Marina. It was inevitable.


    It was not that he did not trust his men, but Darwin knew that his men would feel a knack for it¡ªa situation in which Darwin wanted to avoid. Darwin kept stripping Marina¡¯s clothes and soon exposed her body for all to see.


    ¡°The rag.¡± And yet, he was unmoved.


    Careful not to exert too much force, Darwin started wiping Marina¡¯s body, leaving no skin unwiped. However, that much is a must. After all, it was soon to be winter. The air was humid. The sea, cold. If he did not do this much, they would remain at great risk.


    ¡°Get the blankets and cover them up. Then Cole, Drake, go back to the shore and see if you could find more people washed ashore. If there are, bring them here. They might be this Noblewoman¡¯s servants.¡±


    They don¡¯t look like sailors. If that¡¯s the case, where they thrown off to the sea? But then, if they¡¯re this healthy, then it wasn¡¯t that long when they were thrown.


    The condition of the three was not too life-threatening. At most, they were suffering exhaustion due to the sheer cold and a slight dehydration. Darwin has assured himself that the three would be back to normal in about three to five days¡¯ time. However, a day is enough for him to ask them what happened.


    ¡°Fritz, go and accompany Cole, and Drake. Search the shore for wooden debris. If you didn¡¯t see anything of the like, go back to the ship and fetch more supplies. Afterward, grab three men and search the vicinity of the ship.¡±


    Darwin kept his eyes locked on the three bunched and blanketed by the same cloth. They were no ordinary people, that, at least, was what he surmised. If anything, their clothing was of quality. So perhaps they were comrades of, or maybe the client themselves. However, more important was him returning with at least a hint regarding the client¡¯s whereabouts or condition. Welkin would not want a news of I don¡¯t know.


    He¡¯ll probably send my head rolling. Oh, for heavens¡­


    A few hours have passed, and Cole returned with a man on his back.


    ¡°Captain, it¡¯s another one. But it¡¯s a sailor this time.¡±


    ¡°I see, lay him down over there.¡±


    A sailor huh. But they only found one. But with this three on-board¡­ or perhaps more, then they probably have around four or five sailors.


    ¡°Cole, where is Drake?¡±


    ¡°Drake remained on patrol on the shores. There is a chance of another one washing up so he took chance to remain there.¡±


    Darwin nodded. ¡°Good. Go and inform Drake that you two would switch between watches. Give yourselves six hours each. On the other hand, I¡¯ll watch over these.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Gahk!¡± Bubbles frothed from Dwight¡¯s mouth, climbing up the dark, cold waters. His face twisted, expressing the tantamount volume of water filling his lungs. ¡°Aaagh! Kah!¡±


    Why did this happen? How could this happen? Those thoughts loomed as he reached his hand towards his only source of light, the setting sun.


    As the light drew further and further away from his stretched hands, Dwight¡¯s thoughts turned muddy. His sight Hazy. However, he refused to give up. He refused to accept that this was his fate. To die unexpectedly and to drown without an achievement next to his name, it was revolting.


    He flailed his arms around and kicked his legs, all the while enduring the pain that once overcame him when he fell into the sea. A pain which stemmed from a fractured leg.


    Ah, I envy them¡­ After a while, Dwight thought this. They are lucky¡­ Really lucky¡­ I want to be¡­ in their shoes¡­


    A moment after another, Dwight¡¯s consciousness started to fade. He saw Veight jump just in time and was able to secure both William and Marina. But what about him? Why didn¡¯t he search for him? Why did he, who was supposed to aid the Hero, left him to drown?


    Hate smoldered into his being, but it was immediately extinguished. He thought that it was pointless. He was going to die anyway. And besides, the pain that continuously shook his being did not allow him to feel anything other than pain.


    Was I this weak? Was it a mistake to obey Father Santiago? Was this what entailed to be with a Hero?


    Dwight was warned of the dangers of accompanying a Hero. However, he was confident enough to face an existence above him, if the difference in strength was not too overwhelming.


    He once rejoiced that his skills would be put to use when Evelyn told him of their task. He held pride in the shard fitted on the pommel of his treasured sword¡ªwhich allowed him to whip up a blade of wind. He was confident of its prowess, and his skills in using such. He thought,


    It doesn¡¯t leave much trace. It¡¯s great for covert operations.


    Nonetheless, in his current situation, the shard he so believed in could not help him at all. Chanting could have helped, but his throat filled with seawater made chanting impossible.


    It would have been different if he could swim and search their belongings¡ªwhich was left to Evelyn for safe keeping. After all, Evelyn could easily store whatever they had. Even arrows gliding through the air could be stored as long it was within Evelyn¡¯s range. It was as if she had the ability to negate whatever ranged attacks were aimed at her.


    But where was Evelyn? He did not know. However, what he knew was that they were split up the moment something crashed onto the boat from underneath.


    He could still remember it, albeit vividly. Without warning, the boat burst, showering the surroundings with splinters of wood.


    Unfortunately, Dwight was near the center of the boat, as well as two of the sailors propelling the boat from two sides. Among everyone else, they three felt most of the force that tore the boat asunder¡ªwhich led to his broken leg.


    Marina, William, and Veight were settled at the front of the boat, which made them much safer compared to Dwight¡¯s. Now Evelyn, Amelia, and the third sailor were at the rear, so they too were comparatively safe. And unlike the others, Dwight and the two sailors were assaulted by the beast that destroyed their boat. The two sailors did not take long for them to forfeit their life. With a simple whip of its tail, their life has ended.


    Compared to them, Dwight sank at a faster rate. Perhaps the metal that decorated his armor helped in dragging him down, but that made Dwight survive death. But after earning the pain, he wished he had a swift death just like the two sailors. It would have been best, he thought.


    <hr>


    ¡°Tch!¡± The white-haired, red-eyed young boy clicked his tongue. His face contorted in irate. ¡°I was that close! Again!¡±


    He grumbled as he watched his target, Evelyn, rise to the surface of the water. The beast he baited onto the path of the boat would take was nowhere to be seen, but he knew how it sank deeper into the sea as a corpse, or so he imagined.


    Again, he failed. Last time, it was on Meiko. This time, it was on Evelyn. But still, a failure was a failure. It was hard to stomach.


    ¡°If only she didn¡¯t appear!¡± The boy lamented. He grieved at his chance to dispose of Meiko after she left Issenheim out of hysterical fear. But his actions were put to a stop after he realized that that Divine was present in Issenheim herself.


    Turning back time, Amelia, after slaying one of the Angels, was forced to realize the danger colony of Angels. Now Celes gave a compromise. That compromise was to make a copy of the dead and make it act as if it was alive. Or simply, Celes offered Amelia a refuge by tricking the Angels into believing that none of them has died unexpectedly.


    Though it was not Celes herself, that same Angel, or priest, in this case, was controlled by Celes. Since that priest was bound to report back to the bishop in Issenheim, Celes used the occasion to monitor the Heroes at a shorter distance. That was where the boy¡¯s misfortune laid. Celes caught wind of the boy¡¯s, the Ancient¡¯s ploy¡ªwhich led to Meiko¡¯s relatively safe awakening after she fell unconscious outside of Issenheim.


    However, out of fear of encountering Celes once more, the boy took a more haphazard approach, which was to bait a beast that even the Nereids feared. A Halvsoth.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± For a moment, after watching the lens the floated before him, he seemed to have caught onto an oddity. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Where¡¯s is that girl?¡±


    True to his words, there was one missing person.


    ¡°Did she drown? Hah. Foolish. To drown by being dragged by shackles. An unfortunate death.¡±

 Chapter 89: Virtual and Reality 5

    Sailing is quite taxing, Evelyn thought with a visible frown. There was nothing but the hum of water and darkness in the surroundings. Nothing urged a sense of awe or excitement. It was just as it is, sailing in the dark of the night without much to do but wait.


    Still, this is a tight spot. Throwing the connections I built along the way just for a better opportunity¡­ Evelyn grimaced. It¡¯s kind of hard to accept. I just hope this waste won¡¯t be too heavy of a burden.


    Evelyn roamed Issenheim and spoke with several Nobles. Of course, it was nary an ordinary exchange of greetings and praises. An endorsement was promised. Contracts were signed. Supplies were given. Information was offered. All of it for the sake of gaining a step ahead of the others and to build a solid base for the future.


    Evelyn took her time, but it seemed she had to start all over again. This time, in a different place and with different people.


    It¡¯s not final yet.


    What happens next relies on Amelia¡¯s decision¡ªwhether she refuses or not.


    Evelyn fixed her eyes on what should have been their hostage. Come on. It¡¯s easy to wipe out the evidence while were here out on the sea.


    Evelyn crossed her legs as she heaved a sigh. ¡°If only this place is safe¡­¡±


    Just the thought of waiting for Amelia to decide, or for the boat to arrive at the port, bored Evelyn. It would have been easier to log out and wait it out by eating some snacks on reality. But the situation calls for her attention no matter how boorish it was. After all, logging out was the same as knocking herself unconscious in the game.


    ¡°I wish there was somethi¡ª!?¡±


    Without warning, Evelyn was thrown out of balance. In the next second, she found herself lifted along with half of the boat, hurtling towards the water.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± Her voice was soon drowned by seawater. In a panic, she flailed her arms, struggling to reach the surface with excessive movements. ¡°Pah! Haah! Haah!¡±


    After regaining her senses, Evelyn scanned the surroundings, only to find bits and pieces of splintered wood.


    ¡°Anyone the¡ª!¡± For the third time, Evelyn was interrupted. However, this time around, it was due to a cold shock running along her spine.


    Flustered, Evelyn tried to look beneath the water. ¡°Oh God, I hate this.¡±


    There was something underneath the water. Adding the fact that there was no source of light other than the moon¡¯s, it was close to invisible.


    Calm down. Breath in¡­ and out¡­


    Evelyn¡¯s actions did little to ease her wariness, however, To the left, and a little bit to the right.


    About three meters away to her left, particles converged and formed limbs, then a body. And about a meter to her right, another manifested. Both bodies splashed into the water, for they were simply corpses. Corpses which bore the crest of Laurel¡¯s Royal Guards.


    Taking the chance, Evelyn swam away from the corpses and waited.


    I must take it out. There¡¯s no out-running this.


    Evelyn held her arm into the air and swung it to catch a scroll made from sheepskin. After pouring a bit of mana into the scroll, the powdered Crystalline Manatite drawn on the scroll glowed and burned the sheepskin. Subsequently, a flood of light burst underneath the water. The light centered underneath Evelyn¡¯s feet, revealing the two sinking corpses from a few meters away along with the approaching beast.


    Got it!


    Just as Evelyn hoped. The beast was blinded and turned away from Evelyn¡¯s direction, ending up directing its sight towards the sinking corpses. A neat line of prey waiting for the beast to consume.


    Halvsoth. A beast that dwells deep around the eastern portion of Formos. Flitting its thick, large fins, the Halvsoth drew closer to the sinking corpses. Its maw wide open, three rows of small serrated teeth emerged from its gums. Seemingly lunging through the water, the Halvosth bit through the first corpse and crunched once more for the second. Or so Evelyn predicted.


    Like how Evelyn directed the Halvsoth¡¯s attention, light burst in line with the two corpses. For a moment, the Halvsoth withdrew and took a turn and swam in a circle, wary for another unexpected event.


    ¡°Just why?!¡± An opportunity wasted. It did not take long before the light Evelyn summoned to fade, dragging her back to square one. ¡°Is anyone there?! Answer me!¡±


    None of her party members would do such a thing in a dire situation. That was the impression Evelyn had on her party members. But doubt seeped inside her person. Maybe someone managed to listen to her conversation with the princess and planned to get back at her.


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    No! It¡¯s not possible!


    The possibility was present but unlikely. None of her party members were skilled in the art of magic. Besides, Wind Whisper was widely known as a means of private conversation. So far, she had never heard of means on how to interfere with Wind Whisper. Therefore, there were two likely suspects.


    Someone who wants to get rid of me¡­ or the princess¡­


    Evelyn had to admit. Though she had not played all her cards during their previous clash, it was a hard fight. The few techniques that she developed in a short span of time were easily countered by the princess. A discouraging sight for Evelyn.


    But all her devices¡­ were taken¡­


    Everything she wore was taken from her, except the necklace that prevented anyone from removing it.


    Ah¡­ Of course¡­ Why hadn¡¯t it crossed my mind?


    The burst of light protected the corpses from being consumed. What were those corpses again? Right, corpses of Laurel¡¯s Royals Guards.


    To think you¡¯d even save their corpses¡­


    Perhaps she wanted to take back a memento for the dead Guards, or perhaps she wanted to retrieve the body themselves and give it a proper burial. Whichever it was, Evelyn¡¯s quick decision has dumped herself in a boiling pot of water.


    Not one¡­ but two¡­


    <hr>


    Amelia sank faster than anyone did. Her shackles made her do so. It did not take long for her to reach the bottom.


    Bloop.


    Bubbles rose from Amelia¡¯s lips, exhaling her final breath.


    It¡¯s¡­ full of sand.


    Small fishes were present, but there were few. There were a few weeds and skittering crabs. However, most were plain sand.


    I thought there¡¯s something else down here. Amelia stood up, languidly. Her feet caressed the fine sand and prompted the fishes to flee. There¡¯s something further down.


    Much like how Amelia could see in the dark, she could see underwater as well. And from what she could see, there was a trench that lead further down the sea.


    There¡¯s no Nereids around.


    Amelia never expected that she¡¯d be standing at the bottom of the sea. However, not foreign to the disputes with Nereids in Formos, Amelia expected a glimpse of their home. Perhaps she was simply unlucky to not sink directly or near their habitat.


    But how I¡¯ve changed¡­


    Amelia¡¯s eyes did not hurt, despite them wide open in the depths of the sea. There was a weight pressing down on her body, but it was not too unbearable. Most of all, she was fine without the need to breathe air.


    I can¡¯t¡­ drown? Amelia squinted her brows, unfamiliar of her own body. Though she had expected it to change over time, she did not know how much of a change it could bring. But my horn¡­ it¡¯s out. But then¡­ it manifested by itself?


    The horn glowed as it always had, but a bit stronger than usual. Perhaps the difference between a race¡¯s and a divine¡¯s form of sustenance came into play. But Amelia could not confirm it. She herself did not know her body.


    Amelia shook her head, driving unnecessary thoughts. Anyway, I never thought I¡¯d be using the advice I gave Meiko.


    Was it a stroke of luck that Evelyn did not try to activate the Slave Collar? No matter what it was, it worked into Amelia¡¯s favor. The collar had malfunctioned a few hours after it was forced around Amelia¡¯s neck. In the end, she had put up a front of a weak, battered girl.


    Done. The shackles around her limbs broke off one after another and buried itself in the sand. Next was her collar, which she simply had to pull apart. I haven¡¯t used it for a time. I¡¯m glad I still have a touch for it.


    Water Lance. Simply because all the other elements were unavailable, or doubtful in destroying her shackles, Amelia resorted in using Water Lance. However, it was famous for being slow and its rate of consumption since it needed to manifest water before molding it into a lance.


    But how much do I have left?


    Day in, day out, Amelia had been walking around Tercel with her horn out. She simply shrouded it with illusion as a practice, and to challenge herself. However, it was not enough to drain her mana reserves. She had been afraid of losing track of her reserve as it could prove fatal future. After all, her mana was simply large, not infinite.


    With her reserves in mind, Amelia swam. She swam directly upward, trusting that her unknown body could take the rapid change in the environment. And as she swam upwards, she took notice of a body sinking towards her. Unconsciously, she caught it and immediately recognized the face.


    He¡¯s a goner. It was Oswald Dwight. His eyes were dilated, and his mouth wide open in visible despair. It was easy to conclude that too much water had entered his system, prompting him to sink without fail.


    Amelia manifested a barrier and stood on it. There she removed Dwight¡¯s sword and cuffed around his body. In the end, after she had successfully obtained the crest of the House of Dwight, she released his body and watched it sink.


    You sought merits, yet you ended up dying in a pitiful way. Amelia resumed her plight. You chose this option. May your soul dwell upon this mistaken choice.


    It did not take long before Amelia found the fast approaching beast turned her way. A Halvsoth?


    Amelia manifested a barrier to the side and used it as a platform to dodge, much like pushing your feet against the walls of a pool. After the eight-meter-long Halvsoth passed beside Amelia, she covered herself with an illusion, effectively shrouding her from sight. Now the Halvosth, having lost its target, noticed Evelyn floating around.


    However, the burst of light redirected its sight towards the sinking corpses. Amelia had noticed this as well.


    Those are... Amelia could not remember those clothes among Evelyn¡¯s party members, but never would she forget what it was. The Guards.


    Amelia frowned. She hated how she was treated like a princess in a house arrest, but she knew the guards were only doing their job as ordered by Auguste. She could also remember how they tried to defend her with their life, but only to end up vanishing.


    Now that they reappeared once more, an urge was born within Amelia¡¯s chest.


    They¡¯re still my people. Guards. They deserve better.


    Amelia was never a Hero, but a Royal. Although it was originally part of her duty to honor the services of the Knights and Nobles, the routine had become a part of her person. She was no longer just a person with a title tagged on her name.


    And so, she swam and reached towards the corpses. Imitating Evelyn¡¯s technique, she diverted the Halvsoth and bought enough time to catch the two sinking Guards.


    It¡¯s not over. Yet.


    Now with a newfound burden, she had to take down the beast. With that in mind, she spoke to Evelyn through Wind Whisper.


    [I¡¯m still around. Let¡¯s take down the beast.]


    Would disposing of Evelyn return the dead Guards? Would it scatter around here in the sea or simply vanish eternally?


    Unanswerable questions surged through Amelia¡¯s mind. She had to take the situation into account. As well as the benefits of her possible choices.


    [That is if you¡¯re willing to lend me a hand.]


    There was no response from Evelyn, but Amelia could see from underwater how flustered she was. A voice from nowhere while surrounded by darkness. Amelia could quite see how startling it was.


    After a while of sudden panic, Evelyn responded, [Fine, let¡¯s get out of this.]

 Chapter 90: Virtual and Reality 6

    [Have any ideas?] Evelyn asked, concentrating on her ears, eager to find where Amelia was. [And by the way, where are you? Where are the others? Can¡¯t you just show up? Not seeing you around is giving me the creeps, really. So, do me a favor, please?]


    [I discern that we¡¯ll be an easier target if we meet. And for your other question, no. I haven¡¯t seen your party members.] Amelia¡¯s eyes followed the circling Halvsoth. Gradually, the beast was making its way towards the center.


    A feint? Or is it wary?  Amelia thought as the Halvsoth made frequent turns towards her and back to its original path. For Amelia who knew only a few things about the Halvsoth, it¡¯s quite a task to discern the beast¡¯s intention. It moves too much¡­


    Amelia was by no means uninformed of the existence of the Halvosth. In fact, it was one of the most common beasts that could be encountered during a voyage. However, having no experience nor the time to be familiar with Formos in person, Amelia could only rely on what she read on papers¡ªor what Maize has taught.


    In the first place, shouldn¡¯t Halvsoth attacks be rare during this season? They often dwell in warm waters, if my memory serves me right.


    In the warm waters of Formos dwell most of the Halvsoth. However, during the winter season, the temperature of the water naturally falls. As a result, fishes, Nereids, and sea beasts dwells a little deeper than normal. Some even migrate from Formos towards the ocean.


    For the human nations, albeit the difficulty in catch, it is a somewhat peaceful time for sailors and the like. And thus, in paper, the sudden dip in the number of incidents in the sea is quite noticeable.


    Meanwhile, ¡°Amelia is right. It is unnatural for that kind of beast to be out in this season. Much less traveling on its own,¡± Celes muttered with a frown. Halvsoths could attack during winter, but they often come in numbers to mitigate the temperature even for a bit.


    [I believe someone is trying to make a move,] Fenrir added.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably him, and again.¡± Celes shifted her crossed legs and heaved a sigh.


    [Again you say?] Fenrir turned its questioning eyes towards Celes. [Who do you mean? Based on the location, it¡¯s most probably the Angels themselves or the self-proclaimed guardians.]


    ¡°Neither of them. And this is no doing of a Divine, sadly. I cannot impose the rules and swat the likes of him as I used to.¡±


    Short low growls escaped Fenrir¡¯s jaws. [It seems this meddlesome being has stoked your ire.]


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t be?¡± Celes repeatedly tapped her fingers on her chair made of twisted roots. ¡°You were expecting to see something out of the situation, but someone meddles and breaks the flow. Won¡¯t you be as frustrated?¡±


    [In that case, why not ask him? I believe he¡¯s nearby.]


    ¡°The male Levia? Though I think the Leviathan Twins would be excited to see Amelia just as they were on Elena, there is no need. Besides, them moving for the sake of meeting Amelia¡­ I can only foresee a disaster. Or at least the assembly questioning me for the movements of the twins.¡±


    [And knowing you¡ª]


    ¡°Dealing with the assembly¡­ it¡¯s not something I want to do very often. Looking after some lousy, violence-prone children is most unwelcome.¡±


    Fenrir laughed once more. [Only you treat those Divines as children.]


    ¡°What title could I give them then? If they were not supervised, dealt with, and reprimanded under the rules, everything would be the same as it was when the Gods left. And I believe you know this very well, Fenrir.¡±


    [A chaotic time indeed. I must thank you, the head overseer, for the short time of peace I am witnessing.]


    ¡°Surely you know that the assembly was made not without malice, no?¡±


    Fenrir sat straight, seemingly like a faithful dog. [Perhaps. However, that malice does not matter to me. I would not be here if such was a bother. And for that, no matter the number of times, I must thank you.]


    Celes¡¯s eyelids fell. ¡°You have accepted the terms. I am only doing what our contract entailed.¡±


    [Nevertheless.] Fenrir leaned his head forward, allowing Celes to reach the fur underneath Fenrir¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°You have my thanks as well.¡± Satisfied, Celes eased her legs and resumed her monitoring of Amelia and Evelyn. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see where this goes.¡±


    Returning to where Amelia was, Think¡­ There should be something that Evelyn could do to end this. She was preparing something before.


    Her arms locked around the dead guards, standing on a barrier underwater, Amelia recalled the scene.


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    She lined up the corpses. But what? What could she possibly do with that setup?


    Evelyn could shoot arrows out of nowhere. However, its efficiency is doubtful underwater. At the least, Amelia was able to hypothesize that Evelyn could make something appear and disappear whenever she wanted. The proof of it was the bodies around her arms. But even with that, Amelia could not think of any object effective against the Halvsoth.


    I must make a situation where she¡¯ll be forced to play her cards, Amelia thought.


    I must see how she¡¯ll deal with this situation. I might get a better understanding of her abilities then, Evelyn thought.


    As both sides were rummaging through the list of options they could take, the Halvsoth decided to halt. Its mouth gaping, it turned towards Evelyn.


    At this sudden action, Amelia stood stock-still. Give me a rest!


    [It¡¯s trying to target you,] Amelia said.


    [Huh?! From which direction?! And an estimated distance if you can!]


    For a moment, while making her way directly underneath Evelyn, Amelia remained silent. Was it a good idea to answer her question? It was akin to telling Evelyn that she could see the whole situation.


    Ah, but I already gave it away, didn¡¯t I? Amelia regretted the impulsive decision rooted in making Evelyn live. Just knowing who the beast¡¯s target was already a hint. [From where you are facing, south-east. The distance¡­ I have no idea. I just took a glimpse underwater, so I hardly had enough time to make an estimate.]


    Evelyn gritted her teeth. She took a deep breath and dived. From that point on, Amelia had masked herself once more with an illusion, allowing Evelyn to overlook her.


    Tsk! Evelyn resurfaced after recalling that she could not see anything underneath. Again, she grabbed a scroll from the air and poured mana. Soon, a light towards her right burst. Subsequently, Evelyn took another dive and saw the Halvsoth.


    It¡­ stopped?


    The Halvsoth remained at its place as if a fish sleeping at the bottom of a fish tank.


    Just what?


    The Halvsoth then turned its tail. As immediate as it appeared, it then dove deeper into the sea.


    Is it¡­ gone? But why? Evelyn resurfaced. She rubbed her arms, trying to keep herself warm. ¡°Will it come back?¡±


    It was not a standard in games, but enemies usually come back for another round whenever they were lost or fled. However, this knowledge alone kept Evelyn at her toes.


    [Is it still around?]


    [¡­ No. I can¡¯t see it.]


    Amelia, too, was dumbfounded. She never expected that the Halvsoth would flee. And though it was a thankful turn of events. Amelia was not able to draw more cards from Evelyn¡¯s hand. The same situation has befallen Evelyn.


    Moments later, Amelia found herself drifting along with Evelyn on a small boat. A countermeasure Evelyn prepared if ever she sailed on the sea¡ªwhich came in handy. However, both were wary of each other, despite the non-existent space between them.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you let go of those.¡± Evelyn braved steeled her heart as she looked towards the bodies piled behind Amelia. ¡°The boat is small for four people. It¡¯s quite unsteady now.¡±


    ¡°They deserve a proper burial.¡± Amelia glared. ¡°And I¡¯ll be asking you for the rest of those you kept.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Evelyn shot back. ¡°That is if you agree to my previous terms.¡±


    Amelia hugged her knees and rested her chin. ¡°I decline.¡±


    Evelyn frowned. ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you agree to my terms instead.¡±


    Evelyn gripped the side of the boat. Though dying and reviving was an option, she had yet to test it. The function existed in her menu, but Evelyn knew well that dying in LMOs, which strived to create a realistic environment, was never easy.


    Evelyn etched a fearless smile. ¡°I¡¯m at point-blank range.¡±


    ¡°And so am I.¡± Amelia partly showed her neck, reminding Evelyn that none her usual shackles bounded her.


    Evelyn flinched. Now that she looked at Amelia for a second time, she noticed that her wounds were gone. Neither a scar or blemish was left on her skin.


    It was there before everything happened, Evelyn thought. She could remember it well. The blood that soaked her gag, dry tints of blood smeared on her rags, she could not have mistaken it.


    ¡°Since when?¡±


    ¡°And why would I answer that?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Evelyn bit her lip. Should I make a move? But if I did, it¡¯ll bound to be difficult. And if that beast returns right at the moment of our battle, it¡¯ll be difficult. But I guess I can live through this.


    Evelyn took a glance on the corpses behind Amelia.


    Duties of a Royal huh. How idealistic. But it¡¯s fine. I can¡¯t hope for anything better.


    ¡°I believe you¡¯ll understand our situation soon,¡± Amelia muttered. ¡°It¡¯ll be better if you agree to hear and abide by my terms before everything ends for you.¡±


    Evelyn shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t understand.¡±


    A smile crept on Amelia¡¯s face. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you ask that stomach of yours? We are drifting in the sea after all. Without knowledge and direction.¡±


    Lies¡­ Evelyn was late to realize. The battle was never on the physical side alone. ¡°Ha! If you think that, then you won¡¯t last longer than me.¡±


    Foodstuffs, did you believe I have none? I did not store everyone else¡¯s baggage for nothing.


    ¡°You can probably make food appear, don¡¯t you?¡± Amelia said. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed this before. All of you were light on your toes. And judging from what I¡¯ve seen, you have them, don¡¯t you? And let me remind you once more, there is practically no space between us. Your food is mine as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But if you¡¯re willing to wait it out and starve us both, believe me, it¡¯ll be far better to accept what I have in store.¡±


    This boat was a cage. That was what entered Evelyn¡¯s mind.


    A mistake. Maybe it would have been better if I gambled everything we boarded the boat. No. In the first place, I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s bluffing or not. Just who are you? Just what are you?


    Evelyn heaved a sigh. ¡°What are your terms?¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯ll have you dig the graves of those you have killed.¡±


    ¡°Easy enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll instruct you on the others later, but for now.¡± Amelia slipped her hand between her thighs and chest and reached to her neck. ¡°Hold my necklace.¡±


    <hr>


    The Halvosth was gone. Its bait was gone. No, the illusion that made the Halvsoth move unexpectedly was gone. It was released.


    ¡°¡­¡± Nevertheless, the being that manipulated the Halvsoth was at an impasse. He remained staring at his feet, covered in a thin coat of grayish-brown fur.


    Was there a being before? His feet brought him towards a wall. No, there wasn¡¯t. A horned human? A single horn?


    The illusion was well deployed, but having knowledge of illusions himself, he was able to catch a glimpse. Even the silhouette was enough for him to doubt.


    That old man swam away with the other two. Three are dead. The Hero is alive¡­ so it was their prisoner? Yes. I think it was. That princess, wasn¡¯t it?


    The being searched through his knowledge, an abundant amount based on his lifespan. No. Just as I thought. I cannot recall anything similar. Sure, there are humans who forged a contract with spirits and was changed as a result. But this girl¡­ she¡¯s sane. Or is she? No, she is conversing as a human would. It isn¡¯t a pact. But what is she? And to contest a God¡¯s vessel¡­ this is news to me.

 Chapter 91: Virtual and Reality 7

    A loud bang resounded within the room which resembled Auguste¡¯s broiling emotions. His face twisted in anger and disbelief, scanned once more the reports beside his fist. Amelia was yet to be found. Traces were hardly visible. Nonetheless, the report, though failed to trace Amelia¡¯s whereabouts, helped in narrowing down the possible options of escape the suspects used.


    ¡°They arrived from the port,¡± Diane concluded, a sour expression plastered on her face.


    It has been two days since Amelia went missing and it has left Diane and Auguste deeply concerned. A Royalty could be used as a bargaining chip when it comes to foreign discussions, but they were more concerned with Amelia¡¯s well-being.


    ¡°Has anyone found any suspicious vessels docked in the port that day?¡± Auguste¡¯s sights remained on the reports. He wished not to let Diane see what expression he wore, though he believed she knew.


    ¡°None.¡± Diane shook her head in exasperation. ¡°All the ships docked were reserved months ago¡ªat least that was what the records we have on hand say. If our conclusion held water, then someone who had connections with the merchants had a hand in this.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll recall the soldiers outside Aves. We¡¯ll have them head to the east.¡±


    Since Amelia was reported missing, soldiers in small numbers were dispatched all around Aves and its vicinity. Receiving Kanna¡¯s help, the perimeter around Aves was considerably widened.


    ¡°Auguste, don¡¯t work yourself too much. You don¡¯t have to carry all the blame.¡±


    Auguste gritted his teeth. ¡°No. I¡¯m partly at fault. I¡¯ve isolated her from her original guards.¡±


    ¡°Auguste¡­¡± Diane approached Auguste from the side. Lifting her hand, she consoled Auguste as she slid her hand on his back. ¡°Everything will turn out well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve only wanted to keep her away from harm, Diane.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know it very well.¡±


    ¡°This is the second time around. I¡¯ve failed to keep her safe.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°A king who can¡¯t even protect his daughter, pathetic.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Uwaa¡ªaah!¡± Kanna stretched her arms as she yawned. She slapped her cheeks and shook her head. ¡°This is enough.¡±


    Bags hung underneath her eyes¡ªa mark of her unending nightmare.


    Lifting her legs from the bed, she skillfully slid her feet into her boots. In a flash, a knot was fastened on her boots. Once standing, she swept a leather vest hanging beside the bed.


    ¡°I hope Birby had enough rest¡­¡± With quick steps, Kanna approached the door.


    Upon turning the knob, a usual comment came out of Kanna¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯re getting annoying.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same.¡±


    The person before Kanna wore a similar set of bags. However, for a Princess, it was far from commonplace.


    ¡°Can you please not bother me like this, Clarissa?¡± A tone of respect has completely vanished from Kanna. However, knowing the situation herself, Clarissa understood.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I won¡¯t rest if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you should ambush me before I even leave the room. And I think you have larger bags than me, you know? So go and sleep. It¡¯s not common for Princesses to stay awake¡ªunlike me who is both a tamer and a hunter.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess you can call me a hunter too? I hunt those who don¡¯t give themselves a proper rest.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not hunting yourself.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, since I haven¡¯t had a proper rest, then you too haven¡¯t had a proper rest.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure I had a proper rest compared to you.¡±


    ¡°Those circles says otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Kanna expressed a frown. ¡°Clarissa, please, let this issue rest. Unlike you, I¡¯m used to having a varying length of sleep. It¡¯s pretty common us from the Tribe whenever we are tasked to take lookout and scouting duties.¡±


    ¡°Still, I refuse. You¡¯ve been swaying as you walk yesterday. You need rest, or you¡¯re bound to miss small details regarding Amelia¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    Kanna clicked her tongue once more. ¡°Just where are those people tasked to keep you in check?¡±


    ¡°They fell asleep.¡± A light, proud smile was etched on Clarissa¡¯s face. ¡°Guess they can¡¯t beat my will.¡±


    ¡°Your will to what?¡± Kanna was taken aback. She never knew someone would be proud of staying awake more than her servants. ¡°Nevertheless, you¡¯re the one who needs sleep.¡±


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    ¡°I will.¡± Clarissa nodded. ¡°But I wanted you to know this before I take a rest.¡±


    Kana grimaced. ¡°Please hurry up. I need to look for Amelia.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t kill yourself over it. Else, Amelia would be saddened by your state when she comes back. So don¡¯t push yourself and that wyvern too much.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Kanna was puzzled. She expected Clarissa to keep on blabbering to keep her from leaving the palace.


    ¡°Yes. That is all I wanted to say.¡±


    Kanna¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Well, then, thanks.¡±


    Kanna no longer bothered. All that matters to her was to find Amelia. She even failed to notice Clarissa sliding down the wall, holding her chest hard-pressed for air.


    ¡°Not resting¡­ sure is hard.¡±


    Not a wink of sleep. Clarissa forced herself to stay awake in order to impede Kanna and force her to rest. Since she did not know when would Kanna wake and start searching for Amelia, she remained at Kanna¡¯s doorstep. As a result, every time Kanna opens the door, Clarissa would always welcome her like some sort of nightmare.


    ¡°You did great. This time, you¡¯re the one who needs to rest.¡± Argent slid his hands underneath Clarissa¡¯s knees and back. ¡°But I guess you¡¯re already are resting.¡±


    Argent was originally against Clarissa¡¯s idea to force Kanna to rest. However, due to the indignance Clarissa was expressing, Argent gave in and supported her.


    ¡°Everything is moving because of you. At least consider what is happening around here, sister.¡± Opposite the direction from where Kanna took off, Argent carried Clarissa.


    ¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so?¡±


    Ahh¡­ Since when did I become like this? I could have just ended everything. I was confident. I felt like I could win her by force. However, despite what I believed was what I would do given the situation, I was not able to act on it. I was at an impasse, contrary to what my reactions expressed.


    She does not deserve this treatment. She¡¯s an enemy¡ªa terrorist who tried to tarnish the ties between Brent and Laurel.


    A number had died with the first encounter with Evelyn. Even so, it was a battle. They were guards. They faced an enemy far above what they could handle. It was logical that they were defeated, that they died. And as what their job entailed, it was normal for them to die in battle. If nothing, it was simply a sad fate. Nothing more, nothing less.


    Nonetheless, I believed they deserved a burial, or at least their mementos returned to their respective family.


    But I need to know more. And if possible, delay the impending battle.


    Frankly, I could hardly believe the time limit Celes gave me. Though it was safe to assume that it could happen within that time frame, I could not rely on it. I could not trust it. Because I for one knew that situations kept on changing. The truth today, may not be the truth tomorrow.


    In the first place, Celes never told me the reason behind the three-month limit. She did tell me that she was tricking the Angels by impersonating the one I had killed. But why three months? Given what I knew about Celes, I believed she could trick the Angels for all eternity if she wanted. The only reason I had arrived at, is that something will happen that would disable Celes¡¯s trick¡ªor I was simply overthinking things and Celes only wanted me not to rely on her much? Honestly, I had no idea, I believed it leaned more towards that event rather than a whim.


    The problem was how that something would occur or arrive.


    ¡°I could give you what you wanted, but of course, slightly different from what you requested. However, it¡¯s still up to you to decide. In any case, the night is long, but the waves won¡¯t stop whispering into your ears until you decided.¡±


    Evelyn clicked her tongue. Her eyes were drawn to the necklace peeking between my legs. It was in plain sight¡ªher eyes quivering in hesitation, her lips bit in indecision.


    I¡¯ll have you spill everything.


    Aside from the Angels, Celes¡¯s actions bothered me. Or if must say, I was curious about what she was doing. Besides, I was a being like Celes. A day might arrive where the need for me to do what she does arises. That was one thing I could not rule out. However, it was doubtful when I could do such, or if it was even possible for me¡ªan incomplete being.


    Evelyn kept her silence as I observed.


    I can keep this up without sleep, but how long could she last?


    I had caught a glimpse of the silhouette of the volcanic island recently. However, since Evelyn has yet to answer my demands, I refrained from propelling the boat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a nap. Maybe I can think better afterward.¡± Evelyn pressed her forehead on her knees.


    ¡°Really? A nap? Now? Aren¡¯t you afraid of falling to the sea?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­ So be it.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°AAAAAHHHH! Just what in the hell did I just got into!¡± Evelyn stomped her feet as she walked out of a capsule. Her hands curled into a fist, she hit her bed just across the capsule. After a round or two of hitting her bed, she threw herself onto it face-first.


    Muffled by the sheets, Evelyn said, ¡°I have to formulate a plan or two. I need to get out this. But which? Which combination of items would get me out of that alive?¡±


    Intuitively, Evelyn reached out to a small cube with a round protrusion on the top. ¡°Let¡¯s see. What items did I have in store again?¡±


    After a quick tap on the cube¡¯s sides, a holographic menu revealed itself. It was a device paired with her Virtual Capsule to check her character¡¯s status.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I have lost about 87 arrows, but I gained a few more armors and weapons. Their quality is a lot better than what I got from the Nobles. Well, their partly ceremonial armors anyway, so that should be expected.¡±


    ¡°And there¡¯s the gunpowder. I never thought I¡¯d see this one from Dwight¡¯s house. But I guess it¡¯s not as popular as I thought it would be. And I didn¡¯t see any guns or canons around. Maybe they really did stop exploring this thing.¡±


    Wait, maybe I can take advantage of it? But a gun huh. How does it even work? And the mechanisms¡­ And if it¡¯s manufacturing the parts, I better get those specialized shards from Academia. Wait, now is not the time to think about this!


    Soon her stomach started to grumble. ¡°Right. Now that I remember Amelia¡¯s words, I have to eat. At least here I can fill my stomach.¡±


    Evelyn¡¯s feet took her to a small fridge in the same room. After a while of tapping her feet and staring at the contents of the fridge, Evelyn decided to take the milk out. She then took a bowl and a cereal box from a nearby cabinet.


    More or less, the room was a simple studio flat painted mainly in white.


    Seated, a bowl filled with cereal and milk, Evelyn swung her feet as she viewed the outside through the balcony. ¡°This really suits my needs.¡±


    As a lab rat since birth, Evelyn has proven herself to be a great source of information for researchers. Through that, she earned the right to select a quarter of her own, though limited to the organization¡¯s partners.


    ¡°Let¡¯s review once more.¡± Evelyn placed the cube on the table. She skimmed through her item list as she ate. ¡°I don¡¯t have many scrolls left. And the shards I have are useless on the sea. Boulders won¡¯t do anything to her either.¡±


    ¡°But what if I accepted the terms? Would it really be that bad? No, she¡¯ll probably use me as soon as we reached the island. Her surrendering with those abilities¡­ she probably was aiming to lynch us.¡±


    Evelyn sighed.


    ¡°I knew she was bad news, but not this much. But if we retreated immediately from before, things might have not gone this bad¡­¡± Evelyn shook her head. ¡°No. The Queen will probably doubt my abilities if I failed to present anything. Failing to capture a powerless princess¡­ I guess that¡¯s quite harsh to accept.¡±


    Evelyn munched and crunched her Cereal. ¡°Now, how should I go about this.¡±

 Chapter 92: Virtual and Reality 8

    ¡°It¡¯s quite¡­ cold.¡± Amelia rubbed her hands against her arms. ¡°Or it¡¯s supposed to be.¡±


    Drenched in the middle of the sea. The season amid its transition into winter. It was supposed to be cold¡ªunbearably cold. However, it was different. It was not as cold as Amelia thought it was. If nothing, it was like a breeze passing by in the middle of spring.


    ¡°How much have I changed¡­¡±


    It was terrifying. Though she needed the change, the pace was monstrous when compared to the growth period of an ordinary human. No, it was already beyond what normal humans could achieve.


    At the thought, Amelia found herself looking up. The moon. The stars. They were like a blanket of shining trinkets far up in the sky.


    The stars, as I thought, they are unreliable.


    Many had mapped the stars in order take note the four cardinal directions. Some even used the map to visualize mythical creatures¡ªat times, superstitions. However, Amelia never took much interest in them. Books, reports, decrees, contracts, meetings, negotiations, and more mostly took her line of sight¡ªor in other words, the entirety of her time.


    In addition, quoting what once a scholar had written, the stars were unreliable.


    No one knew the exact reason. Stars came and vanished. Some even appeared then disappeared in a span of days. Some stars mapped from centuries ago were missing in the current age. It was as if the stars refused to guide the residents of this world. It was as if something unknown was happening beyond the world¡¯s atmosphere.


    But the moon never changed. Celes¡­ never vanished. She kept watching.


    Amelia¡¯s sight trailed towards Evelyn. She was asleep. Despite the waves that kept on rocking their boat, Evelyn remained still. If anything, it was as if her body swayed along with the boat, enough to not knock her into the sea.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    There was no response.


    ¡°Hey, Evelyn!¡±


    Evelyn remained asleep.


    ¡°She sure could sleep soundly in this kind of situation¡­¡± Amelia inched forward. She drew Dwight¡¯s sword and made its blade touch Evelyn¡¯s neck. ¡°Not even conscious.¡±


    Lightly, Amelia pulled the sword, taking a short swipe of Evelyn¡¯s neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s similar, but not quite.¡± Amelia returned the sword to its hilt¡ªunstained by blood. ¡°She¡¯s completely defenseless. Not even the slightest wariness.¡±


    Amelia reached out and grabbed Evelyn¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s thick. Far thicker than mi¡ªAh!¡±


    A light shock. The substance that coated Evelyn¡¯s body revolted.


    ¡°How come? How come she¡¯s protected if she isn¡¯t conscious? Is this¡­ a blessing?¡± Amelia shook her head. ¡°But the nature of the substance¡­ it¡¯s similar to mana. But it isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Maybe I should have checked Meiko.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand Heroes.¡±


    Amelia sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll know nothing unless I try.¡±


    <hr>


    Evelyn yawned. ¡°That hit the spot.¡±


    A full stomach, milk, and an overloaded mind. It was high time for a rest.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she won¡¯t lay a hand on me.¡± Evelyn stretched her arms as she approached her bed. Then, with a plop, she nimbly grabbed a pillow and pressed her forehead against it.


    ¡°I bet she¡¯d stay wary and stare at me all night.¡± Evelyn chuckled. ¡°Have a great night, Princess.¡±


    <hr>


    Amelia reached her hands to the back of her neck. Practiced, she unwound the lock of the necklace. There were no signs of revulsion. It was removed just as Amelia remembered.


    After taking a good look at the crystal, Amelia wound the cord between and around her fingers¡ªuntil the crystal rested at the palm of her hand.


    ¡°Now then.¡± Amelia gulped. If possible, something as precious as her necklace would never be used for experimentation. However, a hint of trust towards Celes calmed her judgment.


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    It won¡¯t break. Nothing bad will happen. Again, Amelia gulped. Slowly, her hands inched towards Evelyn¡¯s. It¡¯s unbreakable. Celes modified it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s more durable than an armor forged with orichalcum.


    Amelia kept on deluding herself. Despite how Celes modified the necklace, Amelia kept it well protected. Sometimes even coating it with her own mana as a means of practice.


    About an inch away from Evelyn¡¯s hand. Amelia stopped.


    She bit her lip. Took a deep a breath. And with a quick exhale, she grasped Evelyn¡¯s hand¡ªher eyes focused and unblinking.


    <hr>


    What is a game? What constitutes a game?


    Numerous definitions could be found around the world. However, anything could be a game depending on whose perspective was considered.


    Hunting animals in the wild could be considered a game, while others may consider it as a mere massacre. Others look upon politics, political dynasties, as a mere game between the ruling families. Some may look upon life as a mere game of life choices, where everyone has only one life.


    Many more definitions and opinions could still be raised. Some heard. Some disdained. Some ignored.


    In this case, what is virtual? What is reality? Is it still a game?


    No matter what the answer for Amelia or Evelyn, it will always remain the same. At least for the Gods that once ruled Origin, it is a game. A game of lies and deception.


    <hr>


    A light quake disturbed Evelyn¡¯s sleep¡ªearning a knit on her brow. The building alarm then flared, shaking Evelyn¡¯s drowsiness away.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A light dizzy spell haunted Evelyn as she took a step away from her bed. ¡°Why now¡­¡±


    Her pod flared a similar alarm. It flashed a message across its glass tinted cover, alarming Evelyn of the intensity of the quake.


    ¡°Four huh.¡±


    Ceramics and glasses clinked. Metallic objects clanked. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to knock off objects from their shelves. It seemed that the building¡¯s structure could fend off the intensity of the quake.


    ¡°Damn.¡± The sudden shock forced Evelyn¡¯s knees to buckle. Then a greater intensity shook the building once more. ¡°Is it the epicenter nearby? Maybe a few kilometers away.


    Evelyn crawled towards the wall. She checked the surroundings for objects that might possibly fall or break. ¡°It¡¯s getting strong. I need to get to the schute.¡±


    Hurriedly, Evelyn strode in crawls towards the compartment near her unit¡¯s door. With a quick pull on the lower metallic cabinet, a hole tunneled with a soft and rubbery material entered Evelyn¡¯s sight.


    However, when Evelyn placed her feet inside the schute, the building shook, then, unbelievably, a portion of her unit¡¯s wall was torn off.


    ¡°What the hell! Are earthquakes supposed to do that?!¡±


    The torn wall flew as if a hurricane tore it apart and continued to gnaw on whatever remained. Bits and pieces followed the wall, eventually crumbling and vanishing from sight.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    There were no hurricanes in sight. Only a black a mass in the clouded sky.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a black hole?!¡±


    Debris flew from everywhere, effectively making a swirl of objects hurtling towards the sky. Humans, animals, plants, and even smoke rising from burning structures were sucked.


    Eventually, what seemed to be a hole became a seam, then a large tear. What laid beyond the tear were copious threads tensed to its limits as it held the tear from further growing.


    Gradually, as the threads gave in, a view beyond the tear was unraveled.


    ¡°Just what¡­¡±


    <hr>


    The coat of substance around Evelyn¡¯s body moved towards her hand, thinning out at every portion of her body. However, no matter how much the substance kept on reinforcing itself, the crystal absorbed the substance¡ªbreaking down whatever protection the substance offered.


    Evelyn was generally unharmed. Despite the crystal¡¯s rate of absorption, the substance held on, not allowing the crystal to physically touch Evelyn¡¯s skin.


    ¡°This thing is in the way.¡± Amelia frowned. It was far from what she hoped to see. However, it seemed that the substance was endless. No matter how much the crystal absorbed, the substance recovered, albeit thinned out aside from Evelyn¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I guess it can only happen when she¡¯s conscious.¡± Amelia exhaled.


    Once Amelia freed Evelyn¡¯s hand, the substance gradually leveled around Evelyn¡¯s body, eventually returning to its initial state.


    ¡°Still, I wonder where all those substances went¡­¡± Carefully, Amelia unwrapped the necklace around her fingers and wore it on her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Celes.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Exasperation and astonishment were written all over Evelyn¡¯s face.


    The tear in the sky gradually recovered. Eventually, the threads re-attached itself and closed the tear. Subsequently, the structures in the surroundings were clouded with translucent cubes, recovering what once existed in the spaces inside the cube.


    Everything that had been destroyed had recovered. Everything rewound back to its initial state.


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ understand.¡±


    Nothing made sense. Though technology advanced in different multitudes, the technology in Evelyn¡¯s era never brought something convenient as recovering what was lost¡ªeven life.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Evelyn crawled out of the schute and took a good look around her unit. She took a quick dash towards her phone. She remembered it flying off like the wall did, so she tried turning it on, and so it did.


    It was torn apart. Crushed into bits. It vanished like dust. However, there it was as if nothing happened.


    ¡°Ohh¡­¡± The amount of stress took over Evelyn, eventually losing her consciousness and falling the bedside.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Celes muttered. ¡°It was close.¡±


    [It¡¯s understandable.] Fenrir said. [She knew nothing regarding the fragments inside the Heroes.]


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s understandable. However, I would have preferred if she kept on and reveal the truth on that little trick the Gods used.¡±


    [I believe she won¡¯t understand even if the Hero realizes her situation.]


    ¡°I believe she might be able to, that¡¯s if she were able to connect what I made her witness.¡±


    Fenrir grumbled. [Accounts from a rattled is unreliable.]


    Celes sighed. ¡°I have hopes, but I guess the chance is low. Either way, it¡¯s not mandatory for Amelia to learn the trick. However, I want her to realize that not only I can manage to recreate a reality based from memory¡ªjust like how I made her a reality where her loved ones are alive.¡±


    [That aside, what do you intend to do with the Ancient? It seemed to have observed quite a bit.]


    ¡°I¡¯ll let him to his own devices in the meantime. All he has are questions and speculations. He lacks decisive evidence for Divines to believe him.¡±


    [True enough.]


    ¡°In any case, I wonder what Amelia will do? Will her parents find her first? Or will she be able to accomplish her initial aim?¡±


    [Which do you prefer.]


    ¡°Whatever happens, happens.¡± Celes chuckled. ¡°After all, whatever the result, it was Amelia¡¯s choice.¡±

 Chapter 93: What Matters Not 1

    Across the dim, musty room, a series of taps were heard. Everyone inside drew a frown¡ªseemingly irritated. Even the man who emitted the sound found it so. However, none parted their lips. None had the gall to speak and tell Darwin to stop¡ªalthough Darwin wished someone did. It was a dilemma.


    ¡°It has been four days since we arrived,¡± Darwin spoke, ceasing his rapping feet. ¡°Two days past the agreed date. But since trouble came, things went far from what was expected. However¡ª¡±


    ¡°However, a clear solution remains faint,¡± Veight continued. ¡°If you would perhaps grant us more time, things would be favorable for both sides¡ªthat I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Hhaaah¡­¡± His arms rested on his knees, Darwin crouched, trying to peer through the gaps between the planks under his feet. ¡°Tell me, just who is the person we are waiting for? And what is your assurance that this girl, along with another one, is alive? If your vessel was attacked by Halvsoth during the night, unprepared even, I believe the chances for them to be alive is slim. Though you could say that it¡¯s miraculous that the three of you are alive.¡±


    Marina bit her lip and used her left hand to clench her right. ¡°Our identity does not matter. And I believe we have the right to not tell you. The contract simply indicated that we are ferried back to Libet. Matters regarding who the clients are, and for what reason, was never written. And so, this should be considered a confidential request, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡±


    Darwin stomped. ¡°All the more reason we should leave as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Easy,¡± William raised his arms. ¡°Though you have the right to know what is happening, there¡¯s no need to rush. Just think of it as a client that must not be turned down. And besides, why the rush? Can¡¯ we keep it the air leveled?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Darwin stood. His feet brought him to the nearest window. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what is happening and why we should leave. If you can¡¯t give me enough reason to disprove my reasoning, then we¡¯ll leave. If you wish to remain, I don¡¯t care. We¡¯ll leave you behind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s!¡± Marina gasp.


    ¡°Oi!¡± William stood, his brows knit.


    ¡°Miss Marina, Sir William, I believe we should let him explain.¡± Veight urged Marina and William to remain calm.


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I do not know the main reason,¡± Darwin interrupted Marina. ¡°but the situation right now isn¡¯t easy for us either.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Darwin¡¯s tone earned Marina¡¯s silence.


    ¡°Please continue,¡± Veight said.


    ¡°You know I have men watching the ship out in the sea, right? Cole and Drake are just a small part of my crew. Others have been vigilant and had been moving the ship about every now and then. Now the problem lies not with the supplies our ship was loaded, but the situation of the southern waters.¡±


    ¡°By southern waters, you mean?¡± Veight asked.


    ¡°I meant the ships from Laurel.¡±


    Darwin glanced around. Marina seemed keen on listening upon hearing Laurel. William too was quiet.


    ¡°Like I said, it has been four days. And today is the fifth. From what my men had observed, the first two days were insignificant. The problem lies with the third day and so.¡±


    Darwin paused. He took another glance at the expressions of Marina, William, and Veight. He believed they had a hand or was the main perpetrator, which caused the abnormality in the southern waters.


    ¡°Normally, mercantile ships would follow a pre-determined route, usually a few kilometers from the coastlines. Seldom do they travel near Surtur. And seldom do they take their time sailing leisurely. At most, they would try to reach the next port as early as possible. After all, they can¡¯t have the goods perish without them reaching the market.¡±


    A sound argument, Veight thought.


    ¡°Ships near Surtur, are usually owned by each kingdom¡¯s military. Now that¡¯s where the problem lies.¡° Darwin inhaled. ¡°Some of those ships were recalled. Though it was a great opportunity to relax and remain here, the slight change in some routes the mercantile ships take was puzzling. We could have taken it as a captain¡¯s slip or mishap. However, the constant occurrence tells that it was not an ordinary day for Laurel.¡±


    Marina gulped. William felt a cold sweat sliding down his back.


    ¡°That too could have been fine, but the return of the military ships and their obvious increase in vigilance added up to our dilemma.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Veight nodded. ¡°Your reason is understandable.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°If my hunch is correct, we can¡¯t let Laurel know the reason why we are here¡ªand I can¡¯t have my men get caught in such mind-numbing situation.¡±


    ¡°Then I suggest that you move your men and your ship towards north as we remain here.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Darwin glared. ¡°Have you not heard what I said?! I told you it¡¯s dangerous here!¡±


    ¡°I believe so.¡±


    ¡°Then!¡±


    ¡°Matters in convincing the soldiers of Laurel shall be dealt by me.¡± Veight pressed his hand on his chest. ¡°Though not as convincing as I may look, I have the pardon of Laurel¡¯s Queen, Lady Diane Laurel.¡±


    Marina¡¯s, William¡¯s, and Darwin¡¯s eyes shot wide open.


    ¡°¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±¡±


    A traitor.


    <hr>


    Veight wasn¡¯t always a man of grace and elegance.


    ¡°Ahahah! That¡¯s the spirit! Don¡¯t let your throat dry up!¡± Veight urged.


    ¡°I¡¯m winning this! Veight!¡± The man, Albert, raised his mug, a couple drops of ale trickling down his arm. His sleeve down to his elbow was markedly soaked. ¡°I¡¯m not! Losing! This one!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s if you win!¡±


    Both sides were flushed red from excessive alcohol. However, neither side refused to back down and give the other the win for the night¡ªor in this case, morning.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the job! This time!¡± Albert took a swig. Then, after downing the contents of his mug in one go, he slammed the mug onto the table with a wheeze. ¡°Your! Turn!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already won!¡± A wide grin was etched on Veight¡¯s face. With ease, Veight copied Albert¡ªto which Albert loathed.


    ¡°You dog! You¡¯ve cheated!¡± Albert accused.


    Albert knew that Veight had a similar alcohol tolerance as him. For years, he had been toe-to-toe with Veight, so he had a grasp on how much Veight could take. But seeing Veight¡¯s balance as he remained standing, he seemed a few drinks short compared to how much he had consumed.


    ¡°Ahaha! There¡¯s no way that I¡¯d cheat! Besides, we¡¯ve been watching each other all morning! If I cheated, you¡¯d easily know! It¡¯s not like it¡¯s dark outside!¡± Veight excessively swished his arm around, a testament of how he had consumed more than what he usually could.


    On the other side of the counter, the owner of the inn sighed. ¡°I have been watching both of you. Veight did not cheat, Albert.¡±


    ¡°Whaaaat?!¡± An indescribable expression was painted over Albert¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s no way! Can¡¯t you see? He¡¯s all fine! He should be at least! Be like me!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason, Albert. But that¡¯s just how it is. Maybe Veight got used to drinking faster than you could.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true, Martha!¡± Albert slapped the table. ¡°My belly¡¯s not slow enough to ad¡ªurrp!¡±


    Martha heaved a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Veight. You won this match.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    It was morning, and Martha had wanted both to leave. She still had to clean what Albert and Veight had used and switch with his husband to man the counter. However, since Albert and Veight were frequent visitors of the inn, she could not turn them away easily. If anything, she got used to the antics of the two.


    ¡°Careful on the stairs,¡± Martha advised.


    ¡°Thaaanks!¡± Veight replied as he scaled the stairs with Albert¡¯s arm slung around his neck.


    A few moments after a few tumbles and stumbles, a door was shut.


    ¡°Finally, some peace.¡± Martha promptly collected the mugs and swept the table clean. ¡°I just hope they don¡¯t go for a second round later in the evening.¡±


    Martha could not remember when she became the referee for Albert¡¯s and Veight¡¯s bout. However, since she found it amusing to see the two fight over menial things, she never denied the two to drink at her inn¡ªwhich doubles as a tavern past midnight.


    This time around, Albert and Veight had been aiming for a certain request from the guild. Given the difficulty of the request, only a limited few could accept such.


    One could have tilted their head over the matter. Both Veight and Albert could have accepted the request at the same time, but instead of working together, they fought each other.


    It was childish¡ªmany would have said. Nonsense as would others. But that manner of thinking did not apply to the two. Each wanted to boast over the other. Each wanted to tease the other. They were like rivals, but they never considered each other as such.


    ¡°Rivals? No! Were pals!¡± is what Veight would have said. ¡°We fight over things to keep things lively!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? That dog ain¡¯t better than me. You can¡¯t call someone a rival if they¡¯re obviously weaker than you,¡± is what Albert would have said. ¡°But the dog ain¡¯t a bad company. Can¡¯t have myself wear gloom all day.¡±


    Somehow, only a few understood Veight¡¯s and Albert¡¯s situation. Martha was among those. To put simply, Veight and Albert simply had been keeping each other company. They entertained one another. If anything urgent arose, each would help the other. In a sense, it was not a rivalry. It was simply how they coped with each other. It was simply how they treated each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s more of a brotherhood,¡± Martha explained to his husband once. ¡°Albert and Veight had no family to turn to. Maybe it was chance that the other knew the other¡¯s circumstance and empathized. In any case, after years of hanging out together, this is what they became.¡±


    Adventurers without a family was not a rare occurrence. So to say, it was neither common. Nonetheless, both Albert and Veight were not much concerned with their status. Both had long chosen to move forward and live their life. They had grieved enough. They wanted an environment far from sadness.


    That was how both Albert and Veight wanted to live.


    Years passed, and they kept at it¡ªthat is, up until Albert won over Veight and managed to accept the request they fought over.


    The request was a bit odd. It entailed journeying deeper into Alabaster and to return whatever intel they could manage. In other words, a scouting quest. However, the request spanned a minimum of two weeks to a maximum of two months. The pay, however, was generous.


    In the small town of Malt, those who are qualified to take the request were few. The requirement was quite high. The request even required an actual demonstration of skills when faced with the requestee. Another option was a recommendation from the guild itself.


    ¡°Just up my alley!¡± Albert rejoiced. ¡°I¡¯ve been frequenting the outskirts of the forest and I¡¯ve been curious about what¡¯s deeper inside. Guess it¡¯s high time to move up!¡± Albert laughed heartily.


    ¡°Tsk! Just wait and see! I¡¯ll head deeper into Alabaster myself!¡±


    All said and done, Albert took the request and left Malt. Farewells were not shared. It was not their style. They simply believed that they will meet after a while and duke it out at Martha¡¯s inn again. That was how it always went. That was how they hoped it would always go.


    However, fate was harsh. What lied beyond the forest barrier that separated the true nature of Alabaster from the outskirts was harsh.


    Albert did not return after three months.


    The next month, news flashed like wildfire. Laurel began to move. A specialized unit was formed in order to unravel the depths of Alabaster. And this news shook Veight.

 Chapter 94: What Matters Not 2

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Veight,¡± Martha said


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s no one¡¯s fault but his.¡±


    Frustrated though he was, Veight understood the reality of the request. There was proper compensation. There were proper warnings and possible outcomes. However, just like most people would, they needed someone or something to blame¡ªall in order quell one¡¯s unstable emotions.


    However, Veight knew Albert¡¯s skills very well. For so long they have been adventurers, they knew due caution was crucial¡ªand Albert was fully aware of it. So to say, it was unlikely for Albert to trip and lose his life. Unlikely. It was what Veight believed. It was what Veight wanted to believe.


    In the fourth month that Albert has left, a month after he was presumed dead, the news of Laurel¡¯s movement towards Alabaster spread. Many were curious. Some were overjoyed. Some thought Laurel intended to pioneer the lands. Some thought they¡¯d reduce the beasts coming from Alabaster. However, none knew the what real reason was. Of course, among those was Veight.


    Veight was plagued with the thought of how Albert died, however, despite coming to Aves, he gained nothing. Albert was missing. That was all the guild knew.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Veight struck the counter, his mug rattled along.


    ¡°Oi, keep it down. You¡¯re not the only one around,¡± said the bartender.


    Veight could not get it out of his head. It was unlikely for him to care. Even the death of his parents did not give him a deep sense of remorse.


    ¡°Hey, what are you even sulking at?¡± asked the bartender out of curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Heh, if you want to keep those bottled up, then feel free to do so. But don¡¯t release those emotions while you¡¯re here in my tavern.¡± The bartender turned around and filled another mug with ale. ¡°But let me guess, new face, you came here for Alabaster, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Veight lifted his sight, irked.


    ¡°You¡¯re face says otherwise.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious if you¡¯d ask me.¡± The bartender passed the mug of ale to a waitress and returned to Veight. ¡°Since the past two weeks, many faces I¡¯m not accustomed to started visiting my tavern. But lo and behold, they came here to sulk and drink their problems away.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And guess what, they mostly came from different towns and villages. However, most were either mothers or siblings of the deceased adventurers.¡±


    Veight clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Can¡¯t blame you though. Many were lost when the request popped up in every guild possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the fault of the higher-ups.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± The bartender scratched his chin. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. But if that¡¯s what you wanted to believe, then so be it.¡±


    Veight frowned. ¡°They could have at least allowed adventurers to venture deep into Alabaster. Why did they have to implement a ban? If they hadn¡¯t, those related to the missing adventurers could have searched for them.¡±


    ¡°Your reason is valid.¡±


    ¡°See?¡±


    ¡°But since many were lost during the scouting period, wouldn¡¯t it be logical to stop people from coming?¡±


    Again, Veight clicked his tongue. ¡°Still.¡±


    The bartender sighed. ¡°If you really wanted to enter the depths of Alabaster, why not associate yourself with the Nobles? If you¡¯re lucky, you might find someone who could take you in as a soldier or something.¡±


    Veight¡¯s mouth went agape. ¡°Y-you¡¯re right. There is¡­ that method.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only viable for skilled adventurers though, and those who have proper manners when faced with a Noble. If not, you¡¯re in for some deep trouble.¡±


    ¡°I get it.¡± Veight stood from his seat. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Veight was already in Aves. Though he knew there were Nobles on the other section of Aves, he did not have the right to enter. And thus, the first place Veight had in mind was the library, though it took him two days to know that the Library was where he needed to go.


    No one could teach Veight. He knew no one who was educated with the mannerisms of the Nobles. His final option then was to teach himself, and thus the Library.


    After surrendering his adventurer card at the counter, receiving a library pass in return, Veight passed through the first line of shelves, his eyes darting from corner to another.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Where do I start?¡±


    Veight read the plaques hanging from the ceiling. He moved forward as he thought of which section of the library would contain the book he needed.


    ¡°It sure is quiet.¡±


    Despite the size of the Library, which spanned about 80 meters long and 50 meters wide, the number of people was few.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s night after all.¡±


    It was nine in the evening. And just as Veight wanted, the traffic within the library was minimal. Fortunately, the library was open all throughout the day. It was never a problem to spend the night within its chambers. However, only a few desired to do so. After all, selected sections within the Library had enough light for reading.


    ¡°Got it.¡± Under the section for etiquette, Veight found a suitable book. Book in hand, Veight wandered around the Library. Among the sections of the library which were granted with enough light were shadows. ¡°So I really am not alone here, huh.¡±


    Veight¡¯s feet took him to the nearest light. As he came closer, a figure of a girl reading under a ball of light welcomed his sight.


    The girl had brown hair, a typical color among Relians. However, her age based on appearance told Veight that the girl was around ten or so¡ªjust old enough to be Veight¡¯s child. Out of curiosity, Veight sat on the opposite side of the girl.


    ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± asked Veight in hopes of being polite.


    ¡°By speaking with me, yes. By sitting opposite me, no,¡± the girl said bluntly without batting an eye.


    Who is this brat? thought Veight. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±


    And thus, the night passed in silence.


    Every other day, sometimes two, Veight would encounter the girl. And just as he did in the first, he took the seat opposite the girl. However, both sides remained silent, careful not to disturb the other. The silence went on for two weeks until the girl spoke.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been reading about etiquette, but what for? Aren¡¯t you bored reading that over the past two weeks?¡± The girl asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough to read that in a few days¡¯ time and be done with it?¡±


    Veight was surprised. He never showed the girl what kind of book he was reading. ¡°How did you know what I was reading?¡±


    ¡°The cover, of course. I¡¯ve already read those when I was younger.¡±


    Veight knitted his brows. ¡°Younger? But what for?¡±


    ¡°An adventurer trying to learn the mannerisms of Nobles is more of a rare occasion than that of a girl reading them at an early age.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The girl sighed. ¡°So? What¡¯s your answer?¡± the girl asked, nary a hint of excitement. Maybe she was bored and had asked Veight out of the blue.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bargain, then. You tell me what you are reading and what for, and I¡¯ll tell mine.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The girl closed her book and showed Veight the cover.


    ¡®Chess¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re reading about a board game? At a late hour?¡± Veight found it unbelievable. He thought understanding the basics of Chess was not worth the read, especially during the night. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re reading about?¡±


    The girl smiled. ¡°For today, yes. Now, it¡¯s time to fulfill the end of your bargain. After all, the reason is obvious why I¡¯m reading about Chess, right?¡±


    Veight was perturbed. It was only for a short time, but the girl had already taken the lead of the conversation. Did the girl expect it? Perhaps, yes. She knew Veight was as adventurer, and maybe she knew that Veight would resort to a bargain, just like what most merchants would. Veight was, from the very start, led on by the girl.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Isn¡¯t it proper manners to fulfill the end of your bargain?¡± The girl tapped her finger, seemingly imitating the tick of the clock.


    Cold sweat ran down Veight¡¯s back. Each tap of her finger seemed shorter and shorter, which further pressured Veight.


    Just, who is this girl? Veight¡¯s jaws trembled. No, don¡¯t think about it that much. Just tell what you have to say.


    ¡°I¡­ wanted to catch the attention of a Noble.¡± A tone of defeat.


    ¡°Pff!¡±


    The next moment, Veight found the girl holding her stomach and her mouth. Though suppressed, Veight could imagine how much laughter the girl could have released if they were not inside the library.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Veight frowned. He waited for the girl to reply, but it took a minute or two before the girl stopped.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡± The girl produced a handkerchief and tapped it against her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll do great as a comedian.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, I could kind of guess what you¡¯re after, but let me tell you one thing.¡± The girl raised a finger with a smile. ¡°It takes luck or connection to get under a wing of a Noble. Manners aren¡¯t that important since most Nobles already expected commoners and adventurers to lack them. Sure, it may give a good impression, but that¡¯s not a guarantee. What matters most is their skill in the field they were hired for.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°Hear me. If you rely on that alone, I don¡¯t think you would achieve what you wanted in a few years¡¯ time. After all, Nobles needing the help of an adventurer is rare¡ªnot unless the adventurer was popular and renown. And judging by who you are, you aren¡¯t that well-known.¡±


    Veight¡¯s frown twitched. ¡°I may not be well-known, but I have a decent record.¡±


    ¡°Still not enough to be noticed by eccentrics.¡±


    Veight looked down on his book and closed it. He was dragged around by a little girl. He could not help but feel ashamed and hide his face. ¡°Any advice, then?¡±


    ¡°None.¡±


    Veight clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m already granting you that luck.¡±


    Veight¡¯s expression was every bit confused. He then raised his sight only to catch a glimpse of the girl¡¯s smug smile.


    ¡°From this day on, Veight, the adventurer, you will follow my orders. If I deem you worthy, I¡¯ll take you under my wing. However, that¡¯s an if. So work hard for it.¡±


    The girl reached out her hand. Although hesitant, Veight extended his hand and shook the girl¡¯s.


    A mere coincidence. Neither the girl nor Veight expected that they would meet each other. However, throughout the two weeks that the girl sat opposite of Veight, she collected information.


    The main reason was that the girl wanted to protect herself.


    Originally, the girl had access to the Royal Library within the palace of Tercel. However, since several Nobles and their heir visit the library as well, it became an uncomfortable place to read. The girl, after all, despised most of the nobility. As a result, she often visited the public library. Her commonplace hair helped her in disguising as an ordinary citizen. However, being a Noble herself, she could not let her guard down. And thus, it came down to the girl investigating Veight.


    After several trips to and from the library, the girl concluded that Veight was not associated with any Noble¡ªwhich was both fortunate and unfortunate for the girl. She could have cornered Veight into telling who he worked for if he was associated with anyone.


    Then came the girls move, which swiftly took the opportunity to attack and lead¡ªjust like the title of the book she presented. In the end, it was an easy prey for the girl. Truth be told, she expected a better retaliation, but Veight knew no better. He was a simple man.


    ¡°Your name. Could you at least tell me?¡± Veight asked.


    A smile floated across the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Diane.¡±


    That was when Diane Laurel acquired the pawn named Veight.

 Chapter 95: What Matters Not 3

    Veight¡¯s wishes were answered. It was but a simple day when the King requested the Nobles to provide a few soldiers in order to tread further into Alabaster. Veight was among those that represented the House of Trois, Diane¡¯s to be exact.


    Unfortunately, or perhaps, fortunately, nothing much happened to the unit Veight was assigned into. They treaded Alabaster treating it as a frontier. True, unfamiliar beasts had shown itself, but given the information that the adventurers scoured, as well as the first deployment, they had an idea of how to deal with such beasts.


    Spiked Hyraxes. Catoblepas. Several adventurers fell prey to such beasts during the scouting period. Especially when it came down to the Catoblepas¡¯s petrification, which then was impossible to cure. Not to mention the deadly Cerastes which devoured adventurers during the night.


    They spent several days and nights wary of the secrets of Alabaster. Then, on one day, lightning struck from the distance. It was a cloudless night. The moon shone brightly. It was dubious how lightning formed and struck. However, news came once the expedition ended.


    ¡°So, how was it? Did you find what you were looking for?¡±


    A solemn answer came from Veight. ¡°No.¡±


    An obvious outcome. It has been a year since Albert vanished. His remains would have long been preyed upon by the beasts of Alabaster. A sliver of chance was the only hope, but even that sliver seemed far and out of reach.


    ¡°I see.¡± Diane nodded. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± asked Diane, her eyes focused on what seemed to be a draft or scribbles of some sort.


    ¡°A few had died. Not in the unit I was assigned, however, soldiers of some of the Nobilities perished.¡±


    ¡°And? The cause?¡±


    ¡°Sightings of those who survived said it was a goat. One coated with a golden fur.¡±


    Diane nodded. ¡°Right. Right. I could see that coming.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have much interest on the golden beast?¡± Veight knitted his brow. He thought the news of such a rare beast would pique Diane¡¯s interest, enough to make want it as a trophy or some sort.


    ¡°Whatever you are thinking, no. I¡¯m not inclined nor am I interested in such a beast. The fact that it could manifest lightning just as the reports I received said meant it was no ordinary beast, you know? In fact, I¡¯d rank it among mythical beasts if I were asked. Because even for us humans, even for Academia, manifesting lightning is a tall task. It¡¯s very unstable and hard to control. It can even kill the caster. With that¡­ you get what I¡¯m trying to tell you, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maybe so.¡±


    Diane sighed. ¡°What I mean is it¡¯s extremely hard to make practical use of lightning. Maybe if it was on the level of a powerful spark, we could handle it. But the beast made use of it freely, no? In other words, we shouldn¡¯t mess with that beast.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°On the off hand, which houses did those fools came from? I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯d be a laughing stock for the other Nobles for quite a while. Wait, no. Just get me more details on the expedition and hand it to me in a form a report again. But be sure to include the list of fools.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ahh¡­ How long has it been? Veight thought. Was it 23? Or was it 24 years since? Ah, right. This is the 24<sup>th</sup>. Still, it has been a long time, hasn¡¯t it, Lady Diane? You were just a little girl, and now you are a mother of two and a Queen at that. I wonder what Albert would tell me if he knew I¡¯m acquainted with such a great person? Still, this is a fine day. A fine life. To witness this event. To witness Heroes for these olden eyes of mine. It¡¯s a great honor, Lady Diane.


    ¡°Take me to the captain of your ship. He or she may confirm the authenticity of the crest I have presented you,¡± Veight suggested.


    To his front were soldiers of Laurel. They came ashore as soon as they found Veight walking along the southeastern coast.


    ¡°In exchange,¡± Veight added. ¡°Do allow my comrades to remain free. All the answers you seek will be answered by me.¡±


    Just as Darwin had previously surmised, Laurel placed soldiers around Surtur. Although it was pure conjecture from Laurel¡¯s side, the thought of Libet being responsible for Amelia¡¯s whereabouts was inevitable. Laurel and Libet were never on good terms, to begin with. In addition to the fact that Surtur was the closest possible base of operations for Libet to strike Laurel, the recent announcement coming from Amelia that blamed Libet for the poisoning and the forest fire made Libet a prime candidate.


    One Relian soldier expressed his concern, his brows knit underneath his helm. ¡°I see¡­ But perhaps¡­ No, we will take you to our captain after we¡¯ve located your base and identified your comrades.¡±


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    ¡°I mind not.¡±


    Some of the Relian soldiers gulped a mouthful of saliva. They gripped the pommel of their swords and asked Veight to lead the way.


    This might be a trap. What are they doing here? Are they related to Her Highness? Be wary, be wary. Heighten your senses. Leave no stones unturned.


    Several thoughts swirled within the group of Relian soldiers. After all, Veight was every little bit suspicious. His relative calmness on the matter made the soldiers tense.


    In every step of the way, Veight recounted the time he spent under Diane¡¯s command.


    Though I admired your brilliance, I had hoped to see the same from your daughter. However, you made her grow spoiled. No, to be exact, the late King had spoiled her too much. She grew up as much as you¡¯d expect from a Princess. If that event had not happened, she wouldn¡¯t have exerted her all. It was a like a glimpse of light in the depths of the sea.


    True that your daughter had achieved merits upon merits upon rising as a completely different person. But she is by no means comparable to you at your younger years.


    Veight had witnessed Diane¡¯s capability. Though for several years it had been mainly observation and negotiations, the base was completely solid.


    Rather than a fox, you are more akin to a spider. Moving around never mattered to you. Building the basis for everything was your priority. You simply wanted your house free from the hands of the Nobles, but you ended up as a Queen. A little tragic.


    Gradually, Veight¡¯s entertainment shifted towards ¡®What would Diane do?¡¯, ¡®How would she do it?¡¯, ¡®What will be the consequences¡¯, and ¡®Who will be involved?¡¯.


    Now tell me, Lady Diane, what move will you take? Tell me what I¡¯ll do and let me witness your grace once more.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ahaha.¡± A strained laugh escaped Amelia¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this is Kanna¡¯s fault. Though it¡¯s my fault too for not informing her firsthand. But if I did¡­ she wouldn¡¯t frantically search for me. That and Father would suspect her movements¡­ Still, Kanna, I¡¯m sorry. I really can¡¯t bring you into this. This is just some crazy idea of mine during that moment. So, do forgive me when I come back.¡±


    Amelia wanted to leave the boat adrift for a while longer. However, sighting mercantile ships down south made her move the boat towards Surtur. It would have been all according to her plan if the Halvsoth did not attack during the sail.


    ¡°Somehow,¡± Amelia chuckled. ¡°It feels like I¡¯m hiding from Erina like I used to. But I guess I can¡¯t do that anymore.¡±


    Amelia shifted her sight to Evelyn. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t do that anymore. Not with everything going around.¡±


    Throughout the night, Evelyn remained asleep.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t wrap my mind around it.¡± Amelia pinched, balled, clenched the ball of mana on her hand. ¡°This is different from what¡¯s around Evelyn.¡±


    The ball of mana and the protection around Evelyn were similar as far as Amelia could observe. However, they acted differently. Amelia¡¯s mana was controllable by her own will, however, the protection around Evelyn had a mind of its own.


    ¡°But this is a fortunate result.¡±


    Evelyn would have been awake by now, Amelia thought. But it seemed that her repeatedly making Evelyn touch her necklace had fortunately extended Evelyn¡¯s time spent unconscious, or in Amelia¡¯s case, asleep.


    Although unknown to Amelia, the protection around Evelyn was not an absolute defense. Amelia had drained a sizeable amount unknowingly. Since the protection of the vassal was an utmost priority for the blessing, it had shifted its attention towards replenishing the stocks of the defensive barrier¡ªeffectively slowing down the time Evelyn experiences during her stay in her world.


    In other words, the relativity of time between Origin and Evelyn¡¯s world had evened out.


    A welcome result while Amelia assesses the nature of the mana surrounding Evelyn.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t land on Surtur¡­¡±


    The volcanic island was well within normal eyesight.


    ¡°The question is¡­ where should I go now?¡±


    It seemed the time she bought for herself unknowingly was only enough to rethink her plan.


    It has been a while, but it had me curious. If Libet were able to tame Flameclads, they probably came from Surtur. Not unless there¡¯s another place that I don¡¯t know of where Flameclads lives. Surely, they aren¡¯t transporting them by ship, right? I can¡¯t imagine a ship burning in the middle of the sea due to a Flameclad mishandling.


    <hr>


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡± Evelyn exclaimed. The moment she woke up, still bewildered by the previous event, Amelia gave her a few options. ¡°You want us inside that ship?!¡±


    ¡°Like I said, we could stay adrift or get into a ship. I don¡¯t mind eating for days, but I don¡¯t think the case is the same for you. And don¡¯t think about it. Whatever food you take out here, I¡¯ll take it from your hands.¡±


    Evelyn pressed the palm of her hands onto her temple. ¡°Please give me a moment.¡±


    Evelyn clutched her fringes.


    Just¡­ just what is going on, really? What happened. Was it just a nightmare? But I woke up passed out on the floor¡­


    Light pangs pounded Evelyn¡¯s head. ¡°Ugh. A little bit more time, please. I can¡¯t comprehend anything.¡±


    Really, what the heck is going on?! The place was thrashed and practically devastated. And that is no ordinary calamity. I never heard of the sky ripping open for whatever unknown reason! And this girl! Just how fast did she move this boat to arrive here in a few hours!


    When Evelyn woke up in her room, everything was normal. She had repeatedly left her room and investigated the immediate surroundings of the building she was staying. After finding out that nothing had changed, she was left sitting on the edge of her bed completely and utterly bewildered.


    ¡°Just what the hell happened, then?¡± She asked herself, her eyes devoid and her sight glued to her feet. She embraced her knees and fell to her side¡ªblinking her eyes in confusion. ¡°¡­¡±


    Several minutes passed and Evelyn gave up on finding an answer and booted up her capsule. Thinking that it¡¯s no use thinking about things she could not comprehend, she then sought entertainment¡ªgames.


    That was then when Amelia gave her options.


    ¡°You¡¯ll sneak inside that ship with me or we¡¯ll remain adrift.¡±


    Surtur was never near when she took a nap. Evelyn was sure of it. However, she was now at a distance that she could easily identify the coast of the island. A distance where a ship could safely anchor itself.


    ¡°Ugh. I shouldn¡¯t have logged. This gives me more headaches.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Darwin reared his head towards his cabin¡¯s door. He brought down his feet rested on a nearby barrel and approached a wall decorated with different swords. Once he grabbed the hilt of what seemed to be a rapier, he said, ¡°Who goes there? None of my sailors knocks as silently as you do.¡±


    Darwin left Surtur along with his men, leaving Veight and the others. They believed they¡¯d be a hindrance when negotiations with Relian soldiers start¡ªwhich is why they decided to bring the ship further north.


    The door opened. Nothing. Nary a figure a person was seen across the hall.


    But then came a whisper beside his ears.


    ¡°Rest your sword.¡±


    It was over. A blade unraveled itself out of thin air and appeared beside his neck. ¡°I¡¯m taking over this ship.¡±


    Darwin creaked his head. There he saw a somewhat familiar figure. An infamous figure in Libet.


    ¡°By my name, your life will be spared. That is, if you do as I command.¡±

 Chapter 96: What Matters Not 4

    What am I even doing?


    Metal rang. Swords clashed. Blows were traded as footfalls clacked on the deck. Soon, bodies fell and tumbled. It was one against many.


    She isn¡¯t around, right? Evelyn thought. She swung a mass-produced broadsword and knocked off a sailor¡¯s sword. The gap between skill and strength was by far wide. The number of sailors moaning on the floor numbered seven. However, the number around her easily surpassed 20. Even so, Evelyn kept her calm.


    Evelyn bit her lips as she toppled another sailor with a kick. Damn it! I devised this for her, not against some sailors I was forced to go against!


    Although surrounded, the sailors could only take on Evelyn one after the other. At most, three at a time.


    ¡°I ain¡¯t going near that!¡± said a Sailor.


    ¡°Hell, that¡¯ll chop us to pieces!¡± said another.


    On Evelyn¡¯s rear and sides, swords perpetually fell, creating a somewhat pseudo barrier with swords. The swords dropped from around two and a half meters above the deck and vanished at about three inches before hitting the floor. It was a bizarre way of making a protective yet harmful form of barrier.


    The nature of Evelyn¡¯s blessing made the feat possible. Any solid objects, no matter its state, with size restrictions, could be stored into Evelyn¡¯s so-called ¡®Inventory¡¯. Evelyn had first taken advantage of its nature by using arrows flying in mid-air, hence her not needing a bow in order to shoot arrows. However, of course, there are disadvantages. The state could not be altered from within the ¡®Inventory¡¯.


    In either case, Evelyn tried to devise a plan or technique against Amelia before she was knock-offed unconscious. That was altering an object¡¯s state by manifesting the object. It was not the most efficient, but Evelyn had to work around limitations. However, letting gravity do the job of altering an object¡¯s state was a breakthrough for Evelyn.


    Hence Evelyn¡¯s perpetually falling barrier of swords¡ªpartially perpetual if all things considered.


    ¡°Like I told you, it¡¯s no use.¡± Evelyn lifted her sword and put up a stance. ¡°You¡¯ll only make things worse if you keep going at it. So just listen to what I have to say and unsheathe your swords. At the least, from what you can see, I have not mortally wounded any of your comrades. I guess that¡¯s enough proof that I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    ¡°As if we¡¯d immediately listen to some stranger who managed to climb the ship out of nowhere!¡±


    Right. No one would listen to some weirdo who tells everyone to surrender after appearing in the middle of the sea. In the first place, why did I let myself be dragged like this?


    Evelyn¡¯s stomach rumbled.


    I¡¯m certainly well in the real world, but hell this hunger here definitely feels way too real. If only that madman wouldn¡¯t keep on repeatedly snatching whatever food I took out, I wouldn¡¯t even be here! Just what are those reflexes?! Is she not feeling weak from hunger at all?! And why did she have to break the boat?!


    Evelyn held it in, however, her body quivering from hunger could not be satiated with mere will.


    And here I am surrounded. Take their attention my ass! I can¡¯t even eat in this kind of situation!


    In the moment of nothing but a chorus of moans and sounding gulps, a voice echoed throughout the deck.


    ¡°Cease this!¡± It was none other than Darwin.


    <hr>


    ¡°What are doing here, Laurel¡¯s Princess?¡± Slowly, Darwin raised his arms in surrender. He felt nothing could be done if a blade had reached his neck without him sensing. The difference in ability was too wide of a gap for retaliation¡ªDarwin¡¯s experience considered. ¡°Running away from home, are we?¡±


    Darwin grinned as he cracked a joke.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because I was taken as a hostage.¡± Amelia did not cut corners and went straight to the point.


    ¡°A hostage?¡± Creases formed on Darwin¡¯s forehead. First and foremost, why would a hostage board a ship and take it over? It did not make sense. ¡°You sure know how to bewilder others.¡±


    ¡°Do I really?¡± Amelia narrowed her eyes, focusing on the slightest of changes on Darwin¡¯s expression. ¡°Still, it makes me think why a non-mercantile nor non-fishing vessel is near Surtur. Considering the surroundings, which there are no other ships in sight, this is far from an exercise.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Consider this. A few people will sail from Laurel to Surtur. Then, those same people will transfer to another vessel and sail towards Libet.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Those same people had a hostage with them. Namely, Laurel¡¯s Princess. This then caused the shift on the routes taken by mercantile ships. It all makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Darwin gulped. It wasn¡¯t hard to piece the information. The single piece that would make the picture clear was the reason why the routes changed. Considering what Amelia said, that she was taken a hostage, the picture naturally became clear.


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    Those same people who he was supposed to fetch had kidnapped a Royalty. Failing will cost him his life.


    ¡°I-I see¡­ I see¡­¡± Darwin muttered.


    Then, considering them washing ashore, something happened partway to Surtur. However¡­


    ¡°So, you intended to take over this ship and turn it back towards Laurel.¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡±


    Darwin expressed his confusion.


    Shouldn¡¯t she be searching for a way to return?


    ¡°I could have headed straight for any mercantile ships if I desired to return. I could also land on Surtur and wait at the southern post.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ deliberately made yourself a hostage? If then, this was all your scheme?¡± Slightly, Darwin¡¯s tone rose. He felt a shiver down his spine. If his fears served him right, it was all over for him and his crew.


    ¡°Partly. I myself never knew something would occur in the middle of the sail.¡±


    Darwin¡¯s mind was swarmed by a mix of doubt, fear, and confusion. It was unsettling that Amelia had been telling him things that could have been used as a card. He was afraid that she was setting him up with a play of words¡ªto which he feared the most. In the first place, the Lord¡¯s words were what made him what he is at that moment.


    ¡°In that case, what are you after?¡±


    ¡°As I said earlier, I¡¯m taking over this ship. What happens next is entirely a different matter. But rest assured, if you follow my orders, none of your crew will lose their life. Not even yours. This I swear by title bestowed to me.¡±


    <hr>


    Wounded sailors were rounded up and formed a neat row on the deck.


    Darwin nudged the scabbard of the sword on his waist. She¡¯s defenseless. This might be the chance.


    About three meters away was Amelia crouching down on each wounded sailor, her lips muttering a familiar chant¡ªheal. Clutched in her left hand were the sword and scabbard that she used on Darwin. In addition, her clothes were simple rags. In the literal sense, it made Amelia look far too defenseless, fragile even.


    At first, Darwin could not believe that Amelia was fine with her clothes. He thought Royalty valued their body like precious stones and avoided revealing clothes. However, Amelia¡¯s demeanor expressed a sense of maturity.


    Still, it¡¯s a beautiful sight.


    Darwin¡¯s mind wandered. He could not help but admire how Amelia ignored the surrounding eyes. And, comparing her to the Nobles he met in his life, he thought Amelia was far detached to what he used to know about Nobles.


    No. She¡¯s an enemy. Observe and find a way out.


    Darwin moved his sight towards another girl. Platinum blonde hair at a medium length with fringes covering most of her forehead. A slightly rounded face. Green irises. A set of well-balanced armor of leather and alloys. Her appearance gave out the impression that she was a girl around seventeen years of age.


    From the look of it, this girl is at odds with the Princess.


    Darwin had considered Evelyn¡¯s strength in defeating a few of his crew on her own.


    She¡¯s been looking around. She¡¯s eyeing the boats. Is she intending to escape?


    Evelyn was visibly tensioned. From what it seemed, a lot had been running on her mind.


    If that¡¯s it, then I must wait.


    <hr>


    ¡°The tide has set,¡± Marina said while seated on a rock near the southeastern coast of Surtur. ¡°But Evelyn, Sir Dwight and she hasn¡¯t washed ashore. Do you think they¡­ drowned? Or maybe¡­¡±


    Marina held her knees close to her chest. ¡°It¡¯s kind of sad if they did. I mean¡­ our time with Evelyn had just begun.¡±


    William leaned on the rock and used a knife to shred a piece of meat from a coconut. ¡°Can¡¯t say I don¡¯t feel the same. But I believe that girl is alive. She¡¯s a Hero for God¡¯s sake. I¡¯ll even bet she has a boat stored using her Blessing.¡±


    ¡°But it was dark then. Though we were immediately knocked unconscious by the impact, I think it¡¯s hard to defeat a Halvsoth. That is if what Veight said was true. Just imagine. Fighting a creature at the sea at night. Without comrades. Without a foothold. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s¡­ difficult. If it was this island¡¯s Flameclad, I think it¡¯ll be manageable since we are on land.¡±


    William frowned. ¡°Now if you keep thinking like that, you¡¯ll only pull yourself down.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Darwin and the others returned to their ship. Veight went to meet the captain of soldiers from Laurel. And most importantly, we knew something happened during the sail and were unable to help. In the end, only debris of the boat washed ashore. So, I can¡¯t help but think they didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Right. We owe our lives to Veight.¡±


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t help but think why Veight prioritized us over the Hero?¡±


    ¡°He is her trainer. I think he wanted to see what the girl is capable of in that environment. Or maybe, he believed the girl could pull it off.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± William stood with a gust. ¡°Let¡¯s change the topic. Keeping this up will only sour the mood. So, why not think with me on what should we do? And let¡¯s keep that pessimism at bay for now. Let¡¯s come up with plans with our next adventure with the Hero.¡±


    Marina sighed. ¡°In that case¡­ the recent explosion? There¡¯s also the news of the Silver Princess announcing that a priest from Libet was responsible for the recent forest fire.¡±


    ¡°Thinking back eh? Well, I think that announcement was just an attempt to pin us down on a tight spot while they supply Brent. That way, they can limit the resources coming down our shores. That aside, we have no idea about the explosion. But before we left, I heard Hero Charles had visited the site.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not all good at thinking ahead. I¡¯m more suited on thinking back on events and tracing them to the present. Though I say that, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m particularly good at it.¡±


    William chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But now that I mentioned Hero Charles, there still that brat.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I might consider too. A brat, that is. Still, he is a Hero. I think he owes due respect.¡± Marina fidgeted. ¡°I mean, Madeleine went with him. I¡¯m sure the Princess found something interesting regarding him.¡±


    ¡°A brat is a brat, Marina. I¡¯m sure the Princess joined him in order to tame him.¡±


    ¡°Even so.¡± Marina shook her head. ¡°Though he may be like that, I heard his progress was something¡­ rapid?¡±


    ¡°Well, the kid had rushed out of the capital and went on a hunt after his training. Still, no matter what he becomes, I think that kid isn¡¯t a bright one.¡±


    ¡°Well, he could leave all the thinking to Madeleine. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll become something formidable when the time comes. Especially when the winter sets¡ªwhen the demons are most probable to attack.¡±


    William grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s quite a situation we have in all honesty. Though Brent vowed to retake Niveria, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll launch an attack soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s winter after all. Supplies are scarce.¡±


    ¡°True, but it¡¯s mostly because of the refugees. See, they take quite a sum of supplies intended for war. And the fight between Brent¡¯s factions isn¡¯t doing well either. Considering that, it won¡¯t be a surprise if the second Prince launches an attack in the name of Niveria¡¯s last Royalty.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think separated forces will do good.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t. But trust me. Those demons are most likely to attack us rather than Brent. They¡¯ll be sandwiched between us and Laurel if ever they conquered Brent.¡±


    ¡°But what if they do a sporadic attack? Won¡¯t that tactic throw us off?¡±


    ¡°If they were to do that, I bet it¡¯s to lure the Heroes and isolate them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ most likely possible.¡±


    ¡°Still, we don¡¯t know much about the demons. What we do know is that they too have a Hero. Numbers are unconfirmed though.¡±


    ¡°I hope it¡¯s at most one¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope so. We can¡¯t have unexperienced Heroes face a veteran one on one.¡±

 Chapter 97: What Matters Not 5

    The cold wind blew past Amelia, her hair aflutter in the dark of the night. She leaned her back on the gunwale and observed the sailors from the rear deck. Her lone presence made the sailors¡¯ movements somewhat stiff. However, the dusts of snow falling from the sky made the night seem calm.


    On the same night Amelia told Darwin to submit, the three of them, Amelia, Darwin, and Evelyn, had a meeting. That was when Amelia said, ¡°Set sail for Libet.¡±


    Her casual tone struck Darwin and Evelyn like a bolt and delivered silence.


    ¡°I guess there are no objections. Then, this meeting is dismissed.¡± And just like that, the meeting that had just started abruptly ended.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Darwin shouted.


    Amelia ignored Darwin and left the cabin.


    ¡°That girl¡­¡± Darwin ground his teeth.


    Meanwhile, Evelyn remained silent. Her mind which was tensed to its limits could not comprehend Amelia¡¯s words. She simply slumped on her seat and said, ¡°More problems, I guess.¡±


    This girl has it bad, Darwin thought. If that¡¯s the case, why is she following that girl?


    The more Darwin thought, the more mysteries he could not solve was added.


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll just have to this again in the morning.¡± Darwin sighed. He believed that Amelia was simply exhausted and had dismissed the meeting due to the built-up stress.


    However, when morning came, the sailors came knocking on his cabin with distress painted all over their face. ¡°Captain, our food!¡±


    Darwin rushed to the galley and checked the storage next to it.


    ¡°What?!¡± The storage which was supposed to be half-full was close to empty. In his estimates, the food will only last them two days even if they minimized their food intake. ¡°What happened here?!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know!¡± Said the ship¡¯s chef. ¡°When I opened it this morning, it was already like that!¡±


    Darwin clicked his tongue. ¡°Get those two girls into my cabin!¡±


    Then a continuation of last night¡¯s meeting was held.


    ¡°Let me guess this straight.¡± Darwin slammed the palm of his hands onto the table. ¡°Did any of you had to do with the situation this morning?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Evelyn knitted her brows.


    On the other hand, shifted her crossed feet and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Just then, Amelia earned Darwin¡¯s glare. ¡°Where did you take the food?¡±


    ¡°If you want the food, you can go dive into the sea and fetch it. Though I believe the creatures of the sea had already made themselves a feast out of it.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Darwin balled his hands into a fist. He raised his right arm into the air and stopped midway swing. After heaving three breaths to calm himself, Darwin sat and probed Amelia¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Darwin¡¯s tone was calm, yet it hinted anger.


    ¡°I did say last night to set sail for Libet. However, none of your sailors had moved the ship.¡± Then a smile crept up Amelia¡¯s face. ¡°So, I made it so that there¡¯s no other choice but to sail for Libet.¡±


    Darwin bit his lip. With the supplies brought down to a critical degree, there was no other choice but to return to the nearest port to resupply. Although there was the option of landing on Surtur, the situation around Laurel made the option invalid.


    If we couldn¡¯t make it, maybe we should get some supplies from the nearest ship. Though I doubt that this Princess would stay put if we did. If we did get back to the port¡­ we could get her arrested. No doubt that the Lord of the port would rejoice in capturing the Princess of an enemy state. However¡­


    ¡°I believe there¡¯s no point in arguing. If you don¡¯t move the ship now, your sailors will be left starving.¡±


    ¡°The same thing will happen to you, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Oh. But I had already taken my own fill for an entire day. However, you and your sailors will have to start theirs nearly empty. Among us, I wonder who would succumb to hunger first?¡±


    Water was no issue. Magic will be able to supply what water their body needed. However, between moving the ship as fast as they could and producing water, their mana capacity fell short. Not to mention the possibility of an attack from a beast, which needs an ample amount of mana as well.


    There was the matter of fishing, but fishing during the cold season would not suffice for the number of people on the ship. Therefore, Darwin and his men had little choice but to obey.


    ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll sail towards the north.¡±


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    <hr>


    ¡°Haa¡­¡± A faint mist escaped Amelia¡¯s lips. ¡°I guess winter has arrived.¡±


    Again, Amelia simply gazed around. The surroundings were somewhat foggy, but the thickness was no obstacle to the experienced sailors. Still, the ship¡¯s pace was rather cautious.


    ¡°Sometimes, I really feel like a villain or something,¡± Amelia muttered. However, no one she knew was around to give her a witty or opposing reply.


    Acting the part was by no means foreign to Amelia. Imposing a decision was nothing new. As a Royal, acting and moving towards a goal required mental strength.


    Still, it¡¯s a surprise Evelyn hasn¡¯t retaliated yet. I wonder if, by chance, she and Darwin had thought the same thing¡ªto capture me right at or near the port. If they did, I guess I achieved what I ought to achieve first.


    Amelia smiled.


    Overthinking is a weakness. Though I¡¯m sure Erina will tell me ¡®Are you one to talk?¡¯. Anyway, it¡¯ll be peaceful for the meantime. After all, there isn¡¯t much choice. My life is too precious for Libet for them to get rid of me¡­ Unless they did not care about the political situation. Still, if I¡¯m found dead, it¡¯ll most likely spark a war. I can even imagine Kanna being in forefront of it.


    Amelia chuckled.


    Ahh¡­ such dark thoughts. Now is not the time for it. Better find a way out of this mess.


    Amelia had to admit. The situation has turned into a mess. And, just like in Darwin¡¯s situation, Amelia had limited options left. Everyone around her was enemies. She could not relax her guard. She could not relax her mind.


    Somehow¡­ I kind of regret doing this.


    Evelyn, which was supposed to be a foundation for Amelia¡¯s plan, became somewhat different from what she expected. Her recent observations told her that Evelyn was unstable. Evelyn was unsure. Evelyn was¡­ bothered.


    I must get the soldiers back, at least¡­


    Amelia bit her lip. Now, the soldiers she was retrieved from Evelyn was kept inside an empty room within the ship. However, those bodies she wanted to bury, will rot in due time. By then, the disease was sure to follow.


    Spreading an epidemic huh. It¡¯s probable if I let it rot as is¡­ but yeah, I can¡¯t do that. I won¡¯t do that. Even if they are dead, they are still my people.


    While Amelia was deep in thought, footfalls approached. It was none other than Evelyn.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Evelyn stopped at about a meter away with a hand on her head.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Do you have medicine?¡±


    ¡°¡­ What? Medicine?¡± Amelia knit her brows. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ hurting?¡±


    ¡°Kind of.¡± Evelyn frowned in pain. ¡°No, not ¡®kind of¡¯. It hurts.¡±


    ¡°I apologize then. There is no cure those other than rest.¡±


    ¡°You know healing magic, right? Can¡¯t you use that?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work on this kind of cases.¡±


    Evelyn was visibly irritated. ¡°Magic can heal and close up wounds, but it can¡¯t treat a simple headache.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there is a magic that could, but heal and cure could not aid you in this situation. You better rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you for the cure since you¡¯re the source of this headache.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ see?¡± Amelia tilted her head to the side. Is her head all right? It¡¯s¡­ very uncharacteristic of her. ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Of course, no. The rocking of the ship just makes it worse.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes. I can see that.¡± Amelia expressed a wry smile. ¡°Other than that, is there anything you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Evelyn flinched from the pain. ¡°I¡¯ve thought things over, and I¡¯ve come up with this question. What are you?¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Uuurgh! Agh!¡± Evelyn rolled from side to side on her bed. The pain from her head was accompanied by the rocking ship. ¡°Umph! Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel like¡­ dying¡­ Uurgh!¡± Evelyn lashed around and threw a cup she grabbed on the table beside her bed. ¡°What is wrong¡­ with me?!¡±


    Evelyn did not recall herself being plagued by seasickness. She had traveled numerous times by sea, both calm and stormy. She even recalled an event once in a game she played where they had to survive an incoming typhoon while at the middle of the sea.


    ¡°Medicine¡­ magic¡­!¡± In preparation for cases where she was wounded, Evelyn made it a point to at least learn cure. However, the pain emanating from her head did not allow her to recite the incantation properly. ¡°Why¡­?!¡±


    Evelyn recalled the previous night. She remembered Amelia healing the wounds of the sailors she incapacitated. She thought she¡¯d be able to help her from her suffering. And so, while tumbling along the way, Evelyn went up the deck and found Amelia.


    As Evelyn approached Amelia, the pain subsided, albeit only enough to speak properly. Then and there Evelyn asked to be healed, to which Amelia answered that headaches could not be cured by the magic she knew.


    After a sharp pain struck, Evelyn¡¯s eyes were drawn towards Amelia¡¯s head. There she saw a faint outline of an antler-like horn. As she looked at it, her heartbeat sounded like a gong. It was if something within her was screaming.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought things over, and I¡¯ve come up with this question. What are you?¡±


    Gradually, the pain subsided.


    ¡°You are no hu¡ª!¡±


    Just before Evelyn could finish her sentence, Amelia clamped the palm of her hand onto Evelyn¡¯s mouth. She then received a questioning glare.


    Amelia thought nothing of Evelyn looking over her head. She believed the illusion she conjured, which she tested as she walked around Tercel, did not fall short. In fact, Amelia had yet to meet a person, capable of seeing through her illusion aside from Celestia.


    ¡°What did you see?¡± Amelia whispered as she relaxed her hold Evelyn.


    ¡°¡­¡± Silence was Evelyn¡¯s answer. Despite that, her mind was in full throttle. She herself could not comprehend how she could see Amelia with a horn. Although she thought it was not out of place if she based on the abilities she had recently shown.


    A doppelganger? A mimic? A creature I have never heard of?


    ¡°Where is the real Princess?¡± Evelyn could hear imaginary sirens. It warned her not to pursue the topic. However, curiosity urged the cat.


    Amelia¡¯s eyes widened. Then, in a moment, Amelia swiped Evelyn¡¯s feet, caught her arm and pushed her against the gunwale. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°Gh!¡± Evelyn was pinned from top to bottom. Her legs were locked between Amelia¡¯s feet. Her hands were pushed against her back. And a hand was firmly placed at the back of her neck.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to pin you while you¡¯re weakened by a simple headache. But if you won¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll have to end you here.¡±


    ¡°Someone wi¡ª!¡±


    Amelia¡¯s hand tightened its grasp around her neck.


    ¡°Believe me. No one will notice. Even if you die here and fall into the sea as a corpse, no one will notice.¡±


    Evelyn grinned. ¡°As if¡­ you could¡­! And even if you did. I could still revive¡­!¡±


    A noticeable frown was etched on Amelia¡¯s face. She had no means of verifying the truth in Evelyn¡¯s words. The Blessing was complex and diverse. Even Celestia could not classify the extent of every Blessing given to every Hero. However, Amelia knew that it would not be a pleasant idea to let Evelyn report to the church what she saw.


    My identity as Divine has yet to be known to others. If any Angel heard of this peculiarity of mine¡­ forget about a month. Everything will be over at that moment¡­


    Silenced ensued.


    Still, how? I was sure no one noticed. Not even the sailors took notice. So why? Was it because of the Blessing? Did the fragment inside Evelyn recognize its presence? Ahh¡­ I can¡¯t handle this haphazardly¡­ It¡¯s one problem after the other. What should I do¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind trying.¡± Amelia dug her nails on Evelyn¡¯s neck. ¡°Even if you could miraculously revive, I¡¯ll make your death a slow and painful one. I will make you remember every single bit of pain you will receive.¡±

 Chapter 98: A Mix of Ash and Snow

    ¡°Gnnh! Urgh!¡± Evelyn struggled, however, her arms remained restrained. She pushed her body forward, but there was nary a change in her disadvantaged position.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless,¡± said Amelia. ¡°The difference in raw strength¡ªrather, just resign. It would be easier for us both.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you¡­ to say!¡±


    Even if Evelyn could revive, the pain and suffering it takes to die, even if subdued, was never pleasant. In addition, even if Evelyn has yet to experience death in Origin, the pain she suffered from trying to rip off Amelia¡¯s necklace was no laughing matter. Thus, Evelyn thought that the pain accompanied by death was similar if not more.


    Amelia clicked her tongue.


    This is¡­ harder than I thought. In strength alone, Amelia was obviously the winner, but it did not mean she overwhelmed Evelyn to a degree of a useless struggle. In fact, Amelia was utilizing the mana surrounding her body to strengthen her hold.


    Amelia¡¯s glare wavered. Could I really shelve the consequence of doing it? Could I really handle it? Ah¡­ this is getting out of hand.


    A strain of doubt and fear swirled within Amelia¡¯s mind. Cold sweat ran down cautiously on her back. And in each fragment of a second she held Evelyn in place, a number of possibilities worked itself in her mind.


    I¡¯m not¡­ confident¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ wrong? Hesitating?¡± Evelyn smirked. Amelia¡¯s lack of action gave Evelyn the idea of Amelia¡¯s indecision. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    With a smile, a sword materialized just above Amelia. Then, in a split second, the sword resumed its inevitable fall.


    A sharp swoosh. Then the sword stabbed.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on there?!¡± A voice came from the cabin underneath. It was Darwin¡¯s. A set of footsteps followed the slam of the cabin¡¯s door.


    ¡°Was it intuition?¡± Evelyn wrapped her hand around the sword¡¯s hilt that stabbed the floor halfway down its blade. Apparently, Amelia broke away in due time.


    ¡°Your expression of confidence was obvious.¡± Amelia fixed her eyes on the buried sword. For a sword to pierce that deep in a wooden deck, a considerable force or speed was required.


    Holding back might not be an option now¡­ Amelia did not see the speed of how the sword fell. However, referencing the time between Evelyn¡¯s smirk and the sound of the blade piercing the wood, the sword was faster than an arrow.


    Barriers won¡¯t work. Two or three maybe for redirecting its trajectory but¡­


    Weight. Swords weigh several times more than an arrow. With the speed and the weight of the sword, it would give a short work of even low-ranking dragons.


    As Evelyn gave up on retrieving her sword, Darwin showed up with his men in tow. Apparently, all sailors were told to halt on their tracks.


    ¡°What is this?¡± he asked, glaring. ¡°What nonsense is this?¡±


    Evelyn tipped to the side as she walked, seemingly unstable in her feet. ¡°It¡¯s nothing of your concern.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that from you.¡± Darwin shifted his sight to Amelia. ¡°And? What are you two¡ª¡±


    A bright object took a pass in front of Darwin. In the next second, the unknown object struck the deck and exploded into flames. However, the object was not the last of its kind.


    ¡°Damned!¡±


    The dark, snowy night was gradually decorated by flashes of reddish light. One by one, the light came down like a shooting star and came down onto the ship¡¯s deck, bursting into a set of flames.


    ¡°Drive those flame spears away with wind! Splash water all over the deck! Cut the ropes of the mast! Fast!¡± Darwin roared his orders and the sailors scrambled for their and the ship¡¯s life.


    ¡°Captain, we won¡¯t intercept those spears?!¡± A sailor questioned.


    ¡°Are you blind?! The chances are slim! Now get your ass moving as I told!¡±


    ¡°Now you two!¡± Darwin shot a glance towards Amelia and Evelyn. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your situation is, but if you don¡¯t want the ship to sink, then help!¡±


    Amelia and Evelyn snapped out of their trance. Both knew nothing of the source of the flaming spears, but if it went on, the ship was sure to join the snow as ashes.


    Amelia looked up, tracing the source of the spears. She thought it might have been forces from Laurel. However, the source of the spears was far above.


    ¡°The spears were meant to burn¡­¡± Amelia muttered. The flame spears were no foreign magic. However, the power of the spears the rained on the ship was farm from Amelia was accustomed to. ¡°That means I lost its power since it fell from high up.¡±


    It can¡¯t be Laurel. It can¡¯t be the Wyvern Knights father hoped to create. It¡¯s too early for them to do this. And besides¡­ I doubt Kanna wouldn¡¯t join if she knew. And if she did¡­ she¡¯d undoubtedly dismiss the possibility of accidentally hitting me¡­


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Evelyn cursed. Again, Evelyn was reminded of how her abilities leaned towards offensive rather than defensive. ¡°We¡¯ll put this on hold¡ª!¡±


    The ship rocked, throwing the already unstable Evelyn on the floor.


    ¡°What¡¯s with these series of bad luck.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who wants to complain,¡± chimed Amelia as took a step to the side to dodge a flame spear. ¡°If anything, the rain doesn¡¯t seem like it will stop soon. Drench.¡±


    As the fire beside Amelia went out, the ship began to rock once more. However, the ship tilted to its port side and disrupted everyone¡¯s balance.


    Amelia frowned. ¡°Again¡­ There is no cry from the sea.¡±


    ¡°Is it that thing again?!¡± Exclaimed Evelyn. ¡°I have had enough with that¡ªwhatever creature was that!¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a Halvsoth this time. And the force doesn¡¯t seem to be focused¡­ It¡¯s not a beast for sure, but it¡¯s definitely the waves.¡± The ship tilted to the side once more. ¡°Someone¡¯s definitely trying to flip the ship.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything about it?!¡± Asked Evelyn as she steadied her feet.


    ¡°Can you?¡± Amelia sighed. ¡°And if you¡¯d focus, the spears are sporadic, but they aren¡¯t targeted towards us. Or at least the rear. Besides¡­ I don¡¯t think we can fight a battle in the sky¡­¡±


    Evelyn shot a glare. ¡°You seem quite calm about this. Did you know this was coming?¡±


    ¡°Trying to assess the situation is a must for those given responsibility. Besides, the flame spears may be incessant, but they were all meant to burn. However, since the deck has been thoroughly wet due to the sailors¡¯ efforts, it¡¯ll be harder to catch fire.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ have a point.¡±


    ¡°From what I can see, they are trying to exhaust everyone. The waves crashing onto the ship is¡­ probably a scare.¡±


    ¡°And whose idea was it to exhaust the supplies and to force the sailors into sailing?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The idea has backfired. Even if the ship survived the onslaught of the spears, the sailors would be undoubtedly exhausted and hungry. However, with the supplies critical, the journey could only turn for the worst.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it¡­¡± Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°And unless the culprit descends, there¡¯s very little we can¡ª!¡±


    The ship jolted. Followed by a blinding flash of light, countless chips of wood burst from the mizzen mast.


    ¡°A¡­ lightning strike?¡± Amelia muttered, astounded.


    The mast clacked. It crackled. Within the smears of burnt wood were flames. The lightning seemed to have lit the pith and the heartwood aflame, the interior of the mast. Not long after, the clacks grew louder. And not long, the mast tilted and eventually struck the gunwale on the starboard side, bringing gaff and all into the sea.


    ¡°Cole!¡± A familiar voice shook the snow-filled, ash-filled night.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    As Amelia¡¯s and Evelyn¡¯s feet brought them to the rails, they saw a pitch-black body laid down on the deck.


    ¡°Whoa. It¡¯s¡­ smoking.¡± Evelyn muttered, sweating beading on her skin.


    On the other hand, Amelia¡¯s face expressed uncertainty. Was it still a scare? Was her conjecture wrong? No matter the answer, there was one fact. Amelia was losing confidence.


    ¡°All of you! Stay away from the masts! Forget about the sails! Prioritize your life!¡± His lip bleeding, Darwin roared. A few men were injured by the flame spears, but Cole was the first casualty. ¡°God damned!¡±


    Darwin cursed. He shouldn¡¯t have accepted the Lord¡¯s request. Although he knew it was inevitable to see his comrades¡¯ death, he wanted it to be caused by sickness or old age. It was the least he could hope for.


    ¡°Hey. We¡¯re doing nothing. Literally.¡± Evelyn said. ¡°Can you stomach this?¡±


    ¡°Like you, defending on a large scale is not my forte. And besides, could you even defend from something like a lightning strike?¡± Amelia frowned. ¡°Something like that is beyond me. And if you¡¯re expecting something because I¡¯m different, then your train of thought is mistaken. I¡¯m probably not as omnipotent as you may have thought. But still¡­¡±


    Amelia looked up and silently chanted farsight and scope, a general magic used for embedding intricate magic circles of the advanced level or higher.


    ¡°White hair.¡±


    Farsight and scope barely managed to draw the culprit¡¯s figure. Around the man were several flame spears shaping up. Above him was an unknown whitish object.


    Amelia gulped. Although she was relieved there were no thunderclouds forming, just like how Amalthea did before, the white object drew her attention.


    ¡°A white-haired man is floating. Above him is a whitish object. I¡¯m quite unsure of what it is.¡± Amelia muttered. ¡°Do you have any idea? Anything is fine, even if it¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell what is unless I see it for myself. But floating huh. Can¡¯t you do that too?¡±


    ¡°What? Do you think I have wings or such?¡±


    ¡°Well, you have a horn. I thought you were a dragonewt or something similar.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I have a tail to you?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? You might be a rare type of one. Something like a variant species.¡±


    ¡°Enough with that. I need ideas.¡± Amelia sighed. ¡°Seeing people suffer is not my cup of tea.¡±


    Unless if it¡¯s them. Amelia added.


    ¡°It¡¯s growing¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ if it¡¯s white, the only thing that resembles around here is¡­¡± Evelyn raised her palm and caught a flake. ¡°Snow.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia canceled her magic and shifted her sight towards Evelyn.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s with that face?¡± Surprised by Amelia¡¯s expression of surprise, Evelyn stuttered. ¡°What? I just said what first came to mind.¡±


    As soon as Evelyn finished speaking, Amelia leaned on the railing and shouted. ¡°All of you! Jump to the sea! Now!¡±


    Amelia pushed herself to a jump and landed on the quarter-deck with a splash. Making a pass on whomever, she repeated her orders. Then, as she reached the bow, she turned around and shouted once more. ¡°Please believe me!¡±


    Amelia¡¯s efforts were met with sour expressions. It was inevitable. They did not manage to help the sailors during the first few waves of flame spears.


    ¡°The night is cold, missy. So is the sea. The snow falling from the sky is a testament of this.¡± A sailor exclaimed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time!¡± Steadily, Amelia climbed the bowsprit. ¡°Or at least, stick to the gunwales!¡±


    ¡°What is it now?¡± Darwin left Cole¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to help.¡±


    Darwin clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ve put us in a miserable situation. Do you think everyone here wouldn¡¯t doubt you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret what I did,¡± Amelia replied. ¡°But this and that are different. The life to the sailors here is what¡¯s important. And you are to decide what makes out their lives.¡±


    Darwin grit his teeth. He then walked towards port side gunwale on the main deck and told everyone to do the same. However, before everyone could reach the gunwales around the ship, the main mast snapped like a twig. What followed was the sight of bodies lifted high up in the air and ship pierced and bent in two.


    It was a giant block of ice. A tip of an iceberg. With the help of nothing but gravity, the ice crushed the ship and left nothing but the roaring waves.


    <hr>


    His name whom he could not remember bit the tip of his thumb. Clicking his tongue, kicking away with his feet, his expressions switched between anger and bewilderment.


    ¡°Ghhhh!¡± He looked beyond his feet but only discovered a crater. To be exact, the crater of the inactive volcano of Surtur. It had been a few days since his manipulation of the Halvsoth, which failed. However, since that day, he kept a close eye on both Amelia and Evelyn.


    He had a conjecture, but it couldn¡¯t quite fit. Or to be exact, most of his presumptions were filled by his own knowledge. It was not exactly a good idea, but given his limited knowledge, he was forced to do so.


    Did anything happen these past few months?


    The man had been busy planning. The time he spent to drive off Meiko and the time he spent observing Evelyn, Charles, and Clark took most of it. And although he failed to eliminate Meiko discretely, he had gathered a hefty amount of information regarding the other three. Knowledge is, after all, a weapon.


    The downside, however, was his inability to analyze the situation on the other kingdoms. Though not inexistent, it was at a level that most nobility would have heard.


    Let¡¯s see¡­ Brent was preparing for war. They took in refugees. The same was true with Laurel. Laurel and Brent struck a deal for supplies and support. Academia held its first annual allocation. A forest in Laurel burned down. Right, it was related to a poisoning initiated due to Meiko¡¯s presence. Then, the same priest who attended the diplomatic talks was found battered by mercenaries that the second-responsible took lead of the town¡ªor was it a city? Whatever, it¡¯s of no concern.


    Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the man thought. Among the events, it was not a surprise for Laurel and Libet to be at their toes. If anything, he expected one side or the other would initiate an attack. The situation between Laurel and Libet could be described as a boiling pot of water.


    If there¡¯s anything out of the ordinary, it¡¯s the communication with the Fairies. Even the northern tribe and the beastmen of the west lost contact. And that horn¡­ that horn¡­ it¡¯s stuck in my mind. I think I remember, but I can¡¯t completely recall.


    The man ruffled his white hair. A hoof on his feet struck a nearby rock and sent it flying.


    The man was no Divine. He was no direct servant of a God. However, his class categorized him among the Ancients. Compared to the Angels, he was at least as strong as a Seraphim, the fifth among the ten ranks of angels. However, compared to a Divine which did not rely on numbers, the difference was like wood and steel.


    The Fairies plays a role in the war. I can¡¯t see them leaving without executing their plan, or whatever they call a prank. After all, those collars are widely spread. They won¡¯t let the opportunity to use them go.


    Divines were, for better or for worse, were not allowed to directly intervene with the others. However, indirectly, say a zealot of the Divine¡¯s belief, could act on the behalf of the Divine through teachings and advice. Since, if the servant of the Divine willed it themselves, then they were considered outside the Divine¡¯s direct intervention. It was a gray area. Perhaps a loophole.


    I still find that rule useless. It doesn¡¯t prevent the races from waging war. The only merit is the delay. Or was that delay the main goal of the Overseer?


    The man froze. His mind halted to come into a realization. A flash of memories ran through his mind and replayed like a scene.


    The Overseer. The Head Overseer. That arrogant deer. She was the youngest of all Divines, but she believes she rules above all.


    There were variants of deer all around Origin, ranging from plain to mythical. However, there was one unique deer that was etched among all Divines. A deer well-known even to Ancients despite the lack of personal contact. The same deer that represented Origin¡¯s sole moon.


    Celestia¡­ The only horns who bore those petals. That girl¡¯s¡­ were buds. But I¡¯m sure of it. It may be one horn, but it¡¯s roughly similar. The light it gives. The presence it emanates. It¡¯s all¡­ similar¡­


    The man shuddered. What would the Divines do? How would the Divines react if another being similar to Celestia was born?


    It¡¯s bound to be chaotic¡­ The Divines would revoke their participation on the Assembly. Origin will plunge back to its dark ages. No, it might not immediately, but depending on whether that girl really is on the level of Celestia or not will decide things. Still¡­ I can¡¯t imagine a moon born from a moon.


    It¡¯s impossible. Only the Gods can recreate a being like Celestia. She wasn¡¯t created to pass down her abilities. No, wait. She declared once to not force her kin to develop. Right! It was back then! In order for the situation to continue as is, despite the possibility of another Celestia being born, the Divines agreed to avoid contact with her kin!


    Celestia¡¯s declaration, for Laurel, a blessing in disguise.


    Celestia may play as the leader, but she had not once broken her words. Sure, she does those annoying play of words in order to trick idiots into her bidding, but she does what she says.


    Color drained from the man¡¯s skin.


    But what if someone broke that declaration? Sweat forming around his back felt prickly spikes of ice. I can¡¯t imagine it. In a one on one battle, none of the Divines could straight-up win. And not once in my life I have seen her angered. However, I¡¯m sure none of the wise Divines would want to trigger her anger¡­ Unless someone did and¡­ vanished without a trace.


    For the man, it sounded unlikely. Only fools among fools would try to create another being like Celestia. And even a greater fool to get into Celestia¡¯s bad side. However,


    There are candidates¡­


    True enough, fools can be found no matter what world or timeline.


    Titania¡­ they have brought those collars to use. What if¡­ they made one specialized for Celestia¡¯s kin? If it was put under control, would Celestia eliminate it? Would Celestia keel over and obey the wishes of the kin¡¯s master? But if it failed¡­ I doubt Titania is dead¡­


    Fairies were well known among Divines. They were popular figures that teetered between one race to another. Sometimes an ally, sometimes an enemy.


    And if it failed¡­ a developed kin would be on the loose. But why? Why hasn¡¯t Celestia announced this? There is something missing. But if I¡¯d trace it back to when the communications with the Fairies were lost¡­ then move it back a month¡­ the closest event is Niveria¡¯s fall. The summoning of the Heroes. Movements from the west of Randia. The desert surge. Battles underneath the sea. Reconciliation of Laurel¡¯s pact. Among those, only the pact relates to the girl. If I were to assume that as the start of everything then¡­ the explosion in Libet is related. The beasts they were trying to keep broke through due to an explosion, so they had to clean it up before the Heroes caught wind of it.


    The man shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    Related to that explosion was the priest declared by that girl as the culprit on the poisoning. But now that I recall it, that man was a disguised Angel. He may have not been as powerful as Ancients, but he is still formidable. However, facing a kin of Celestia¡­ I¡¯ll put my bet on the girl.


    And if the girl won¡­ that Angel would have been dead. He too would have realized that the girl was Celestia¡¯s kin! But he did nothing! He announced nothing! For an Angel to do such! It¡¯s unthinkable! They were meant to be legion that passed information to another! It wouldn¡¯t have been possible! Unless¡­ Celestia had a hand on it¡­


    A moment of silence drifted its way to the man. As remained unmoving, the snow began to fall.


    ¡°Unless¡­ Celestia had a hand on it¡­¡± He muttered. ¡°But if the girl defeated the priest, who is that priest? Celestia¡¯s illusion? But it¡¯s quite¡­ real.¡±


    Even the man who could see through Amelia¡¯s illusions, could not look beyond Celestia¡¯s. It was a poor comparison.


    ¡°But why?¡±


    The question returned to why Celestia kept her mouth shut.


    The man grimaced. Of all the built-up he managed to conjure, his thought stopped. There were no more shreds of evidence that could support a conjecture. Even more, if it was Celestia¡¯s personal reason.


    ¡°Nonetheless,¡± The man cracked a smile. ¡°In two months and several days, Raziel will return. Sure enough by then, Celestia would dispel her trick. And most probably¡ªahahaha!¡±


    The man laughed. He embraced his stomach and kicked his feet around, scraping the ground with his hooves.


    ¡°What joy! What opportunity! I could not ask for more!¡±


    The man tumbled on the ground and rolled out of laughter.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! I can¡¯t believe a day that I will thank the Overseer! Have the world turned?! Surely it has! The tables have surely turned!¡±


    It took a while before the man finished with traces of tears around his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, Celestia. I will surely keep this secret until you decided to reveal it. However, I will indulge myself in this secret. It isn¡¯t wrong, no? I am not forcing her to develop, no? After all, the Fairies had already done that. This doesn¡¯t count anymore, right?¡±


    The man chuckled.


    ¡°Now to pay a visit to my dark horse.¡±

 Chapter 99: A Mix of Blood and Snow

    A loud crash jolted the silent night, rousing the inhabitants of the north-east, east, and south-east portion of Surtur. Among those roused by the loud crash were the soldiers of Laurel tasked to look after Marina and William.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± William exclaimed in surprise. Though the sound was far, the fact that crashing sound reached Surtur was the testament of the destructiveness of the source of the sound.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Marina asked. However, with the soldiers shuffling here and there, none were able to answer her question.


    ¡°¡­¡± In silence, Veight rose from his seat and exited the cabin.


    Once Veight set foot outside, a question was hurled towards him.


    ¡°Do you have an idea?¡± Wearing an expression of distrust, Kanna asked with her arms crossed.


    ¡°None, so to speak.¡± Veight passed Kanna¡¯s side and scanned the movements of the soldiers.


    ¡°If you¡¯re planning on using this opportunity to escape, then I¡¯d advise you to discard those ideas.¡± Kanna glared on Veight¡¯s back. Kanna seemed to have bad blood when it came to Veight.


    ¡°Nothing of the sort. I myself am curious about the sound. It¡¯s not common to experience to hear such.¡±


    After Veight was brought to the captain of a nearby relian naval ship, he was made to wait for a day. The day after, the meeting was held in attendance with four different captains. Among those who attended was Kanna.


    It was after a few days after Amelia vanished from Aves that Diane concluded that the mode of transportation used was highly unlikely to be land-based. Kanna¡¯s continuous scouting from the air hastened the elimination of possible routes used by the perpetrators. That then sparked Kanna¡¯s desire to fly over the sea of Formos.


    Kanna¡¯s suggestion was immediately shot down.


    ¡°Do forgive me,¡± Diane said. ¡°By any means necessary, I want to find Amelia as soon as possible. However, just as I am her mother, I too am the Queen.¡±


    Diane breathed a long sigh as she placed a hand on her forehead. ¡°You see, Surtur is a disputed island. Although it is by no means a breach of the non-aggression treaty to send soldiers on the island, there is a limit. And by the limit, unfortunately, it only indicates the limit for soldiers and naval ships. Though it is a grey area when it comes to sending a wyvern knight, which we may categorize you, Laurel would be hard-pressed to explain the reason.¡±


    ¡°¡­Basically, I can¡¯t use Birby.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately so. And preferably, we¡¯d like to keep what happened to Amelia a secret for now.¡±


    Kanna nodded. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll take the ship.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I have a question for you,¡± Kanna asked, following after Veight in order to keep him in check. ¡°How can you keep that calm face?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Veight remained silent until they reached a cliff east of Surtur.


    There they stood with around ten soldiers surveying the surroundings.


    Everyone then stopped and found one thing unusual. It was the noticeable slapping of large waves against the cliffside. Although the change in size was noticeable, the number of large waves gradually diminished until the size normalized.


    ¡°Something happened on the sea.¡± Kanna¡¯s guess was as good as anyone present. ¡°But the problem is¡­ where specifically¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°AAAAAHH! AGH! AAAAAAAAGH!¡± Screams of pain echoed throughout the dark night. Bits of flesh and tints of red painted the surface of the sea.


    Among the bits and pieces of broken wood were dead bodies. Some recognizable, while some, slabs of torn flesh. At the center of it all was the gigantic block of ice. On its sides were two halves of the ship gradually succumbing to the maws of the sea.


    Among those wincing in pain was Darwin holding his left foot from the knee. He gritted his teeth and kept his head face-up, allowing himself to breathe without seawater entering his system.


    ¡°Ugh. Aaagh.¡± He leaned towards his back and maintained afloat. His fingers clutched the silk that covered his leg.


    It¡¯s over, Darwin thought. It¡¯s over. I could live for a bit longer but in due time¡­ it¡¯s over.


    Blood drained from his face. The freezing water encouraged his quick demise.


    But this is fine. I can die at peace¡­


    ¡°Cap¡­ tain¡­! Help¡­!¡±


    I¡¯m sorry, Drake¡­ I can¡¯t even move my mouth. A sad smile then found its way onto Darwin¡¯s face. Ahh¡­ I was going to quit. I was going to end it all after I get back¡­ but this happened¡­


    But yeah. This is fine. If I die here, my lips will be sealed tight. And none of what I knew would spread. I¡¯d die with the Lord¡¯s secrets down my grave. Still, it¡¯s a stroke of luck. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t hurt the family of a dead man. I could tell no tales, after all.


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    The thought of retiring entered Darwin¡¯s mind as soon as he encountered Amelia.


    It has turned this big¡­ was what he thought then.


    Darwin loathed his job. He disliked underhanded dealings and encounters with the black market. However, his sense of responsibility held him in place. That was then when Amelia entered the scene. Darwin¡¯s sense was crushed. The degree of his dishonest job had turned into an international scale. It was what Darwin feared.


    Darwin disliked the spotlight. More so the spotlight under infamy. It never gave him a peace of mind.


    I¡¯ll return home, tell everyone to leave, and resign my post. I¡¯ve had enough.


    But fate seemed to have a different plan in order to achieve what Darwin desired.


    This¡­ too¡­ is fine. Darwin¡¯s consciousness then succumbed to the darkness.


    Slap!


    Before Darwin completely resigned himself into the realm of the dead, a slap across his cheek jolted him back to reality. As he lifted the lids of his eyes, the same person who made him thought of resigning entered his field of view.


    How¡­? Why¡­?


    From what he could see, it seemed that Amelia was kneeling on the surface of the water.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die yet.¡± Amelia pulled him up and caught him from underneath. ¡°Your feet¡­¡±


    Amelia expressed a frown upon seeing the state of Darwin¡¯s feet. Her brows knit, she brought Darwin to a nearby boat and placed him perpendicular to the boat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please endure.¡±


    Amelia made Darwin¡¯s crushed foot extend out of the boat. She then unsheathed Dwight¡¯s sword and cut off the crushed part of Darwin¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Mfgh!¡± A muffled pain came from Darwin¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Hey, I found another one. His chances are¡­ pretty high.¡± The voice came from Evelyn dragging an injured sailor as she swam. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him here. So get him into the boat.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Amelia replied as Evelyn swam away in search survivors.


    ¡°Now then, Darwin, this won¡¯t be fancy, but it¡¯ll help you live.¡±


    Amelia chanted. Fireball.


    Then, leaving the ball of fire afloat, Amelia chanted once more. Heal.


    Amelia touched Darwin¡¯s feet and brought the fireball closer. The wound began to heal, and at the same time, burn. Amelia kept at it until the wound was cauterized. Afterward, the fireball vanished, and she continued using heal on Darwin.


    ¡°I apologize, but your feet could not return to normal. That level of a wound is beyond what ordinary magic could do.¡±


    Amelia pushed Darwin further into the boat. ¡°For now, take your time an rest. We¡¯ll take care of things from here.¡±


    Darwin, upon hearing those words, fainted.


    As Amelia and Evelyn took rounds around the wrecked ship, they brought sailors into the boat Evelyn took out from her inventory. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to use this,¡± she muttered defiantly.


    However, as the time passed by, the grimmer the frown both Amelia and Evelyn wore.


    ¡°It can¡¯t hold any more than this,¡± Amelia said. ¡°This is the most that we can save¡­¡±


    Amelia scanned the surroundings once more. There were still a number of sailors who could be saved, but the boat had a limited capacity.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do anything about it. We have to pick who gets to live and who doesn¡¯t. I know it¡¯s not a pleasant feeling¡­ but this what it is.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Evelyn replied. ¡°But being exposed to it hasn¡¯t made me immune to the feeling. Not even once.¡±


    An awkward silence ensued between the two.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s really convenient for you. You can walk atop the surface of the water while here I am swimming in the cold.¡±


    ¡°It is not my fault that you failed to prepare for such situations, or even prepare a tool that could.¡±


    Evelyn exhaled. ¡°But¡­ it has gone quiet. Do you think that iceberg is the end of it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia kept silent. She raised her head and focused on the direction where the iceberg came from. ¡°It seems¡­ it isn¡¯t over¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! Hey! Help me step on the water too! I can¡¯t do much while floating like this!¡± Evelyn¡¯s jaws rattled, but her strength was far from sapped.


    In return, Amelia shook her head. ¡°The range won¡¯t allow me to provide for two. If I pushed it, we¡¯ll both end up as easy targets.¡±


    Evelyn clicked her tongue while Amelia lightly pushed the boat away.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll at least help you get towards that ice,¡± Amelia said as she reached her hand towards Evelyn.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s me saying this, but what is this? A change of heart?¡±


    ¡°We can resolve our differences after this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Evelyn clasped Amelia¡¯s hand and was then pulled onto a newly manifested barrier. ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary¡­ but it¡¯s pretty stable. But this really is a unique way of using barriers.¡±


    ¡°Enough with that. He¡¯s coming. So, hurry up.¡±


    During the time they walked towards the iceberg, both wore nothing but grim expressions. Arms floated while wedged on a piece of plank. A torn torso floated with chips of wood embedded on its flesh. Pale heads floated like balls. It was a gruesome sight.


    At the moment they reached the iceberg, Amelia suggested that Evelyn use her sword to keep her in place. Accepting Amelia¡¯s advice, Evelyn pierced a sword she brought out into the ice and used it as a support.


    ¡°It¡¯s kinda stylish. Using swords as footholds. Maybe if I used the idea, I can make a stairway of swords lobbed into a wall.¡± Evelyn grinned. ¡°But first, it¡¯s time to return the favor!¡±


    Swords shot from Evelyn and bolted towards the guest. Shortly afterward, blood dripped from the floating guest.


    ¡°Heroes are, as always, troublesome.¡± The white-haired man with beastly feet covered his shoulder sliced by Evelyn¡¯s sword.


    ¡°It really works.¡± A fearsome smile rose into Evelyn¡¯s face. The simple technique she employed work unexpectedly well. ¡°Guess we have chan¡ªwhoa!¡±


    The surrounding water swirled, and the iceberg spun along.


    ¡°But no matter, wounds can be healed.¡± Just as he announced, his wounds glowed pale white and eventually, his wounds closed. ¡°The same is true with illusions. It can be undone.¡±


    Just as Amelia appeared beside the man, the man turned with his right fist raised. With a grin etched on his face, he muttered, ¡°Take this as a lesson.¡±


    Amelia unconsciously shifted into defense. However, as the man¡¯s fist met Amelia¡¯s blade, the blade snapped, and the fist connected with Amelia¡¯s shoulder.


    There was no time to utter a cry. Amelia was quickly sent from the sky down into the depths. Then, upon seeing Amelia vanish as quickly as she appeared, the man chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity, but you¡¯ll have to bear what we kept bottled due to your ancestor.¡±


    On the other hand, Evelyn, who saw the entire scene, shivered.


    ¡°Oh, God. Oh my God.¡± Despite her constant shivering, an unsteady grin was plastered onto Evelyn¡¯s face. ¡°Was it set to the hardest difficulty? Or is this one of those scenes where I have no choice but to die? Either way, fuck it. Why did you have to finish off the first hurdle I met?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Evelyn, was it?¡± The man crossed his arms and looked down. ¡°Let me tell you one thing. One little truth that will light your heart aflame.¡±


    Evelyn chuckled. ¡°¡­And that is?¡±


    ¡°There is no second, third, or fourth life for you.¡± The man painted a wide, mocking smile on his face. ¡°There was never a Hero in this world that had the ability to revive. And even if there was, by chance, it¡¯s surely not applicable to you.¡±


    ¡°What is this madman saying?¡± Evelyn¡¯s grin faltered. ¡°And why do I have to listen to some NPC?¡±


    ¡°Aha! Ahahaha! This is why I like Heroes!¡±

 Chapter 100: A Mix of Fear and Snow

    Clink! Clank!


    Sparks flew each time Evelyn swung her sword.


    Clang!


    Chips and cracks encroached her sword.


    Cling!


    And then it snapped.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± In a swift motion, Evelyn threw her broken sword. Then, as soon as she grasped thin air, a different sword appeared in her grasps. ¡°Why! Won¡¯t! It! Break!¡±


    A wide swing. A thrust. A slash from above. Each of her attacks was either blocked or dodged. And despite the occasional swords shooting out of nowhere, Evelyn was far from inflicting a grievous wound.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. More. Use it more!¡± The man drew his spear and deflected yet another swing from Evelyn¡ªa spear made of densely compressed ice.


    Whenever Evelyn succeeded in chipping the man¡¯s spear, a liquid would immediately cover the chip and recover.


    ¡°Which would run out first?¡± The man asked with a chuckle. ¡°Would it be your swords? Or would it be my mana?¡±


    Evelyn grit her teeth in response. Despite the obvious difference in strength she kept going.


    Please, just hold out. Hold out until I reached a decent level of proficiency!


    A difference in level is not everything¡ªor so Evelyn thought. However, at the passing moment, albeit marginal, Evelyn¡¯s speed increased. It was as if to say that facing a far greater enemy and pushing one¡¯s limits hastens one¡¯s development.


    Either way, the trade kept going. They traded slashes and thrusts with very little change from their initial location on the iceberg. So to say, Evelyn failed to push or pull the man from their initial location. The man too failed to do so¡ªor deliberately made it so.


    Come on. Hold out.


    ¡°Are you not worried about your friend?¡± The man smiled.


    ¡°She¡¯s no friend¡­ of mine!¡± Evelyn said in-between slashes. The first connected and the second missed.


    But it would be great if she was fine¡­ That blow was¡­ undoubtedly fatal¡­


    With her own two eyes, Evelyn saw how Amelia dipped into the sea with a great amount of force.


    I don¡¯t think jumping from a ten-story building would even make that big of a splash¡­ but even if she lived that¡­ she might be drowning right now¡­ Can¡¯t hope for much. Just have live with what I have right now.


    ¡°Oh, but I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s alive. Barely, maybe. Anyway, let¡¯s think about your situation rather than hers.¡±


    <hr>


    Partly covered by both sand and dirt, Amelia was laid unconscious on the sea floor. Her breathing had long stopped. The air in her lungs had long since escaped and was replaced by seawater. All that was left that functioned was her horn, which, as a Divine, sustains her life. So, even if her humanly functions stopped, it could still be supported by her Divine self. Such was her situation.


    She was alive¡ªas a Divine. At the same time, almost dead¡ªas a human.


    No ordinary human would have survived such a blow. No human would remain intact after such a blow. Normally, an ordinary human would have already burst into bits and pieces after receiving such. However, Amelia was, through and through, intact.


    No limbs were lost. Her shoulders were not pulverized. No torn flesh. No smears or scratches. Everything about her body was normal. The only visible damage was her losing consciousness.


    Everything was normal, save for the white fabric wrapped around her body and a somewhat translucent layer of thick mana¡ªa mana closely similar to that of Evelyn¡¯s while unconscious.


    <hr>


    I was enveloped by a floating sensation. It was a familiar one. The feeling of losing consciousness. Yes, it was close to that. A state where I lose control of my own and blank out. It happened so often that I could realize what was supposed to happen next. However¡­ However,


    I¡­ could think. I¡­ am conscious¡­


    I found it ironic. Impossible. Jarring, maybe. I understood that it was the sensation I felt every time I fell unconscious. Therefore, I should not be able to think. I shouldn¡¯t know that I myself am unconscious. It was¡­


    Unbelievable. This should not be possible.


    However, no matter how much time I spent, I could not form any concrete answer. Though I have experienced moving my consciousness from myself to one of Celes¡¯s dolls, it was seamless. I never felt it was not my body. I had all the functions that a conscious person had. Therefore, the only answer I came into was,


    Celes¡­ But she said she won¡¯t intervene. Still¡­ I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. But maybe it¡¯s me¡­ Celes didn¡¯t appear at the last moment anyway. Even now, there is no contact.


    It had been always like this. It was tiring. Every time I encountered something related to my Divinity, I knew nothing. I had to question myself repeatedly and waste time. But I could not blame myself. I needed to know. I wanted to know. Just seeing that it works was not enough for me.


    Celes. I don¡¯t care. I want to know. I need to know a way to wake myself up.


    [You sure are impatient, Amelia]


    Ahh¡­ so you were listening after all. You should have spoken earlier. But in any case, please tell me what is happening. Tell me how to wake up or¡­ am I dead?


    [You are alive and well, Amelia. You need not worry. But if you¡¯re that much in a hurry, let me tell you what is happening.]


    Wait, you will? I thought¡­ I must learn things by myself?


    [It¡¯s true I said that. However, this case is not something that could be explained by anyone else. And your question is closely related to you being far different from others. To put into simple terms, only I can explain your current situation. No other Divine other than you and me could experience this phenomenon. You could say it¡¯s only you and me who could experience this. No, right now, it¡¯s only you.]


    Ahh¡­ Then it¡¯s because of being a type of Divine like you.


    [No. It is not because of that. The reason is that you are on the verge of being both a human and a Divine.]


    Being a half?


    [Not necessarily half. Your humanity itself, just as I had explained before, will vanish in time. There was never truly a half, Amelia. It¡¯s either you become a being of a race or a Divine. And usually, Divinity overpowers racial identity. It¡¯s like comparing a God and an ordinary being.]


    I could not help but remain silent. It was¡­ a lot for me to process.


    [Either way, let¡¯s return to your question. Right now you are part human, part Divine. However, since only one would prevail over the other, there needs to be a transition. You may say that in this case, your Divine self is sharing consciousness with your human self. I coined it as Shared Consciousness.]


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    [To make things as simple as possible, everything about your human self is being replicated to your Divine self. At the same time, they are being shared. However, not all functions have been replicated and shared yet. See where I¡¯m going?]


    So, currently, my human functions are in a state of being unconscious?


    [Yes. That is the answer.]


    Then how will I wake myself up?


    [Your Divine self is awake, right?] Celes chuckled. [Why not experiment on your own body with some magic?]


    AH!


    [You seemed to have gotten the idea. Well then, Amelia, I¡¯ll be watching.]


    <hr>


    Amelia¡¯s body began to glow. After five minutes, the glow subsided, and Amelia¡¯s eyelids rose. Slowly, like a patient, Amelia sat up and cuffed her left shoulder.


    It¡¯s okay¡­


    Amelia was sure of it. After the blade instantly snapped, Amelia unconsciously accepted that she would lose a part of her body. Or at least her shoulders torn and shredded from her body. Instead, what she felt were constant aches all over her body.


    Amelia took notice of the fabric. It was the same fabric she used against the Angel and against the Dragon¡ªCeles¡¯s gift to Amelia.


    I don¡¯t remember manifesting it from the necklace¡­


    Another oddity caught Amelia¡¯s sight. On top of the usual thin-layered translucent mana she covered herself most of the time, there was another substance. It was similar to the mana she used. They did not mix. There was no reaction from both layers.


    But then, Amelia¡¯s knit themselves.


    It¡¯s the same as the one the necklace absorbed from Evelyn.


    Again, Amelia could not recall manifesting such. Nor did she remember the necklace having such a function.


    I see.


    Amelia found a small trail of mana coming from the necklace. The trail was directly connected onto the layer of mana similar to that of Evelyn¡¯s.


    It did absorb it after all. It¡¯s simply¡­ expelling it? Making good use of it? But¡­ is it permanent? Or it¡¯ll last depending on how much I absorbed?


    The necklace never reacted to anything¡ªexcept to Evelyn. Or in this case, to Heroes.


    It¡¯s made by Celes. And she was collecting those souls from the Heroes¡­ maybe she made it like that? But what would happen if I made Meiko touch it? What will it absorb? No. Let¡¯s not think about it right now. Focus. Focus. But then again, why is the fabric out? Did it manifest to protect me?


    Amelia returned her sight to her glowing clothes. Rather than form the usual one-piece dress. Most of the fabric formed a sash that covered a wide area of her left shoulder.


    But three different forms of mana at the same time¡­ I¡¯ve never considered it but¡­ I think what Celes taught me about mana would be useful¡­


    A fabric woven with mana. An autonomous layer of mana for protection. Both were far different from the form of mana Amelia kept using to enhance her body. However, at the least, she found another use for mana. The matter of how to create such, however, was entirely a different challenge.


    Anyway. A shiver ran down Amelia¡¯s spins. I must overcome that thing.


    Amelia swam towards the surface.


    How to say this. I don¡¯t feel as motivated when facing either the Dragon or the Angel¡­ Amelia wore a frown. Is it because they aren¡¯t my people? Am I¡­ that cold now? No, I¡¯m no Hero. My desire is to protect and uplift my people. Don¡¯t get your priorities wrong, Amelia. Not everyone¡­ can be saved.


    A tinge of regret and sorrow swirled around Amelia. However, that swirl of emotions was incomparable to that of the past two major events.


    Besides¡­ I don¡¯t really know why I¡¯m fighting right now. Sure, there are benefits in turning things around, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel like clicks in place. Something is¡­ missing. I can¡¯t really put it into words, but there seems to be no goal for me here¡­ other than surviving. But if Evelyn dies here¡­ would I even care?


    Amelia contemplated. A situation where a Hero is removed from the list of problems she had to face.


    It will be easier on my side¡­ quite frankly. But if she did die and revive¡­ that¡¯s¡­


    Amelia bit her lip. She then surfaced and coughed to expel seawater contained in her lungs, eventually replacing it with air.


    It burns¡­!


    Amelia held her chest as she endured the pain. A few more minutes passed as she idly floated and recovered her human bodily functions.


    ¡°Haaahhh¡­¡± Amelia breathed a long, heavy sigh. She clapped her hands on her cheeks a few times and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t lose sight. Your main goal is to recover the guards. I need to be the one to take it from Evelyn. Not someone who had shown itself for some unknown reason.¡±


    Amelia then tried to control the outer layer of mana¡ªthe mana which came from Evelyn.


    ¡°¡­ Does she even know how to use her blessing?¡± In a short moment, just like how she did in the lake back in Alabaster, Amelia was standing on seawater. ¡°Now then. I should treat that man to be on the level of Fenrir, or at least on the level he had shown me.¡±


    Amelia gripped her hands¡ªher two shaking hands. ¡°But this isn¡¯t training. My limbs won¡¯t grow back if I fail. I won¡¯t recover if something punched through my chest.¡±


    Amelia held her hands close and began quivering. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s alright, Amelia. You¡¯ll overcome this. You¡¯ll face something far difficult than this. You need to overcome this. You must get over this. There is no choice. There are no shortcuts. The pain only means you are fighting, you are trying.¡±


    Amelia bit her lips until beads of blood peered from the small wound.


    ¡°You¡¯ll gain nothing from cowardice, Amelia. Don¡¯t look back. Keep going forward.¡±


    Amelia took a step forward with heavy breaths. She then took another and took a walking pace.


    ¡°Come on. Come on.¡±


    Amelia pushed herself forward, but she never felt complacent. She realized. The man saw through her illusion. That simple ability immediately invalidated most, if not all, of Amelia¡¯s usual tactics. What was left was a straight-up battle of physical or magical prowess.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ I think Amalthea is supposed to see too. Or¡­ she was giving me a handicap.¡± For a moment, Amelia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d be dead by now if she didn¡¯t.¡±


    Amelia stopped and began to laugh. ¡°Right. Right. Even if it wasn¡¯t a direct battle, I was supposed to face that Devourer. That huge worm. I almost beat Amalthea¡¯s trial. Then there¡¯s that humongous snake that ate the Devourer. Then there¡¯s Fenrir.¡±


    Gradually, Amelia¡¯s shaking calmed.


    ¡°Think, Amelia. Illusions and trickery are not all you have. You are no longer bound by human capabilities. It¡¯s fine to overextend. It¡¯s fine to think past the human limits¡­¡±


    Amelia began increasing her pace.


    ¡°Recall everything. You have been studying.¡± Amelia unsteadily reached out to her hips. The sword belt she got from Dwight apparently broke off. ¡°There¡¯s no weapon. But if there isn¡¯t any¡­ make yourself as one. Be the weapon you needed, Amelia.¡±


    So far, Sun¡¯s Seer was the most destructive magic Amelia knew. She knew well how a large Seer can stand up to a Dragon¡¯s breath. However, Amelia¡¯s method of incorporating Sun¡¯s Seer into tactics was lacking.


    ¡°There is one¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Turning back to Evelyn and the man¡¯s battle, the situation was a stalemate. However, the scales were leaning towards Evelyn.


    Evelyn stopped accelerating and hurtling swords with gravity. Despite that, small cuts and bruises covered the man¡¯s exposed skin. His lower body, covered with fur, was relatively fine. Even so, those cuts and bruises vanished after a glow or two.


    Despite Evelyn¡¯s advantage, her cuts and swings connected less than before. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead and rough breathing exposed her depleting stamina. Even so, Evelyn followed-up with a different tactic.


    With the passage of time, more and more chips of metal and broken blades littered the iceberg. It was an inevitable sight. However, in a final ditch tactic, Evelyn moved around and collected the littered swords and bits. Then, instead of accelerating whole swords, she accelerated the bits of metal and the broken blades. With bits of metal bursting out, the tactic was akin to using shotguns loaded with shells that contained steel.


    The man suffering from the brunt retracted his smile. On the other hand, It was Evelyn who wore a wide grin.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your haughty attitude now?¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    The man finally took a step forward and swung his spear in a wide arc, prompting Evelyn to jump excessively backward.


    ¡°Here¡¯s another one.¡±


    The man ignored the damage his flesh was taking and pushed Evelyn further. With another swing, Evelyn reached the corner of the iceberg.


    Evelyn, realizing the man¡¯s attempt moved towards the side but was met with pillars of ice bursting from the iceberg itself.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run but into the sea, girl.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡±


    From the front bits burst towards the man. In return, the man deployed five layers of barriers. The metal then crushed four barriers and lost its momentum on the fifth.


    In succession, a large shadow appeared just above the man. It was a boulder.


    ¡°I was thinking of dropping boulders during a siege would be helpful, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d use it for something like this!¡±


    The man jumped backward as Evelyn climbed the boulder and jump towards the other side of the pillars of ice.


    ¡°Quite a tactic. It¡¯ll take that in mind.¡±


    The man jumped towards the other side as well but was met by another buck of metal bits. Then, upon recovering, his eyes met Amelia¡¯s.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine with switching opponents, aren¡¯t you?¡± Amelia raised a sword she got from Evelyn and pointed the tip towards the man.


    ¡°Ahahaha! Why, yes. But I see you¡¯re no longer hiding that despicable horn of yours. And that dress. I never knew you had the ability to weave them. It¡¯s quite a surprise. A big surprise, if I say so. You may have well passed my experience with mana itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Was it compatibility?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe you just lack the brain for it.¡±


    The man laughed. ¡°Dear, did you know how difficult it is to weave mana into a physical object? Very few are well-versed of the topic. But if you managed to it so quickly, then I guess it¡¯s a matter of compatibility. That, at least, eases my heart.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. How typical of you. Sad to say, I had far more experience with battles. No simple instigation would work. Do remember that, Dear Princess.¡±


    ¡°Enough chat. I¡¯m here to return what is due.¡±


    ¡°And that would be?¡±


    ¡°The innocents you mixed up with us!¡± Amelia rushed forwards with speed unlike her usual.


    ¡°Going all-out, I see!¡± The man responded in-kind. He tried to match Amelia¡¯s speed and traded blows with her spear.


    ¡°I have seen this, already, Dear.¡± The man smiled. ¡°You are simply repeating what the Hero did, less the projectiles. The only difference is that you are faster and sharper.¡±


    ¡°I need no advice.¡±


    As Amelia and the man traded slashes, the first chip appeared on Amelia¡¯s sword. In kind, the man chuckled. However, on Amelia¡¯s face was a bright smile.


    Amelia retracted her sword to her left side and crouched in preparation. A rising diagonal slash.


    The man prepared to intercept, but as soon as Amelia begun her swing, numerous crackles of lightning were produced on the sword itself. The sword took the brunt and glowed white-hot. Then, as the spear and the sword met, the sword broke off. The other half, however, was flung towards the man¡¯s shoulder.


    As the man reared himself to dodge the flung melted part of the sword, Amelia threw sword as a follow-up and raised her palm forward.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Then, at point-blank range, an explosion occurred.

 Chapter 101: Lightning Beast

    The moment the smoke vanished, only the unknown man was left standing on the iceberg. Amelia, on the other hand, was nowhere in sight. However, what was left of the explosion was a web of cracks underneath the man¡¯s feet. Bits and pieces of crushed ice were also all over the place.


    The man remained motionless. He kept his body hunched and his sight facing his feet.


    He gritted his teeth. He then reached his hand towards the left side of his chest¡ªwhere a red-hot piece of metal was buried halfway. As he grasped it with his bare hands, he muttered, ¡°Damn¡­able!¡±


    Veins became apparent on his limbs as he pulled away the piece of metal. In a swift motion, he threw the metal down and produced a hiss as the metal met the ice. He then pulled off another metal stuck on his left shoulder and redid the same actions.


    The red-hot pieces of metal¡ªwhich used to be a sword¡ªleft a cauterized wound on both his chest and shoulder. Despite that, the man dug his fingers into his wound and ripped off the burned pieces of his flesh.


    ¡°UAARGH! AAHHH!¡± He cried as blood outlined his teeth.


    While trickles of blood splattered on the ice, the man raised his free hand and conjured a dome-shaped barrier latticed with hexagonal shapes. Soon enough, chips of metal struck the dome and were immediately repelled.


    ¡°I have¡­ restrained myself. This time¡­ I won¡¯t¡­!¡± The man whisked his blood-soaked fingers. Then, as he covered his open wounds, he began a long chant. As he did, the barrier was peppered by various shots from Evelyn¡¯s summable inventory.


    Rocks and boulders impacted the dome. Swords of higher quality attempted to push through. Arrows blotted a portion of the dome.


    That was close, the man thought.


    He was an Ancient. However, he was still among the living. He was unlike the Divines which did not primarily relied on organs to function.


    Evelyn¡¯s barrage of random items kept on pounding on the barrier. Gradually, cracks formed on the barrier, but it stayed true to its purpose until the man finished his chant.


    Avesta, Sacred Light.


    A blinding light wrapped around the man. Moments after, the man assumed his usual pose and the light subsided. Along with the subsiding light was his wounds. It seemed that his previous grievous wound was simply a scratch.


    Not resting for a minute, the man lifted his hands and made pillars of ice around him. Concurrently, the barrier broke and Evelyn¡¯s barrage marred the pillars. The barrage of various items was mostly embedded on the ice.


    ¡°Enough with the charades.¡±


    The man balled his fists. In response, the items stuck on the pillars was encroached and eaten by the pillars¡ªeventually containing them within the pillar itself.


    ¡°Let us see if you can recover them yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! How come?!¡± Evelyn howled from the previous wall the man erected.


    The man had been observing Evelyn¡¯s movements. Nearby objects could easily be stored into Evelyn¡¯s inventory.


    When the man and Evelyn were battling each other, whenever possible, Evelyn would try to pull out swords that pierced the ice. The moment she pulled them out, they reappeared in mid-air and restarted their acceleration. In this case, the sword stuck on the iceberg and the iceberg itself was considered as a single object. However, restrictions apply to Evelyn¡¯s blessing. The first was the range. The second was the size.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can still hide!¡± The man stomped his hoof. He gathered a bluish substance from the surroundings within his palms and crushed them. Once he did, the iceberg trembled.


    The iceberg shook with great force. Then all the pillars, walls, and bumps on the surface of the iceberg began to submerge. Eventually, the iceberg expanded, and the top became flat.


    ¡°No more tricks.¡± The man focused on Evelyn who was then in plain sight.


    ¡°¡­ Where is that girl when you need her?¡± Evelyn heaved a sigh. Her arms limply hung on her sides as hope drained from her eyes. ¡°Is this even doable? Is it really a dead end? But I don¡¯t want to lose here¡­ Not when I have achieved nothing yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough with the talk!¡±


    The man bolted towards Evelyn at an unprecedented speed, leaving scratch marks on the are where he stood from.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    However, a sudden flash caught his interest. When he glanced towards the source, he found an incoming fist towards his face. Unconsciously, the man curled his right arm and used his forearm to block.


    ¡°Guh?!¡± Pain coursed through his arm. A sudden burning sensation emanated from his skin and into his chest. Alarmed, the man jumped away only to find that the skin of his forearm was charred.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you it was a switch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The man¡¯s eyes shot wide open.


    Lightly hunched, Amelia released a constant steam. Concurrently, dressed in Celes¡¯s gift, Amelia was wrapped by a pale white light.


    ¡°Unless you wanted to take us both on, then I believe your hearing is quite damaged.¡± Amelia expressed a grin.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Frequent blue sparks danced around Amelia¡¯s body. Coupled with her glowing hair and horns, as well as the constant light the heal emitted, Amelia was akin to deities from legends.


    ¡°I have no time to impress others.¡± Before she finished, Amelia dashed towards the man. As she closed in, lightning wrapped around her arms and roared like untamed beasts. ¡°Let¡¯s. Get. This. Over!¡±


    In response, the man kept jumping in order to dodge. He took to the sky but was chased by Amelia using barriers.


    ¡°Tsk!¡± The man kept on dodging with wide margins. Despite that, a small amount of lightning gets attracted and trickles down his sanity.


    ¡°You are getting annoying.¡± The man wrapped his arms with a thick membrane of ice. He then met Amelia¡¯s rush with his own. ¡°Fortunately, you lack knowledge.¡±


    Amelia threw out punches. The man blocked with his frozen arm. The scenario repeated over a few seconds before a searing white ball of fire at the size of a head appeared behind the man.


    ¡°Not this time!¡± the man shouted.


    Pillars of ice shot towards the Sun¡¯s Seer. In the process, several of the pillars melted. Eventually, the Seer vanished without a trace.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this!¡± Evenly shouted in glee. The moment a puddle of water formed underneath the man, a sword manifested and shot towards the man¡¯s feet. ¡°Electrocution time!¡±


    Once more, surprise blew up on the man¡¯s face. He tried to jump out of the puddle, but the momentary glance he gave Evelyn was enough time for Amelia to slip underneath his arms and embrace him.


    In a flash of a moment, the whites of the man¡¯s eyes rolled up. His head faced the sky and his mouth was wide agape. As he suffered the brunt, bubbles frothed from his mouth. Steam rose from his skin. His fur was stood at its end and as the surge of lightning combed through it, it was eventually burned like weeds on the plains.


    ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Once Amelia released a breath, she released the man and took several steps backward. Her chest heaved. Her skin was flushed by several shades of red. The steam, especially, was at least twice as before.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a shocking embrace, if I say so myself.¡± Amelia chuckled. Beads of sweat dribbled down her flushed skin. The air around her shimmered.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Evelyn muttered. ¡°That¡¯s hot. In a literal sense. I wonder if that guy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. No. I¡¯m pretty sure it did. And it probably stopped, too.¡±


    Evelyn¡¯s knees buckled. Short laughs came out her wide smile as a sense of relief washed over her body. ¡°God, that was scary.¡±


    On the other hand, Amelia¡¯s sight blurred. Eventually, her left knee buckled, and she fell on her side.


    ¡°Aaaahhh¡­¡± Amelia gasped for air. Apparently, the layer of mana she acquired from Evelyn and Celes¡¯s gift was not enough to mitigate the damage. Her continuous use of her body as a catalyst for the lightning incurred a great rise in her body temperature.


    I was right¡­ the mana converted the localized damage into its equivalent when spread throughout the body¡­ But it¡¯s¡­ hot¡­


    After mitigation, Evelyn¡¯s defensive mana spreads the damage throughout the body. A prime example was how Amelia survived the man¡¯s hit without losing her shoulder.


    But at least¡­ I can¡­ rest¡­ The curtains fell on Amelia¡¯s sight and passed out.


    In a similar manner, Evelyn passed out on the ice. On the other hand, the man that took the brunt of Amelia¡¯s lightning remained still as a statue.


    ¡°Sa¡­ cred¡­ Li-ght¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s life was restored once more. And once his body returned to normal, he fell on his knees with a pained breath. [Curses¡­! Curse you!]


    As he balled his fist, ice lances manifested overhead and pointed towards Amelia.


    [To think I have been caught by a simple trick!] He rose to his feet with a gust. He approached the unconscious Amelia and grabbed her by the head.


    [I loathe you!] He raised Amelia into the air. Her limbs dangled like a doll¡¯s. [Rather, I should crush you!]


    The man put pressure on Amelia¡¯s head.


    ¡°Mmh¡­!¡± Amelia¡¯s brows knitted in pain. Her lips warped into a frown.


    [I would think otherwise if I were you.] The necklace glinted.


    Upon recalling the voice, the man halted. He glared at the source of the voice¡ªhe glared at the necklace.


    [You. You were watching?] The man¡¯s face expressed vexation.


    [Why would I not? You do realize she is my kin, no?]


    The man gritted his teeth. He imagined how displeased Celestia was if she saw everything. [What are you planning in hiding her existence?]


    [Nothing.]


    [Such words from you? Hah! As if anyone would have believed those words. Such a blatant lie.]


    [Listen to whatever you want to hear. I have nothing to tell you.]


    The man grinned. [If put a little pressure here, maybe you¡¯ll speak?]


    [Then please do so. It is her own fault for relieving herself without thoroughly eliminating her enemy.]


    [What?] The man¡¯s eyes shot open. [She is your kin, is she not? You even go your way to watch over her.]


    [I merely watch over her, that is all.]


    The man could say nothing in response.


    [That aside, has your mind calmed enough?]


    The man clicked his tongue. [So that was your aim.]


    [No. It is your aim, remember? You boasted too much of yourself and lost your calm after almost dying due to your self-imposed handicap. Quite laughable, if I say so.]


    I can¡¯t believe this woman. She would let me have it my way? Ridiculous. Is this the real Celestia or some imposter? Nevertheless, this works well for me.


    [I¡¯ll ask again. What is your plan?]


    Celestia stifled a laugh. [Are you that worried about me leaking information about what you knew? That¡¯s quite a tall impression. Rest assured, I have no interest with mere Ancients acting on their own. You can go about your merry way without my intervention.]


    The man¡¯s forehead creased. His nose flared. And for a moment, he once more put pressure on Amelia¡¯s head before releasing her.


    [I¡¯ll crush that head next time. Preferably, I¡¯ll rip that horn out of your head.]


    The man turned and began his ascent, leaving both Amelia and Evelyn as they were. [I¡¯ve achieved what I needed to. Time to prepare for the next step.]

 Chapter 102: A Temporary Resolution

    ¡°Mnnh¡­¡±


    ¡°---! ---! --- --- ----?!¡±


    It was rather faint, the voices. They seemed like muffled whispers¡ªnearly impossible to comprehend. However¡­ however¡­ the mix of emotions that came along with the cacophony was far from incomprehensible. Each one of them hinted fear and worry. Among them, there was one particular voice that shone among the rest.


    With a hint in mind, I tried to form a smile. Whether she saw it or not, whether I managed to smile or not, I never knew. What I did know was that the worries of the owner of the voice were washed away in relief. That alone relieved me of my own pain and brought me back into a peaceful slumber.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hmm~? Hmm~?¡± Kanna playfully hummed. Her lips curved into a wide smile, she laid her moist, satisfied eyes on the silver threads coiled around her fingers. With just a slight turn of her wrist, the silver threads skimmed across her skin.


    ¡°Aahhh~? This is a true recovery. Nothing beats being beside Lia.¡± Kanna¡¯s gaze returned to Amelia¡¯s peaceful face. ¡°And although it has been a short while, Lia really has changed.¡±


    Kanna could not explain it herself. However, when she compared Amelia¡¯s expression from when they re-encountered each other, she felt a sense of change. Perhaps, a sense of growth.


    ¡°How to say this¡­ It¡¯s a little less¡­ tense? Still, no matter what it is, every little bit of it is beautiful.¡±


    Kanna rattled on with her notion¡ªrepeatedly mentioning how lovely Amelia was. Every time she recalled an image of Amelia¡¯s embarrassing childhood, she could not help but snuggle her nose against Amelia¡¯s shoulders. Despite all those, Amelia was, for all reasons, sound asleep.


    Around six hours past sunrise, Amelia finally rose. And upon lifting the lid of her eyes, the first words she muttered were, ¡°I¡¯m inside a cabin?¡±


    Her body creaking, she languidly sat up. However, when she tried, a weight on her right shoulder pushed her back into a bed. When Amelia shifted her sight, she was met by a face of a sleeping girl. The sleeping girl, Kanna, with a wide smile, had drool running down her cheeks.


    ¡®¡¯¡­¡± Upon setting the scene into memory, Amelia froze. For several seconds, her usual sprinting mind came to a complete halt. And when the cogs of her mind began to spin once more, she thought, Should I be happy or not?


    A sense of relief and joy swirled around Amelia¡¯s chest the first she saw Kanna. However, the drool running down her cheeks, and onto her shoulders, completely washed away the emotions building inside her.


    In the end, Amelia¡¯s left hand laid onto Kanna¡¯s cheeks. For a moment, allowed her fingers to swirl around Kanna¡¯s cheek. Afterward, the ends of her thumb and index finger casually met at the center of Kanna¡¯s cheeks. Then, like an omen of mass destruction,


    ¡°Ow! Ow! Ow!¡± Kanna cried. ¡°Stop! Stop! It hurts, Lia! You¡¯re tearing it off!¡±


    ¡°You once said love hurts, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! But this and that are diff¡ªow!¡±


    ¡°Really.¡± Amelia heaved a sigh a released Kanna¡¯s reddened cheeks. ¡°The first thing I see upon waking up is my friend taking advantage of my exhausted body.¡±


    ¡°Uuu¡­¡± Kanna rubbed her cheek. ¡°Really, your strength is different from before. And what about taking advantage? More importantly, what friends? It¡¯s supposed to be lovers. L-o-v¡ªbuhrs!¡±


    Before Kanna was able to finish, Amelia pinched her lips.


    Followed by a chuckle, Amelia said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re the same Kanna I know.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m glad to see you still breathing, Lia.¡±


    Each expressed an ever so relieved smile.


    Once they relaxed, they began asking what each other had gone through.


    For most of the part, Kanna wore a grunted expression while Amelia wore a wry smile. Despite that, the exchange kept going until Kanna broke her silence.


    Slap!


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again!¡± Genuine anger smoldered behind Kanna¡¯s eyes. Her frown expressed the depth of her irritation. And the strength of her slap bore her overflowing emotions. ¡°That¡¯s really, really, stupid! Have you forgotten you¡¯re also a Chief?! If Sylvar and the others knew of it, they¡¯d mobilize the wyverns in search of you!¡±


    Amelia could do nothing but take Kanna¡¯s flak. In every little sense, she believed Kanna¡¯s anger was justified.


    ¡°I get that it was a sudden burst of idea, but you really had me worried sick! And not just me, your parents too! Even your soon-to-be sister-in-law!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Amelia nodded. Although I believe Argent and Clarissa will be much closer than ever due to the sequence of events... I guess that¡¯s a silver lining.


    ¡°And you did all that!¡± Kanna¡¯s loud voice suddenly toned down. ¡°You did all of that just to strike a decisive blow to Libet?¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°I planned on overthrowing their plans at some point but¡­ things did not go as planned. There¡¯s also the thing about Surtur that I wanted to look into after guessing that it¡¯ll be the transit point.¡±


    ¡°Transit point?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as moving from one boat to another in order to reach your destination. Anyway, the point is, Libet was able to tame Flameclads. Knowing their geographical location, only Surtur is their only possible source. And due to that¡­ I was hoping to find a teleportation circle somewhere in Surtur after overthrowing their plans.¡±


    Kanna nodded.


    ¡°Although the chance is slim, if I could get a copy of that teleportation circle, we¡¯ll pretty much have a backdoor into Libet.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll use that as means of infiltration?¡±


    ¡°Well, not really me in a literal sense. But if I had that access, I could get into the center of the enemy¡¯s fortress, gather some intel while shrouded with illusion, and return unscathed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ pretty much a valid idea.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the disposal of or alliance with Evelyn. And lastly, the retrieval of the guards¡­¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ All of those turned into¡­ this?¡±


    Amelia¡¯s gaze shifted to her lap. Then, with a wry smile, she nodded. ¡°It¡¯s completely a different situation from what I imagined. To say the least, I didn¡¯t know someone as after either me or Evelyn or possibly both of us. But the good thing is, he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sorry to break to you Lia, but if I recall, you said that you fried your enemy with lightning, right? And when that happened, all three of you were on that giant block of ice.¡±


    Amelia nodded.


    ¡°¡­ We didn¡¯t find anything that resembled burned body. You could say that the nearest example is that captain¡¯s cauterized leg.¡±


    ¡°¡­ But if he was alive, then I¡¯d be dead by now? Or¡­ this is just my¡­ delusion?¡±


    Kanna grasped Amelia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This is reality. But you¡¯re right. If an enemy of yours survived that¡­ then you won¡¯t be here in front of me. You won¡¯t be the breathing Lia I wanted to see.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Do I really impose the shadow of my own death?¡± Amelia knitted her brows.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kanna answered with a straight face.


    Amelia could only heave a sigh in response.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it in another time. I believe something is waiting for me beyond the door.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re fine now, then yeah, you¡¯ll need to explain the situation and place a verdict on the caught men and the Hero.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go.¡±


    After a light meal, exercising her right, Amelia took over command of the present captains and their units. The turnover of command was met with numerous plights of concerns. In particular, the captains voiced their will to return to Aves as immediate as possible. Due to Kanna¡¯s unbreaking stand of keeping Amelia in a steady place for recovery, the captains¡¯ concerns were set aside. However, upon seeing Amelia recover overnight, their desire to return hurled back.


    ¡°I know everyone is worried but do hear my concerns.¡± Amelia¡¯s words were met by grunts and nods. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As Amelia took her seat, her eyes wandered around the cabin of an anchored ship.


    ¡°First, I would like to know if a messenger was already sent to the palace informing them of my state.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already sent a ship this morning, Your Highness. It took some time to unload some the supplies, but the ship with the messenger will surely arrive at Aves later this afternoon,¡± one captain voiced.


    Amelia nodded. ¡°Those supplies, please give me an estimate on how many days it would last us if we remain here in Surtur. Please account the supplies contained in the other ships as well.¡±


    ¡°However, Your Highness, you must re¡ª¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°Not yet. As I said previously, there is a concern of mine on this particular island.¡±


    ¡°What would that concern be, Your Highness?¡± another captain asked? ¡°However, whatever that concern might be, if we use this number of troops, the other kingdoms would surely be suspicious of our movements.¡±


    ¡°Half a ship¡¯s worth of men will remain for a week or two. Whatever actions we will take afterward will depend on what His and Her Majesty decision.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± the captain muttered.


    The meeting continued until noon. As the meeting drew on, the relief in the captains¡¯ expressions became more apparent. Although unfathomable in their minds, the usual, formal tone coming from Amelia¡¯s lips eased their minds.


    The captains¡¯ feared that Amelia was deeply scarred by the event. However, her demeanor during the meeting washed away their fears. They did, however, recalled how Amelia had gone through worse¡ªwhich give the thought how Amelia was able to cope in becoming a hostage.


    Nevertheless, in the afternoon, Amelia and Kanna rode a boat towards the beach and met a crowd.


    Among the crowd was Darwin sitting on the sand along with a few of his conscious men. On another side were Evelyn and her previous party apart from Dwight and Veight.


    ¡°Now that I notice, Veight isn¡¯t anywhere,¡± Amelia muttered as her eyes swam around the beach.


    ¡°Oh, that butler-like man? He was sent as a messenger along with a few others. They said they wanted to confirm from the Queen herself regarding his identity.¡±


    So that¡¯s how it went.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s bring a close to this event.¡± Amelia stepped forward. In return, the soldiers in the surroundings tightened their guards.


    ¡°Before us lay a fair amount of citizens of Libet. Dwight and his men. Evelyn and her party. Both parties were involved in the incident.¡±


    As Amelia gave her verdict, the soldiers surrounding both parties drew their swords.


    ¡°However, I am not heartless to those of my savior. Be they beasts or citizens of Libet, I swore in my sovereign right to reward gratitude with gratitude. Pain with pain. So please, brave soldiers of Laurel, sheathe your swords and hear my words.¡±


    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve used such tone and manner of speaking. How to say this, it¡¯s¡­ a little refreshing. Maybe because it¡¯s a battle I consider far easier than a monstrous being?


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Amelia nodded with her hands crossed on her stomach.


    ¡°Just as I said before, I will reward gratitude with gratitude. And thus, Darwin, will you consider being a citizen of Laurel? Do please consider. Your answer will be considered as the answer of your fellow men.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Darwin kept his silence and stared at his lost feet.


    ¡°Once again, I apologize for your loss. Though I did what I could, I am not capable of reattaching a lost leg.¡±


    Darwin shook his head. ¡°Being alive is more than enough.¡±


    ¡°I believe so. Opportunity comes to those who are alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Darwin took a long, hard look on the faces of his living men. Once he considered all their circumstances, their families left behind, and their desires, he returned his sight towards Amelia. ¡°Please let us serve under Her Highness.¡±


    One after another, Darwin and his men bowed their heads.


    ¡°I will see to it.¡± Amelia turned her eyes towards Evelyn¡¯s party. ¡°Now then, Hero Evelyn, I would like exact my utmost gratitude for saving my life. Although it was both a hot and cold exchange throughout the journey, you have saved my life.¡±


    A wry smile grew on Evelyn¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, right, it was hot and cold. But don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Wait, Evelyn thought. It¡¯s all going through my head. Is she planning anything? Why is she announcing to everyone that ¡®I¡¯ specifically saved her? This scheming Princess. What could be going through your head?


    ¡°If you would be pleased, I¡¯ll be willing to give you my grant all throughout Laurel. I may not be as powerful as the entirety of Libet, but I guarantee you I have connections that Libet does not have. So, will you consider joining my side?¡±


    Amelia approached and reached out her hand. In response, Evelyn could only stare at Amelia¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°Are you¡­ serious? No string attached?¡±


    ¡°A Hero could cut through any form of strings or threads. Therefore, rather than waste time constricting a Hero, it would be better to support the said Hero.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really accustomed to you playing with words, but¡­¡± Evelyn recalled. She herself witnessed the scene of the second Queen lashing out on Amelia. Right, she could use me for that¡­ Then¡­ I could become a trump against that Queen. I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a huge asset for her.


    ¡°Well, I guess I could give it a shot.¡± Evelyn grinned as she shook Amelia¡¯s hand.


    Amelia returned a tilt of her head and a light, eerie smile. ¡°Let us continue our discussion later.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Sure.¡± Evelyn inched backward after she responded.


    ¡°Now then, pain for pain.¡± Amelia turned her sight towards Marina and William. ¡°Both of you. Frankly, I am not sure what to do with you. Even if you belong to Hero¡¯s party, I cannot guarantee that you two are without guilt. After all, you were separated from the Hero.¡±


    Both Marin and William, who expressed relief from the exchange between Amelia and Evelyn, stiffened.


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡±


    ¡°This is a different matter, Hero Evelyn. Although you were summoned from another world, both Marina and William, was it? From what I knew, they were direct recommendations from Libet itself. I could not possibly rule out the possibility of them being a spy.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±


    ¡°Thus, though it pains me, both of you have to remain as captured soldiers. Your court trial under the suspicion of terrorism and act of treason. If both of you were deemed guilty, under the rule of Laurel, both of you will have to forfeit your lives.¡±


    Marina and William¡¯s sight sank towards their feet. ¡°Yes¡­¡± They lethargically answered.


    ¡°For now, that is all.¡±


    Later in the evening, Evelyn was called towards Amelia¡¯s temporary chamber.


    ¡°So, what do you want?¡± Evelyn asked, her brows knit in confusion. ¡°Is there anything we need to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is.¡± Amelia approached Evelyn who had just arrived. ¡°I¡¯m quite thankful you accepted my offer.¡±


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s not really sitting right with me when you speak like that. It feels like you¡¯re scheming something unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°We are not that acquainted. There is also the fact that we have to draw a line between us.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ yeah¡­ That will ease my mind. I can¡¯t really¡­¡± Evelyn took a long look at Amelia. ¡°After all that, I¡¯m not really sure what to think or feel regarding you. But¡­ I don¡¯t think we can be considered friends.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t consider you my friend,¡± Amelia shot back. ¡°We are simply partners due to mutual benefits. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t really five a better phrase for it, but yeah. I think that suits us both.¡±


    ¡°Yes, however.¡± Amelia¡¯s lips curved into a frown. Her eyes bore hatred. And she raised her hand, a loud slap followed.


    Evelyn, who did not expect the attack, could only caress her cheek with her mouth agape.


    ¡°Remember this. Personally, I haven¡¯t forgiven you. However, due to my position, I¡¯m willing to betray my personal feelings. But know this. Once you turn tail to our agreement, I will definitely take your head no matter how many times it takes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At the very end, we might be at each other¡¯s throats.


    ¡°But who knows? Someday, our differences might one day be bridged.¡±

 Chapter 103: A Cause for Change 1

    ¡°Your Highness, you must return. It is an order from His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡­ I get it. I¡¯ll return. Tell the others I¡¯ll get ready. Also, please recall Kanna. And that is all. You may now leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± The messenger bowed.


    It did not even take two days before Father¡¯s order arrived. Simply because by the dawn of the next day the messengers were sent, a different messenger arrived.


    As soon as the messenger left, I threw myself on the bed and held the pillow to my face. I then gripped the pillow and heaved a long, heavy sigh.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t anything go according to or at least in parallel with my plans lately? Where have I gone wrong? What information am I missing?¡±


    I moved from one side of the bed to another as I waited for Kanna and for the ship to leave.


    Again, I heaved I sigh. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll do just that. It¡¯s been a while anyway.¡±


    After fixing the bed, I laid myself down and held the necklace. Recalling the sensation of transferring my consciousness into the necklace, I closed my eyes. Then, as soon as I lifted my eyelids, the familiar gigantic roots came into view.


    Usually, I had a precedent of transferring my body into the room prepared by Celes. However, after some time, I managed to replicate the sensation of transferring myself into the doll without such. Still, a direct transfer of consciousness was not as safe when compared to the process that involved the precedent. Nevertheless, I could not rule out its convenience since my original body would be considered asleep in the eyes of others.


    [It¡¯s quite early for you to be here, Amelia.]


    ¡°Oh, Fenrir.¡± I looked up at the wolf that nimbly appeared from the side of a nearby branch coming from a large tree. ¡°I have nothing to do so I came to visit.¡±


    Though far he was, I knew Fenrir could hear me speak.


    [I see. You came to vent your frustration.] He then trekked down the roots and silently landed on the patch of grass before me.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    [You are quite easy to read when relaxed, Amelia. But it enough evidence that you feel comfortable around me.]


    ¡°Am I really? Though I guess that might be true. I mean, Erina and Kanna could do the same. And quite accurate at that. But now that I say it, I haven¡¯t seen Erina for a while¡­¡±


    [Isn¡¯t that a joyous occasion? You are becoming more independent of the human named Erina. It may also serve as a preparation for your attachment of her. After all your life¡ª]


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about lifespan or whatnot. It¡¯s¡­ an uncomfortable topic.¡±


    [Then when would you tackle such issue? It would be better be prepared for their passing when the time comes.]


    ¡°We can¡¯t say for sure if I would outlive them.¡± For a moment, I stared at Fenrir¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m some sort irregularity, remember? Besides, I still don¡¯t know what is the verdict of the Divine Assembly Celes was talking about.¡±


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [The assembly hasn¡¯t taken place yet. However, the schedule of the assembly will take place in the last week of winter.]


    ¡°That¡¯s when Celes will announce my legitimacy as a Divine, right?¡±


    [I see. So you are afraid of the result.]


    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be easy if I were under the attention of those beings that could wreck kingdoms with ease¡­ Though I could now see why Celes was forced to regulate their activity. I can only see chaos if they were let loose¡­ Just imagining how absurd the fight would be in the eyes of the races¡ªit doesn¡¯t feel real. I mean, have the Gods gone mad? The difference was more than just the sky and the earth.¡±


    [It¡¯s the manifestation of the Gods¡¯ willingness to protect their creation.]


    ¡°But they still ended up leaving.¡±


    [Even Gods have patience, Amelia.]


    ¡°I know.¡± I then approached Fenrir and skimmed my fingers on his fur. After arriving at the area near his belly, I sat down. ¡°Anyway, please let me stay for a while. I want to clear my mind.¡±


    [Feel free.] Fenrir sat down and allowed me to lean on his body.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Like usual, Fenrir and I discussed my problems. Although I could rely on Kanna in venting, I refrained to do so. I believed she needed rest, which was of course the cause of seeing Kanna with bags underneath her eyes. It was surreal. I never expected her to go through that much in search of me.


    Having spent another day with Kanna, the ship eventually arrived in Aves. Apparently, Darwin and his men, Evelyn, Marina, and William were placed in different ships which were scheduled to arrive a day later.


    Nevertheless, from the port to the palace, Kanna and I were escorted from within a carriage.


    ¡°Father, Mother, I have returned.¡± Facing the throne, I curtsied. Although I was in the throne room, the only audience were Father, Mother, Argent, and surprisingly, Mark.


    ¡°¡­¡± Father remained rather silent. He kept his arms clutched on the armrests of his throne as he stared at my person.


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Mother said. She then stood from her throne and nimbly climbed down the stairs and embraced me. ¡°I¡¯m glad you are back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back, Mother. And I¡¯m sorry.¡± I buried my face on Mother¡¯s shoulder and returned her embrace. Although I welcomed the warmth, the pangs of guilt haunted my chest.


    Mother tightened her embrace and her voice began to crumble.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be. If there was anyone to blame, it was us. We failed to foresee the crime. You only responded in hopes of helping your would-be sister and got caught as a result.¡± I then felt a damp sensation on my left shoulder. ¡°Any later you arrived for Clarissa, it would have been a tragedy for Brent and Laurel. Still, I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m really glad you¡¯re okay. I and your Father could wish for nothing more.¡±


    I could not find the words to utter. I simply stood and listened to the words spilled by Mother. It was as if a torrent of water was rushing out of a flood gate.


    I could not recall how long Mother embraced me before Father¡¯s presence was felt behind Mother.


    ¡°Diane, let us allow her to rest. Amelia might still be exhausted.¡±


    By Father¡¯s prompt, Mother loosened her embrace and parted from me. ¡°You are right. Amelia, if need be, you may stay at my room for tonight.¡±


    I nodded in response. ¡°Then please let me.¡±


    ¡°Amelia,¡± Father called. ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡± Hesitantly, Father approached and reached out his hand and grabbed my own. ¡°Were you hurt?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I managed to recover. I¡¯m fine now. So there¡¯s no need to worry. But if it will rest your minds at ease, I can visit the palace¡¯s doctor.¡±


    ¡°Then tomorrow.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°In any case, Father, I¡¯m sorry. The men you gave to guard me, they¡­ departed.¡±


    Suddenly, Father¡¯s hands weighed on my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not yours to mind, Amelia. And I¡¯m sure they parted from this world with their duty in mind. The fact that you have returned safe means their lifelong sworn duty was met. Nevertheless, we will celebrate their heroic deeds. Their names must be written in a proper tomb so their efforts will be remembered.¡±


    ¡°Still, their bodies are¡­ gone.¡±


    I¡­ can¡¯t say Evelyn have the bodies. If they found out¡­ then the scenario of Evelyn saving me will be mired with doubts. I must bury them somewhere on my own. To where is¡­ a big problem.


    Father shook his head. ¡°I see¡­ so their bodies have been disposed of as expected.¡±


    ¡°But Father, the attack was not only instigated by a foreign group. In fact, locals were involved in the incident.¡±


    Mark, I¡¯m talking about your Mother. I hope you are prepared as your Mother¡¯s eyes here in Aves.


    For a moment, Father closed his eyes. The moment he lifted his eyelids, he said, ¡°We¡¯ll go into details later. For now, take a rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hesitantly, I approached Father and gave and embraced him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry and I¡¯m back.¡±


    Father silently returned my embrace. After tapping my back a few times, he loosened his embrace and walked back to his throne. ¡°Now go. Go and recover as much as you please.¡±


    I bowed my head and turned around to leave the throne room.


    It was awkward. But I knew what Father felt. I could give a guess, but I was sure Father was deeply relieved.

 Chapter 104: A Cause for a Change 2

    With a hand over her chest, Lara Laurel heaved one breath after another. Sweat dripping down her fair-skinned arms, she dampened her handkerchief as it tapped against her skin. After several repeated attempts, her breathing calmed and her beading skin subsided.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m glad she¡¯s fine.¡± Lara then folded the paper she was holding and tuck it inside her purse.


    Lara looked out of the window and admired the passing scenery of grain fields. Although flat and dry, the morning scenery imposed a sense of seasonal change. ¡°But now is a difficult situation. I can¡¯t believe such a situation would occur. It¡¯s far from what I expected.¡±


    ¡°Whatever did you expect?¡± Erina asked, seating on the opposite side of Lara.


    ¡°I believed Auguste will let Amelia return. That is after Amelia pleads for Diane¡¯s and Argent¡¯s help in convincing Auguste.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an underwhelming response coming from you, Lady Lara.¡±


    ¡°You place me high up in a pedestal, Erina. I¡¯m not as clever as Diane.¡±


    Erina lightly furrowed her brows. ¡°Surely, you jest. You have been silent throughout the trade of interests between the Nobles, but you escaped their eyes and interests without much effort.¡±


    Lara smiled. ¡°Again, you put me up too high. It¡¯s just that the Nobles see me and Elaine in a commoners clothing that we manage to avert their interest. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    ¡°Even if you are a mistress, you are still the King¡¯s wife. That alone gives you recognition and respect. And in all honesty, your birth as a commoner gives the citizens more familiarity with you. That I cannot deny.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so. However, it¡¯s best if you do not consider me as Auguste¡¯s wife, or perhaps a Queen Consort. I¡¯m but a mistress, after all. A mistress of Royalty. Besides, I do not wish to insert myself into the quibbles between Nobles and Royalty. Diane alone is enough to handle the situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lara giggled. ¡°There is nothing to pry off me, Erina. I have said this once, but you do not have to worry about my actions.¡±


    ¡°That I cannot promise. Although I have respect for you, Lady Lara, I cannot help but try to know your intentions.¡±


    ¡°It is nothing of harm to Amelia. That I assure you.¡±


    ¡°I cannot be assured with mere words. Actions do speak louder, I believe. If not actions, then evidence.¡±


    ¡°Again, Erina, you are too guarded when it comes to Amelia.¡± Lara sighed. ¡°And if I remember, you are willing to let me help Amelia with her matters, was it not?¡±


    ¡°Yes, however, she is my¡­ responsibility, after all.¡± Erina squeezed her interlocked hands. ¡°And right now, I¡¯m not entirely sure. It¡¯s quite a dilemma.¡±


    Lara chuckled. ¡°In a sense, we get along, Erina.¡±


    ¡°Say, Lady Lara, you have never seemed inclined to aid Amelia before. Not even once have I seen you directly help her. So, why now? Why do you come to Amelia¡¯s aid without her knowing? For what purpose are you doing this?¡±


    Lara smiled and shifted her sight back to the passing scenery. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain, Erina. It is not something you would understand. Neither would Amelia, Diane, or any member of Laurel¡¯s Royalty would understand. In fact, I do not hope to be understood. My only goal is to achieve my personal happiness. And that happiness required Amelia¡¯s own.¡±


    Lara then turned to Erina with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s that simple. In order to achieve my goal, I need Amelia to be satisfied. And now, when things are turning for the worse, is the time to lend her some help¡ªeven if the help she receives never comes to light.¡±


    Erina¡¯s lips twisted into a frown. ¡°I do not understand. I do not, really. However, I believe Amelia needs any help she can get. Be it from the shadows of the night or the sunlight of the day, I believed Amelia needs help. That is why¡­ I am willing to bargain my trust. That is¡­ the only ability I can provide to aid Amelia.¡±


    ¡°Erina, we are all powerless in some way or another. Nonetheless, there will come a day that you and Amelia will understand my actions.¡± Lara reached for Erina¡¯s hand and clasped it. ¡°So please, calm down. There will never come a day that I will harm Amelia. I mean, for what reason am I to make Elaine sad?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s calm down. We will soon arrive at Aves any¡ªhuh?¡±


    A sudden knock from the coachman interrupted Lara. In response, after shaking her head twice, Erina turned around and pulled a small wooden plate to the side spoke as if nothing happened. ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°We will slow down a bit. There is a number of incoming carriages and wagons coming from the direction of Aves.¡±


    ¡°A number enough to impede a Royalty¡¯s convoy? How many are there?¡±


    ¡°I cannot say, but my eyes roughly counted seven.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you for the information.¡± As soon as Erina finished, she locked the wooden plate back into place. ¡°Could it be a large merchant group?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Lara replied. For a while, Lara thought about the situation in Aves. ¡°Amelia¡¯s capture was not publicly announced, was it not? So there wasn¡¯t supposed to be a strict sanction of those who are entering and leaving Aves during Amelia¡¯s missing period. So frankly, it¡¯s a surprise that there¡¯s a number of merchants leaving Aves. Not unless it¡¯s¡ª!¡±


    Lara paused. Erina squinted her eyes.


    ¡°What comes to mind, Lady Lara?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an assumption, but please, do open the plate. I have questions for the coachman.¡±


    ¡°If that is so.¡± Again, Erina pulled the plate and informed the coachman.


    Lara, leaning beside Erina¡¯s seat, spoke with the coachman. ¡°Is there anything out of place regarding the convoy of carriages and wagons?¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I can see none other than the number, Your Royal Highness.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll get back to you in a bit.¡± Lara herself closed the plate and turned to Erina. ¡°How many days has it been since Amelia returned to Tercel?¡±


    ¡°Roughly a day if we estimate the distance the falcon has traveled to deliver the message.¡±


    ¡°Then Amelia arrived somewhere around late afternoon, right? Thank you.¡± Lara pulled open the plate and said, ¡°Halt the carriage. Tell the guards we are holding an emergency inspection. This is urgent, so, please.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± the coachman replied and immediately passed the order to the surrounding guards.


    ¡°What is it, Lady Lara?¡± Erina asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Frankly, I have a rough idea of what is happening. Given her attitude, connections, and her usual course of action, I can say I have confidence in determining what she will do.¡±


    Erina, not anywhere near finding an answer, said, ¡°Please do tell in a simple manner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to see it for yourself.¡± Lara chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s quite funny, to be honest. Maybe the star I was born in truly is lucky. Really, I must thank my Mother. Anyway, come, we have some headache-inducing work to do.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s been a while but¡ªit¡¯s kind of awkward.¡± Amelia, wearing a wry smile, rubbed her forearm in embarrassment.


    ¡°We don¡¯t get to do this much, after all.¡± Diane smiled as she savored Amelia¡¯s state. ¡°Anyway, come here, it felt as if years had passed since I last saw you.¡±


    Diane pulled Amelia into her embrace and sniffed the scent of her hair.


    ¡°It has only been several days, Mother.¡±


    ¡°It is, but it felt very, very long. You do not know how much your Father and I thought that you¡¯ll meet the same fate as your Grandfather. It is quite¡­ disheartening.¡±


    ¡°¡­ How about Clarissa? Isn¡¯t she around?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. She too took quite a toll from your disappearance. She took it to herself to ask and persuade our knights into looking for you in earnest. She even tried to join the cooks in providing meals for the knights. It¡¯s quite admirable if I were asked.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be a good Step-sister.¡±


    ¡°True enough. I¡¯m quite pleased with how concerned she was for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    This will be hard for my stomach¡­


    ¡°But it has been long. Truly long.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Diane released Amelia but kept her hands locked on Amelia¡¯s shoulder. Her eyes peering into Amelia¡¯s, Diane said, ¡°It had been long since I embraced you. It has been long since we stripped ourselves of our title and spoke. To be honest, I¡¯m quite jealous of Erina. Rather than me, your Mother, she who wasn¡¯t related to you by blood was always at your side. To me, it seemed she had taken my place as your Mother.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can sort of understand.¡± Amelia smiled. ¡°Still, you are my mother by birth. There is nothing that will change that. And besides, I don¡¯t mind having multiple mothers. Well, mothers that I can say I approve. But I do hope I don¡¯t have any other Step-mother that I do not know of. That will be¡­ quite irritating.¡±


    Diane chuckled. ¡°I myself hope so. Though I believe there is no more. After all, I have tried my best to keep an eye on your Father.¡±


    Amelia breathed a sigh. ¡°I hope it is the case.¡±


    Minutes to hours passed as Amelia and Diane exchanged stories not as Royals but as mother and daughter. They spoke to each other with their heads leaning on their own pillows, lying down on Diane¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I do hope I can complete my studies in Academia. But I guess things will be different now. After all, Max isn¡¯t around anymore so I can¡¯t act like I used to. There¡¯s also Meiko¡¯s case.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Maxwell huh.¡± Diane shifted her sight to the ceiling and formed her thoughts. ¡°If things had not taken a sudden turn, I believe you would have been wedded to him by now, not Argent and Clarissa. Still, Amelia, you decided to let Argent and Clarissa be married during the agreement. Did you, perchance, regret what you did? Since, if you asked me and your father, preferably Maxwell himself, we wouldn¡¯t have turned down the offer. But since the decision came from you, we believed you were fine with not living with Maxwell as his Queen.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ think it¡¯s fine. Besides, weren¡¯t both you and Father against me leaving Laurel?¡± Amelia, momentarily shocked, asked.


    ¡°That is true. But Maxwell showed how much he cared for you. He tried to remain by your side as much as he could. So we sort of¡­ felt complacent with him around you. It¡¯s just like¡­ how to say this? Him declaring his resolve to protect you will undoubtedly give us a sense of peace and comfort.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s mouth gaped. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± believe this¡­


    ¡°So, Amelia, did you regret your decision?¡±


    After a moment of thinking it through, Amelia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. But I have already decided. Besides¡­ I don¡¯t think I can live peacefully in Brent right now. But maybe, just maybe, if the war ended soon enough, I might consider living with him¡­ But still, I¡¯m not quite sure¡­¡±


    After all, I¡¯m starting to leave the realm of humanity. Even if I give birth before I fully leave my humanity, I¡¯m not sure if my own child can accept what I¡¯ve become afterward¡­ But maybe I should let Kanna act as its Mother? I¡¯m sure Kanna will be happy to take care of my child. Wait, no. Would she really? I think she¡¯ll throw a tantrum spanning days before she accepts and dotes on my child. That¡­ is quite a hopeful scene. Though it is a scene I can¡¯t fully visualize.


    ¡°But Mother, just in case, will you approve of me if I chose to be a consort instead?¡± A wry smile climbed on Amelia¡¯s face.


    ¡°That¡­¡± For a few seconds, Diane kept her lips sealed. ¡°I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t have any qualms. But if you are happy in that sort of arrangement, then, I can¡¯t say no. Still, I don¡¯t think your father would approve of it even though he himself is the perpetrator of our current arrangement.¡±


    ¡°I can sort of visualize that.¡± Amelia chuckled. ¡°But really, it¡¯s only a hypothetical situation. I think it is a long shot. And with the duties I have and the goals I swore to meet, I can¡¯t allow myself to waver too much. It¡¯s just that, there¡¯s too much to do that I can¡¯t see a glimpse of it in the future.¡±


    Diane frowned. ¡°Amelia, though I may sound pretentious as the one who taught you, do find time for yourself. Not everything you do needs to involve your goal. Unwind. Satisfy your desires. It is human to retreat from a battle and to replenish oneself before resuming.¡±


    Amelia shut her eyes and reminisced what little time she had to manage her own emotions. ¡°Yes. I really do need to unwind. I¡¯m quite thankful Kanna is around so I can take my mind off the problems I have.¡±


    Diane exhaled a sigh of relief. ¡°I am truly thankful that Kanna is around. Just seeing her dedication to you¡­ is quite reassuring. Though I hardly know her in person, I believe I can rest easy if she were with you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Kanna is quite something. She often says how much she loves me to the point that I can¡¯t take it seriously.¡± The simple repetitive exchanges Amelia had with Kanna made Amelia giggle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can find another person like Kanna. Though I fear that Kanna will truly lose herself if we were separated permanently¡­¡±


    Diane nodded. Her gentle smile as her cheeks sank on her pillow left a warming impression. ¡°I see. A difference in lifespan. That truly is a problem. However, if you can satisfy her before you pass off, everything will be fine.¡±


    Momentarily, Amelia¡¯s smile twitched. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    A moment of silence ensued between Amelia and Diane.


    ¡°Amelia, please, tell me, are you that willing to risk your life? Your Father and I¡­ hope that you leave everything behind and start anew. It¡¯s not too late to reconsider your goals. To reconsider your path in life. You still have a chance to change.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Amelia immediately shook her head and sat up. ¡°No, Mother. I won¡¯t reconsider. Just like I said earlier, I swore to meet my goals. I swore to myself. Not to Grandfather, but to myself. This is my own resolve. This is what I sought to do. It is my own dream and not anyone else¡¯s. So please, Mother, understand. No matter what form of challenge or test you give me. No matter how difficult the situation. I will, and will continue. Until I exhaled the last of my breath, I will yearn the completion of my goal.¡±


    Though my goal has¡­ long since changed.


    Diane¡¯s eyes held sadness. It held Amelia¡¯s expression like it was recording a scene. Mechanical. Devoid of light. ¡°What if your Father and I refuse to do so? What if we turned Laurel against you? And will all our power, stop you from achieving your goal. Will you still continue?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t mind if I have to throw my name away.¡± Amelia frowned. She held her fist tightly as she returned Diane¡¯s stare. ¡°I will leave Laurel if I have to. I will find a suitable land even if I was alone. From there I will start my own community. I will gather residents and upheld my goal. Even if my life expires before achieving my goal, I will make it a point to pass down its ideals.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Diane clutched her pillow and dug her face into it.


    ¡°Mother, please, unchain me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    Gradually, Amelia noticed a stain on Diane¡¯s pillow. Gradually, the damp stain encroached its surroundings.


    ¡°Mother, please believe in me. Someday, there will come a time that I, in turn, will protect you and Father.¡±


    ¡°You have grown, Amelia,¡± muffled, Diane said. ¡°You have truly grown.¡±


    Mother, you and Father just refused to notice¡­ I have been growing.


    <hr>


    The day after, Tercel was shaken awake by unexpected news. A small distance away from Aves, Lara Laurel ordered Liz Laurel¡¯s arrest as they both blocked each other¡¯s parade.

 Chapter 105: A Cause for a Change 3

    ¡°Truly, I¡¯m just as worried as anyone else. She may not be my daughter, but she has grown along with my son.¡± Her platinum blonde hair braided and dangled on her left shoulder, Liz Laurel said. Her azure eyes moist, her slim and fair fingers resting on her lips, she expressed her grief. ¡°I hope Amelia is fine.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too,¡± a man dressed in a long-sleeved shirt topped with a red vest replied. Cane in hand, albeit physically unchallenged, the man kept his sight lowered. ¡°However, wouldn¡¯t there be a serious uproar if the citizens possessed knowledge of the matter? Wouldn¡¯t our blunder, failing to secure our own Royal, be a capital for the citizen¡¯s unease? Perhaps even more capital for those who are hostile to Laurel?¡±


    ¡°There is that, sure enough.¡± Liz returned her hands to her side. She then shifted her sight to the garden on her right. Blocked by a window pane beside the hallway, ample sunlight lit the hallway where the man and Liz stood. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it rouse the citizens all the same? Wouldn¡¯t that situation, that knowledge, allow the citizens to join the search for Amelia? It may even help us procure time for her search as it impedes the perpetrators advance through towns and villages.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ may be true.¡± The man placed his hands on the handle of his cane and shifted his sight to the same garden Liz was looking at. For several occasions, it was the same garden where Amelia used to play with Randolf. ¡°However, I believe His Majesty¡¯s decision is fit. After all, Amelia is not only a Princess but also a Chief. Should we release the information, the Tribe will definitely react. In what way, we do not know.¡±


    Liz knitted her eyebrows. ¡°Baron Tolman, aren¡¯t you one of those responsible in regulating and securing the trade between the Tribe and Laurel? It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to suppress the information, no?¡±


    ¡°I may suppress it, yes. However, I cannot guarantee that lips wouldn¡¯t loosen especially when alcohol is involved. After all, the Dwarfs likes their drinks with company.¡±


    ¡°Baron.¡± Liz¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. A hand over her lips, Liz took a step backward. ¡°You allow your men to let loose during their duty? Isn¡¯t that¡­ I apologize for the word, however, isn¡¯t that a neglect of one¡¯s duty?¡±


    Tolman winced. However, he retained his stance and etched a wry smile on his face. ¡°It may be, perhaps, neglect on my part. However, what the late King wished for, what Her Highness Amelia sought, was originally the breakdown of barriers between races. The trade and all of its benefits are second. So, I, as a vassal of the late King, believe that giving my people time to interact with residents of the Tribe is contributing to that main goal.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I too hope to see a community far from our current. Though some may believe it is a step backward towards peace, I will stay by my belief. Even for a glimpse, I want to see what the late King envisioned.¡±


    ¡°Baron Tolman¡­¡± Disbelief was painted all over Liz¡¯s face. After a second or two, Liz cracked a smile and said, ¡°Your loyalty truly is admirable. I wished I had people like you around me. It will truly let my chest feel relief.¡±


    Tolman returned a smile. ¡°I hope I can pass this loyalty to my children and their children. And I hope they meet a person deserving of their loyalty.¡±


    ¡°In that case, would you be interested in letting your children meet my son, the Prince?¡± Quick as a panther, a smile immediately took form on Liz¡¯s face. ¡°They might see the quality in him that may raise their desire to serve.¡±


    ¡°That may be true. I will arrange a time and place for the Second Prince to meet my children.¡±


    For a moment, Liz twitched at Tolman¡¯s remark. ¡°I look forward to their meeting. I hope it bears fruit.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hope so too.¡±


    ¡°Now then, Baron Tolman, if there is anything else of the matter, please do tell. I will respond to the best of my abilities.¡±


    ¡°There is one, Your Royal Highness. Albeit this is for the future, I believe it is warranted to inform you that we will expand the distribution of the goods from the Tribe to the east. Since His Highness¡¯s fief is due east, too, his fief is among those prioritized for distribution.¡±


    ¡°What wonderful news! Lately, my son¡¯s fief has been expanding and had been growing! Residents too are arriving and so a looming crisis regarding supplies is projected in the near future! Please, inform me immediately when this distribution will start. I will contact whoever I know fit to help the distribution of goods among my merchant friends.¡±


    ¡°That is reassuring, Your Royal Highness. I will make it a point to contact you as soon as the distribution is about to enter its initial stage.¡±


    ¡°You have my gratitude, Tolman. Now then, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Royal Highness.¡±


    Tolman bowed and waited for Liz to turn around and leave. As soon as Liz vanished from Tolman¡¯s sight, she found herself biting her curled index finger.


    Why won¡¯t anyone agree with me?!


    Due to Amelia¡¯s capture, all Royals were ordered to return to Aves. Lara, Elaine, and Liz were those who were ordered to return. Camille, Rick, and Fae were not among them. Until now, their identities were kept a secret from the Nobility and the citizens.


    Not wanting to raise suspicion, Liz returned to Aves at once. She traveled from the east, from Mark¡¯s fief, a few days after she met Amelia in a secluded location.


    Amelia this, Amelia that! Is everyone afraid of what Auguste will do if they did not keep their mouths shut?! And that Clarissa! I¡¯m sure she¡¯s doing this to gain more favor for that Argent! Can¡¯t they see what that woman is planning?! She, a full Rentian, is about to be your Queen! How can they accept such folly?!


    Liz increased her pace and eventually reached an open balcony. There she leaned and cast her glance in the surroundings.


    ¡°This be damned. How long will this Royal sanction last?¡±


    Can¡¯t they visualize it? Libet will definitely announce their capture of Amelia. If the people knew, they will rise to retrieve her. Wasn¡¯t that what you want, Auguste? To completely remove Libet¡¯s influence in Laurel. Still, those priests are troublesome. They themselves are twisted. But they are useful. It¡¯s good enough that I did not meet them in person. I can deny their allegations after I terminate that guy.


    Liz griped. She despised the notion that she was forced to return and was subsequently detained. Though she wished it was lifted sooner, she could not openly protest to avoid raising speculations.


    Liz, from the eyes of Amelia, is by no means a threat. Amelia often ignored what Liz had to say. Amelia often simply smiled at her suggestions, which to no end infuriate Liz. Since, for some reason, Amelia¡¯s voice is louder than hers. A Princess¡¯s voice was louder than a Queen¡¯s. It was far from acceptable. At least, to Liz.


    By birth, Liz Laurel, originally Liz Barques, was a daughter of a wealthy merchant named Anthony Barques. Their family name rooted from the word barque, which was a type of sailing vessel often likened to a Galleon. To them, a barque symbolized their power, their wealth. Owning several of those, the Barques held the helm of the trade between Laurel, Brent, and Libet through the sea of Formos.


    For generations, the Barques owned a single barque. Ironic it sounded, the generations of merchants under the family of Barques hoped to increase the number of barques they owned. However, some six decades ago, the Barques succeeded in procuring another barque.


    During their acquisition of the second barque, the Barques already owned several smaller sailing vessels. These vessels along with their barque, the Barques took the sea trade by storm. And it all started before Randolf became King of Laurel.


    The name of the Barques family gradually sunk into the minds of the citizens as a model of hard work. Although unconnected to Nobles by blood, the Barques became prominent figures. Figures sometimes considered more powerful than any simple Noble.


    About three decades in the past, Anthony Barques succeeded the family. At that time, the family was at their peak. Anthony considered a somewhat eccentric person, immediately took a wife as soon as he inherited the will of the Barques.


    Anthony¡¯s wife was likened to a tool. Anthony, using his name and power, searched for his ideal woman. From daughters of Nobles, orphans, women from towns and villages, Royalty, prostitutes, and more, Anthony searched. He searched a single characteristic from a woman, which was physical beauty.


    Anthony¡¯s search for a beautiful woman rose expectations from women around Randia. After all, whatever their background, as long as the woman was beautiful, Anthony will give the woman a chance. Therefore, one after the other, those who wanted to hit big in life and was confident with their appearance, tried to seduce Anthony.


    Most women ended with up with nothing but words of gratitude from Anthony. Even daughters of Nobles, which the citizens considered graced with exceptional beauty, was turned down. This news immediately dampened those who are hopeful but knew their beauty when compared to those who were labeled as bearers of exceptional beauty. Thus, as immediate as the fire spread, the flames of excitement withered into smoke.


    However, six months after his contest started, Anthony announced his would be wife. And to everyone¡¯s surprise, the woman was, for any given word, far from what the citizens could call beautiful.


    Two-thirds of the scalp of the woman, the right side of her head, lacked a resemblance of hair. Her face, the right side of her face, was scarred beyond recognition by flames. Her body, thin as an abandoned child, lacked the luster and color women hoped to gain. And her hair, though hinting a semblance of gold, was almost completely white.


    In a single look, anyone would have given the woman a pitiful stare. Rather than a manifestation of beauty, the woman exuded the lack of it. However, despite the confusion and negative reactions from the citizens, Anthony married the woman and gave birth to who was now Liz Laurel.


    However, Anthony¡¯s marriage with the mysterious woman was not taken favorably. First and foremost, Anthony announced that he was searching for a woman with unchallenged physical beauty. And Anthony¡¯s choice did not bode well. And for that, the people believed that Anthony simply started a publicity stunt in order to gain fame and attention.


    And thus, for the first two years Anthony became head of the Barques family, the family experienced mistrust. Naturally, the family¡¯s gross income flunked.


    However, in the second year after his wife gave birth to Liz, Anthony let artists meet and draw Liz. Now the artists, specialized in drawing women from varying age groups, were surprised by Liz. Liz was, for the lack of a better word, a beauty. At one glance, artists knew that the child would grow up as a beautiful woman.


    Afterward, Anthony allowed the artists to release the artwork of his child. The result was another storm of confusion for the citizens, especially those who doubted Anthony¡¯s decision.


    Liz was beautiful. So beautiful that the people were mystified by her origin. However, that mystery only deepened when they knew that the woman who gave birth to the child was close to hideous.


    The citizens were baffled beyond comprehension.


    After spreading more and more rumors and igniting the flames of curiosity, Anthony then spoke in front of the citizens. He prepared a stage using the two barques he owned as a backdrop.


    ¡°You see, people often lacked insight. We immediately judge physical beauty by its present appearance. We delude ourselves that what we see in the present will be the same in the future. What we see in the present is the same as its past. That is wrong.¡±


    People who heard Anthony¡¯s speech felt both its triggering words and the realization that came along with it.


    ¡°Beauty can be achieved. Beauty can expire. It can also be maintained. However, beauty, too, can be hidden like a precious gem underneath the surface. It can be covered by plain dirt and rocks. However, once cleaned, once its identity is revealed, it can be like a geode¡ªa beauty to behold.¡±


    ¡°Not all women with scars. Those with thick callouses, too. Those scarred by fire. Whose skin turned a darker shade as they worked underneath the sun like men. Those hair and looks not considered unique by varying standards. They too can be beautiful. Not in just the present, but also from their past and the future.¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Anthony¡¯s words drew more questions than answers. It was somewhat vague. His speech garnered numerous interpretations, both good and bad. Some even called it preposterous or hypocritical. Some said it had a deep meaning and Anthony wanted the people to dwell on it on their own. Still, Anthony spoke no further. He never gave another account or word regarding the issue. He simply lavished at his name and the name of his merchant group being passed around like rumors.


    Thus, carrying both fame and infamy, the name of the Barques further spread in Randia. It spawned books trying to decipher what Anthony truly meant. It spawned books and questions questioning the origin of his wife. Bards sang his tale and theaters reenacted his story, albeit with changes of their own. Nevertheless, it did not take long before the name Barques became far more known to citizens than the Royals.


    Anthony¡¯s main goal was summarily achieved.


    Several years passed and the Barques gained another barque. By then, Auguste was already considered as the next King as he wedded Diane. Now Argon, Auguste¡¯s only rival to the throne, had completely withdrawn and returned to his dukedom saying, ¡®The next King is already decided¡¯.


    Auguste¡¯s future rule was said to be stable due to the early closure of the dispute between the two Prince. However, to Auguste, it was not enough.


    For Laurel who chose to produce than consume, they needed someone or something to distribute its produce. That was when Anthony entered the scene and offered Liz¡¯s hand in marriage to Auguste.


    During that time, Diane did not give any statement regarding the offer. She simply observed the events and followed Auguste¡¯s decision. And Auguste¡¯s decision then was to accept Anthony¡¯s offer. At that moment, the distribution of produce was secured for the incoming years.


    However, the problem did not end there. Though Diane was silent all throughout, she hated the idea. To be specific, Diane hated the idea of Auguste having another woman besides her. It was a personal problem, and Diane being the woman she was, set the issue aside. After all, the move was nothing but beneficial for Laurel.


    After eight months of bearing the child in her stomach, Diane heard the news that Liz was pregnant. Diane expected it. After all, Auguste was still in that age where he wanted to play around. His age for a prince was too early to bear responsibility as a King. And so, albeit not prohibited and not unexpected, Auguste produced a child with Liz.


    Still, Diane was hurt. Though Diane was considered beautiful herself, a blessed woman with both talent and looks, she knew her physical appearance was no match for Liz. Liz was just that beautiful. Liz was, just any man would say, desirable. A woman many would have dreamed of living a peaceful life with.


    When the news spread, the expectation for Liz¡¯s child rose. With Liz¡¯s blood mixed with that of Laurel¡¯s, they expected another child of unchallenged beauty. After all, Anthony has baffled countless people with the physical appearance of his child. Subsequently, however, it drew attention away from Diane¡¯s soon-to-be-born child.


    Diane was unsatisfied, of course, but there was nothing she could do.


    When Diane gave birth, it was a silver-haired boy. When news spread, again, attention was drawn. This time, it was from Liz¡¯s child to Diane¡¯s. After all, a likely heir to the throne was immediately born. The citizens rejoiced and celebrated through day and night. It was as if an announcement saying that Royal bloodline is secured.


    This time, dissatisfaction grew inside Liz.


    Liz was accustomed to being the center of attention. When she was studying, every boy, or even girl, will come up to her and ask her, get her favor, or get into her good side. With her looks and her status as the daughter of the most prominent merchant, it was not hard to see why people stuck to her as much as they could. It was human nature.


    Liz grew up without guidance from her Mother. In fact, Liz¡¯s mother only raised her until two years of age. Afterward, her nanny took over. The whereabouts of her Mother was unknown to her. Neither did Anthony say anything after Liz asked.


    Anthony, like Liz¡¯s mother, gave her very little attention. His mind always wondered how to further raise the efficiency of his sales. He sought whatever was best for his company of merchants. His mind was too preoccupied with stuff unrelated to Liz.


    Whenever Liz asked or introduced a story to Anthony, he would reply in a disinterested tone. It was as if Anthony never actually thought of Liz as his child. Now Liz, finding refuge in her circle of friends, grew independent of her parents.


    Nevertheless, Liz grew up somewhat haughty. She learned how to use her name and status to get around. She used those people who sucked up to her as she pleased. She enjoyed being at the top. She felt exhilarated as her plans succeeded one after the other. And thus, it did not take long before the Liz of the present was born.


    With the nature she developed, Liz, upon being offered the seat of a Queen, immediately grabbed the opportunity. However, she never expected that she¡¯d feel powerless.


    The maidservants did not follow whatever she ordered them to do. The Nobles attracted to her beauty engaged her in a war of speech and conditions. And most of all, her ability was often compared to Diane.


    Liz was inferior to Diane. It was a fact around Tercel. None would have dared question this comparison.


    However, Liz thought, My child. I¡¯ll raise him as the next King.


    Liz considered it a challenge. A goal. And thus, when she was about to give birth, her expectations were at its peak. She believed that her child will receive the same attention she received when she was two years of age.


    But for some reason, Liz¡¯s child was not what she expected.


    Mark Laurel was by no means ugly. He bore the same blonde hair as her mother as well as her azure eyes. However, he did not fall into the category where Liz fell. At most, Mark could be considered above average. Though he was considered more handsome than Argent, he did not bore the exceptional beauty everyone expected of him. And so, the expecting citizens were disappointed. Liz, too, was disappointed.


    However, Liz did not back out. She resolved to make Mark the next King of Laurel. And to do that, Mark needs to gain the favor of both the citizens and the Nobles.


    Curses! Curses! Curses! Diane, Argent, and Amelia! Every single one of them is a nuisance! If only Diane and Amelia died back then, I wouldn¡¯t have encountered this problem!


    Liz, back at the balcony, balled her fist and hit the railings. She recalled Diane¡¯s birth complication. Though she had nothing to do with the complication, Liz was one of the prime candidates for Diane¡¯s stress. After all, Liz took Diane¡¯s second pregnancy as a time to move around and garner support for Mark.


    Nevertheless, when Diane gave birth to Amelia, she lost a large amount of blood. Though successful the childbirth was, the doctors concluded that Diane could no longer conceive.


    Nonetheless, till the present, Liz loathed the day Amelia was born. She loathed how overjoyed the citizens were. She despised the jeers and shouts the citizens expressed when they heard that a silver-haired Princess was born. It was a festival. It was even marked in the calendar as a special occasion.


    And thus, again, Liz was reminded of her powerlessness. She was reminded of her fading fame. She was reminded that history and tradition outstripped her beauty by more than a mile.


    The bloodline must be continued by Mark. Not anyone else. Not Argent. Not Amelia. Especially not that commoner Elaine! And how dare they! How could they easily fear such simple threats! It¡¯s not as if Diane has the power to behead you and your families!


    Liz approached several Nobles. Starting with those influential ones, Liz tried to bridge a connection. However, for some reason, the Nobles, especially those near Aves, were somewhat neutral when dealing with Liz. Every single one of them agreed to meet and speak with her but entirely refused to partner with her.


    There was once an occasion where a Noble informed Liz.


    ¡°Though I wanted to be of use to you, Your Royal Highness, and perhaps start a new age for Laurel, now is not the time.¡±


    ¡°And why is that?¡± Liz knitted her brows. ¡°I have introduced you to several merchant groups and allowed your fief to prosper. Is that not enough? Or are you willing to see those merchants leave?¡±


    The Noble shook his head. ¡°That is not the case. It is simply that a number of us Nobles are under the watchful eye of the Queen. Any form of suspicion puts us in a risk. To be honest, I envy those who are far from Aves. They are hardly a concern for the Queen.¡±


    ¡°I have never heard of this. What sort of harassment the Queen is doing? If need be, I¡¯ll help in exposing this unjust form intrusion to the people. She must be stopped.¡±


    The Noble shook his head. ¡°Accounts varies from one Noble to another to the point that we are unsure of how the Queen is investigating us Nobles. One says there is a spy among the servants. Others say there are watchers around the fief. Some say there are guards specialized in stealth who are willing to break into the houses. Some say the mercantile guild is providing information to the Queen. However, all of these accounts lacked evidence. And so, if we ever raise this complaint and was proven false, we Nobles will be in a bind.¡±


    ¡°So, you opted to lay low and stay silent?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. Rather burn our nerves pinpointing which of the accounts were being used, if even one of those were even being used, we hope to take our time.¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡± Liz gritted her teeth. ¡°How can she have this much time?! Is she really spending that much time into this?!¡±


    ¡°Believe me, Your Royal Highness, we, too, find it unbelievable. However, Diane was always known as a fox. It may even be possible that the accounts were mere trickery and were simply a strategy to force us Nobles to lie in wait.¡±


    ¡°That woman! Then and now, she gets into my way!¡±


    Again, and again, Liz¡¯s plans were shot down. Albeit not every single on her plans were shot down, her preparations were still lacking.


    With a deep breath, Liz released a quick breath and turned back to the hallway she came from. She walked down the carpet and eventually reached Mark¡¯s room.


    ¡°Is Mark around?¡± Liz asked the maidservants waiting outside Mark¡¯s room.


    ¡°Mark has left to the training grounds, Your Royal Highness,¡± one of the maidservants replied.


    ¡°I see.¡± As quick as she arrived, Liz left.


    A moment later, Liz found Mark swinging his wooden sword on a pell. Alone, he struck the pell from different angles. From above, From the sides. A stab and roundhouse kick. Mark¡¯s movements were sharp. And the beads of sweat forming on his skin was evidence of him draining his stamina on the pell.


    ¡°Mark, sword practice again?¡± Liz approached with her hands on her side.


    ¡°Mother?¡± Mark turned around. His golden fringes stuck to his forehead. His somewhat damp hair expressed a golden gleam. ¡°What brings you here, Mother? Is there any problem?¡±


    Mark placed the sword on the ground and approached Liz.


    ¡°Mark, like I said once, you are a Prince. There is very little merit for you to learn the way of the sword. Rather, you should learn more about the management of your fief. So tell me, why are you here once more?¡±


    Mark winced. ¡°Mother, not unless I can beat Amelia in a swordfight alone, I won¡¯t stop training with the sword.¡±


    ¡°Amelia again¡­¡± Liz placed a hand on her forehead and sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t you forget that you lost to her? That girl is a brute. And besides, she might have been hiding a shard somewhere to overpower you with Body Reinforcement. If you fight her straight-on without a similar magic, you will hardly have the chance to win.¡±


    Mark winced once more. ¡°No. I cannot allow her to win over me. She¡¯s a girl. She is younger than me. And every time we meet in the hallway, she always teases me that I cannot match her with the sword. It¡¯s infuriating. I want to beat her and prove to everyone that I have the skill to beat her. Mother, I don¡¯t want to grow as a laughing stock. And I¡¯ll prove that starting with beating Amelia in battle.¡±


    Liz sighed once more. ¡°Mark, there is very little chance that Amelia will return. Accept that and move on.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Mark gritted his teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen! She must return! If not, my record will forever be stained with a loss against her!¡±


    ¡°Mark! Listen! You are not a knight! You are no fighter or adventurer! You are a Prince! If you can prove you are a worthy Prince, everyone will look up to you! That little misfit between you and Amelia will be nothing but dust on the side of the road!¡±


    ¡°But! But!¡± Mark balled his fist. It quivered.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Mark?! You are a Prince. A Prince. That Amelia is hardly a role model for a Royal.¡±


    Mark clicked his tongue.


    ¡°If that is all, then let us return to your room. We¡¯ll resume your lessons.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± With downcast eyes, Mark followed Liz.


    As the search for Amelia ensued, Mark was continuously lectured by Liz. Liz taught whatever she knew about connections. She taught Mark more about the mercantile world. And during those times, they hardly showed any concern for Amelia¡¯s on-going search. Still, for Diane, it was expected. It was a normal thought pattern for Liz, at least, that was what Diane thought.


    Nevertheless, the day came where news broke out that Amelia was found. During that time, the Royals were gathered in the throne room. Lara and Elaine aside, Auguste revealed the location where Amelia was found. At that moment, Auguste expressed his relief. He slumped on his throne and had almost fallen asleep.


    During the announcement, Liz was silent. Mark smiled slightly. And, in a series of events, Liz immediately called a merchant near Tercel and snuck into its carriage. Leaving Mark uninformed of her sudden leave, Liz gathered more merchants whose stocks had run out and needed a resupply.


    Then parading the group of merchants outside Aves, Liz sighed in relief.


    ¡°It was a hastily formed group. I can¡¯t believe I was able to do it. But luck is on my side.¡± Liz curled her body and leaned on an empty barrel.


    That girl. How is she alive?! Wasn¡¯t there a Hero with her? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be dead if they clashed? Even if she¡¯s experienced in combat, there is no way she can defeat a Hero in a straight up battle. If she could¡­ No, impossible. No ordinary human can beat a Hero.


    Still, that bitch. She surely knows to hang on her dear life. How many times was it? Is she really favored by the Gods? Well, whatever. Considering them, they¡¯ll start searching for me in the east. They¡¯ll search Mark¡¯s fief in hopes of finding me.


    Liz chuckled.


    You won¡¯t find me there, Diane. I¡¯m sure I have already left Laurel by the time you realize. And since this something I created without many preparations, there will hardly be any evidence. Ahahaha. Yes. This is perfect. I have not prepared for this but this is indeed a welcome situa¡ª


    The carriage took a sudden halt and made Liz bump her head onto one of the barrels. ¡°Just what? Why did it stop?¡±


    Liz passed through one barrel after the other and reached the back of the coach¡¯s seat. Liz peered between the seams of the carriage¡¯s white canopy and found an unexpected group of people.


    Guards?! Why are they here?! Did they find me out? That fast?! No! Impossible! Even for Diane, this is not a speed I would expect. So why?! How?!


    ¡°Liz! I know you¡¯re somewhere around here!¡± Lara, surrounded with Guards along with Erina, shouted. From another carriage behind the one Lara came out of was Marco and Elaine.


    ¡°Mother, what is going on?!¡± Elaine asked. Marco beside her nodded with his arms crossed.


    [Question! Why?]


    ¡°Guards, Escort Elaine and Marco back into the carriage.¡± Lara then looked at Elaine and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. For now, we must secure your safety.¡±


    ¡°Un.¡± Elaine nodded. ¡°Come on, Marco.¡±


    And just like that, Elaine and Marco left the scene.


    ¡°Again, Liz, I know you are in there. So come out. It¡¯s a futile effort to wait it out. If you think I¡¯ll stop at warning you, then you¡¯re wrong.¡± Lara turned to one of her Guards and borrowed his sword. Upon unsheathing the sword, Lara pointed its tip at the nearest coachman. ¡°You. Speak. If you are ever found out housing one of the Royals who is under the suspicion of Treason, you, too, will be labeled with the same crime for being an accomplice. So, if I were you, I¡¯d speak, now.¡±


    The coachman shrieked. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know anything! I swear! We are simple merchants hoping to sto¡ª¡±


    ¡°Guards! Capture this man!¡± Lara did not wait for the man to speak. And just as she ordered, the first coachman was pinned down on the ground with a cloth covering his mouth.


    ¡°To all the other coachmen and merchants here. I will ask you the same question. Where is the Second Queen Consort?¡±


    ¡°Lady Lara¡­ what is going on?¡± Erina asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Erina, the culprit for Amelia¡¯s capture is in front of us. Shouldn¡¯t we capture her now?¡±


    ¡°Culprit? You meant that the Second Queen is responsible for Amelia¡¯s capture?¡± Erina¡¯s blood started to boil. Her hands clasped each other in hopes of calming herself down. ¡°Isn¡¯t this false accusation?¡±


    ¡°The evidence can come later.¡± Lara shook her head and began walking. The Guards around her followed. ¡°What we need now is to detain the suspect. In any case, Erina, use the falcon and send a message to Tercel. Tell them there is a confrontation between the two Queens. I¡¯m sure Diane or Amelia will figure it out.¡±


    ¡°Then, as you wish.¡± Erina turned around and ran towards the fourth carriage where a falcon was perched on top.


    ¡°Liz, if you want to play a game of wait and see, then I¡¯ll give you that. The only time left you have is the time for the Royal Guards to reach this place.¡±


    Lara eyed each coachman and merchant. She did the same to the few adventurers who hitched a ride with the merchants. ¡°Now, if none of you will confess before the Royal Guards arrive, then I hope Diane shows you mercy.¡±

 Chapter 106: A Cause for a Change 4 - Arc 4 End

    ¡°Your Majesty! Your Highness! I apologize, but this is an urgent matter!¡± A maidservant barged into Diane¡¯s chamber holding a piece of paper. ¡°A message arrived addressed to Your Majesty and Her Highness. The letter came from Her Highness¡¯s Maidservant, Erina, but the seal used was that of Her Royal Highness, Lara. The letter also contained a lock of hair which we believed came from Your Highness¡¯s maidservant.¡±


    Amelia sprung out of the bed as soon as she heard Erina¡¯s name. Diane sat up and promptly left the bed in a calm manner.


    ¡°Erina¡¯s hair?¡± With hurried steps, Amelia approached the maidservant and reached out her hand. ¡°Please, let me.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± The maidservant offered the letter to Amelia using her two hands. As soon as Amelia received it, the maidservant bowed and took several steps backward.


    Immediately after Amelia received the letter, she unfastened the lock of hair and unfolded the letter.


    ¡°What does it say, Amelia?¡± Diane approached from Amelia¡¯s side.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°A dispute. A dispute between Queen Lara and Queen Liz just outside Aves.¡±


    Diane wore a puzzled expression. ¡°A dispute, you say? Let me see.¡±


    Amelia took another pass of the contents of the letter before passing it to Diane.


    Liz escaped¡­ and Lara stopped her.


    ¡°Liz left Aves without her guards?¡± For a moment, Diane¡¯s eyes expressed disbelief. A few seconds after, she passed the letter to the maidservant. ¡°Melissa, get the Guards. Search for Liz¡¯s servants and tell them to gather at the training grounds. Bring this letter to Auguste, too.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± Melissa, the maidservant, took a step backward and bowed. Then swiftly after Diane nodded, Melissa walked towards the hallway.


    ¡°I find it confounding. For Liz to escape undetected¡­ is our security that lax?¡±


    ¡°With enough physical experience and knowledge of Tercel¡¯s blueprint, anyone can leave Tercel undetected.¡± Amelia expressed a wry smile.


    Diane frowned. ¡°Amelia, don¡¯t use you and your Father as a basis. Both of you are a special case. However, going with that, knowledge, Liz could have only left Tercel with an accomplice. Still, for Lara to confront Liz¡­ It does not seem like the matter is related to Lara¡¯s identity as a commoner. So the only plausible reason is¡­¡±


    Diane looked straight into Amelia. ¡°You have to explain, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Amelia¡¯s sight fell to her bare feet.


    <hr>


    The Royal Guards rushed to the scene outside Aves. When they arrived, a few of the merchants were bound by Lara¡¯s guards. None were physically injured.


    Liz opted to wait it out, hoping Lara would stop. However, when the guards came, all her hope was lost. Liz came out of one the carriages and peacefully surrendered. Again, none was hurt. The issue was quickly resolved.


    The adventurers mixed with the turn of events quietly stood on the sides. Though their task was to protect the merchants, the contract did not entail protecting them from the law. Thus, in the end, they were immediately released after a light interrogation in Tercel.


    The merchants were confined in Tercel and were scheduled for further investigation. Despite the sanction on Royals, they helped Liz escape Aves.


    Liz, on the other hand, ¡°I forced them to take me out of Aves. I also acquired one of those clips from the black market. The same clip you and Amelia were using when leaving Tercel.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then, why west? And you know well there is a sanction. Why did you try to leave?¡± Auguste asked, his knitted brows and deep frown expressed remorse. He looked at Liz. Surrounded by guards, Liz had no escape.


    ¡°I was bored. I was born of a merchant. Being confined in a single place is not for me, Auguste. You know that well.¡± Liz gritted her teeth. She glared at Lara standing next to Diane.


    ¡°Liz, yesterday you heard that Amelia was found and bound for Tercel,¡± Lara said. Her straight face and blank eyes stared Liz down. ¡°It¡¯s suspicious that the day after Amelia returned, you left Aves with very little preparation. Perhaps you did not expect that Amelia will return?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a false accusation. I have no involvement with Amelia¡¯s capture. I was in Mark¡¯s fief during the time she was captured.¡±


    Lara glanced towards Amelia standing at the foot of the throne next to Erina. ¡°Amelia, please, tell us what happened.¡±


    ¡°There is no need.¡± Diane interrupted. ¡°Amelia had already told me the events that happened. There is no need for Amelia to recall those painful events so I¡¯ll speak in her stead.¡±


    Lara knitted her brows. ¡°Diane¡­¡±


    ¡°Amelia, Erina, you may leave,¡± Diane ordered. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡±


    As Amelia and Erina left the throne room, Lara was left dumbfounded. Auguste, too, was confused by the turn of events.


    ¡°Diane, what is the meaning of this?¡± Auguste asked. ¡°Amelia¡¯s personal input on this matter is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Like I said, Auguste, Amelia had already told me what she saw and experienced.¡± Diane smiled. ¡°And besides, you yourself wanted Amelia to take her time and relax, didn¡¯t you? So let¡¯s leave her out of this and let her rest. There¡¯s also the fact that Clarissa wants to meet Amelia. And to dampen Amelia¡¯s mood before they meet as sisters is not a wonderful idea.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Diane. This is not like you.¡± Lara frowned. ¡°I agree with letting Amelia rest, but it¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know you want to prove your claim, Lara. But trust me. My words will only hold the truth.¡±


    Lara grumbled. She tapped her fingers on her forearms and said, ¡°If it¡¯s for Amelia¡¯s well-being, then I guess it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Auguste?¡±


    Auguste sighed. ¡°Whatever you decide. However, I only want the truth, Diane.¡±


    Diane giggled. ¡°I am on your side, Auguste. There is no need to worry.¡±


    Liz was silent the entire time. As she witnessed the exchange between the Royals, Liz kept her lips slightly open. She tried to suppress the air leaving her throat. She suppressed her heaving chest in order to hide her fear. Yet, her back was cold. The sweat building up around her body was plenty. The beating of her heart was like a beating drum. Still, her expression bore none of the emotions building inside her aside from frustration.


    ¡°What are you planning, Diane?¡± Liz asked.


    Diane stood from her throne and smiled. ¡°Nothing. Nothing at all. I simply wish to bring what is just and beneficial. There is nothing more.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Liz, you are guilty.¡±


    <hr>


    Erina and Amelia exited the throne room. In silence, Amelia walked down the hallway followed by Erina. Amelia quickened her pace. Erina, on the other hand, tried to catch up.


    ¡°Wait, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Amelia sped up. She turned to a corner and vanished from Erina¡¯s sight.


    ¡°Amelia!¡± Erina ran. She took the corner as she held her skirt. ¡°Amelia¡­¡± However, throughout the hallway, Amelia¡¯s figure was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Amelia, I know you¡¯re there.¡± Erina stood her ground at the center of the hallway. ¡°And I know this is not the place to talk.¡±


    The silence ensued.


    ¡°In the garden, I¡¯ll wait. Let me speak with you.¡± As soon as Erina parted with her words, she turned around and started walking.


    [There¡¯s no need.] A whisper resounded through Erina¡¯s mind.


    Taking a sudden halt, Erina turned once more and surveyed the surroundings. However, still, the empty hallway remained as is.


    ¡°Why are you hiding? This is not like you.¡±


    [I can say the same, Erina. Why are you here? You are supposed to be in the Duchy, Aiding Mola and Meiko. Not here, not with Lara. So why?]


    ¡°Amelia.¡± Erina sighed. ¡°You left me there without notice. You ran away with Kanna and Birby. You left me with no instructions. And soon after, I met Her Royal Highness Lara.¡±


    [Still, Erina, you should be in the Duchy. What made you serve Lara? Have you¡­ switched sides? Have you¡­ lost faith in me?]


    ¡°Are you that worried?¡± Erina frowned. ¡°Worried that I turned over to someone else? That¡¯s pathetic Amelia. You know that won¡¯t happen.¡±


    [If it¡¯s for me, you would turn against me, Erina. So, I can¡¯t say for sure.]


    ¡°That¡­¡± Erina¡¯s sight fell towards the floor. ¡°Might be true¡­¡±


    Erina felt a warm sensation wrapped around her waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still the Erina I know.¡± Amelia leaned her head on Erina¡¯s back.


    Erina cupped Amelia¡¯s arms and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re back, Amelia. But still, running off like that is not acceptable. You still act like a child.¡±


    ¡°I am a child. You¡¯re child, too. So, let me do as I please.¡± Amelia chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Erina.¡±


    A moment after Amelia and Erina¡¯s short reunion, they reunited with Kanna in Amelia¡¯s chamber.


    ¡°Ooh! It¡¯s Erina! It¡¯s nice to see you again!¡± Kanna ran up to Erina and raised her hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Lady Kanna.¡± Erina smiled, Ignoring Kanna¡¯s raised hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re still the same as always.¡± Kanna frowned, returning her hand to her waist. ¡°With this, we¡¯re going to where Meiko is, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that. We might be joined by another Hero.¡±


    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡± Erina and Kanna stared at Amelia in disbelief.


    ¡°Just what did you do, Amelia? The last time I heard you were kidnapped and here you are saying you got another Hero under your wing? What kind of ridiculous things have you been doing?¡± Erina heaved a sigh. ¡°Amelia, we need to get your head checked.¡±


    ¡°I might be mental already, so there¡¯s no need.¡± Amelia chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, Lia. We need to get you fixed. It¡¯s not that easy to get a Hero by your side.¡±


    ¡°Rather, it¡¯s more of a contract between me and Evelyn. We¡¯re not necessarily fighting on the same side. But we aren¡¯t fighting against each other. That¡¯s for sure.¡±


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Are you sure you can handle this?¡± Erina asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to it when the problem arises. I¡¯m not entirely sure how Evelyn will move so I can¡¯t plan ahead.¡±


    ¡°So, bringing her along is like trying to put a leash on her?¡± Kanna muttered. ¡°I guess that works.¡±


    ¡°I hope it really does.¡± Amelia smiled. ¡°In any case, shall we?¡±


    <hr>


    It has been long. It was an arduous series of events. No matter, the events were resolved as peaceful as possible. Naturally, it had brought a smile on my face. It was like a weight off my shoulder. Due to that, I could not help but indulge myself at the comfort the rushing wind brought. It has been a while, truly. Maybe sometime in the future, I might as well indulge in the simplicity of riding a wyvern and enjoying the peaceful sky. Still, the leaves from the trees had mostly fallen. However, the coming winter had its own charm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have been doing this for quite some time, or are you?¡±


    From behind came Evelyn¡¯s voice. For her first time on a wyvern¡¯s back, it was quite admirable. On the contrary, she was excited. She liked the fact that she would ride a wyvern and call herself a wyvern knight. It was somewhat childish of her but being among the first few humans to ride a wyvern is somewhat rewarding¡ªat least, that¡¯s how I saw it.


    ¡°Not much, but I have ridden wyverns for the past month and a few weeks. So, it hasn¡¯t been that long. Besides, this mode of transportation isn¡¯t all that advantageous yet. In a natural course of events, anyone nearing a town or village will be alarmed of an incoming wyvern and cause panic.¡±


    ¡°You have a point, but this is very convenient. If I were you, I¡¯d be traveling from one place to another and discover some ruins. Maybe uncover a hidden truth or treasure while at it.¡±


    ¡°I get that traveling around at your own pace is exciting. However, that is if you are not bound by responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Being a Hero?¡± Evelyn chuckled. ¡°I may be a Hero in name, Princess, but that does not mean I will act as one. I mean, who labels a person just when they are summoned? Doesn¡¯t the people know that a Hero has a specific set of qualities?¡±


    ¡°What you are referring to is a true Hero. Not a Hero based on the judgment of a single group or entity.¡±


    ¡°You really hate Libet, do you? I get that vibes from you whenever it involves them.¡±


    ¡°That much is obvious.¡± I sighed. ¡°On the other hand, you are truly opportunistic. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ll agree to my terms that easily.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a specific side I¡¯m leaning on. I do things for myself. Besides, l must look after you, non-human.¡±


    ¡°Give me whatever label you want. It does not change the fact that you aren¡¯t fighting against me right now.¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll always be facing the same direction, right? You¡¯re pretty much keeping me as a ticking bomb.¡±


    ¡°No matter the case, I have no time to increase my enemies. Rather, it would be best for me to increase my allies. Or at least, reduce my enemies. That, for me, is enough.¡±


    ¡°Heh. Rather, wouldn¡¯t keeping me more of a headache than not?¡±


    ¡°You already are. And I can always end you if you do.¡±


    ¡°Says the person who¡¯s showing her back to me.¡±


    ¡°I hope you can fly.¡±


    Evelyn chuckled. ¡°There is that. But like I said, I¡¯d only revive back in Libet. There¡¯s no point in killing me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± I recalled what Celes told me. She once said the Heroes did no know that they could not revive. However, if the revival ability was part of their original blessing, it was a different case. ¡°If I were you, I won¡¯t rely much on the ability to revive.¡±


    ¡°To see is to believe, right? But yeah, it¡¯s not like I love to feel pain anyway. It¡¯s sickening so I¡¯ll refrain from dying as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°In any case, behave yourself. You¡¯ll get what you want if you do so.¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯ll decide for myself.¡±


    It did not take long for me and Evelyn to head to the Duchy, unmindful of Father¡¯s wish. I left using Birby while Kanna and Erina fetched another wyvern in the Tribe. With the danger of Evelyn acting up, I took up the role of riding with Evelyn as a precaution. I could not allow her to ride with either Kanna or Erina. However, before we left, there were a few disputes and a few loose strings. No matter, those things would resolve on their own¡ªa matter that would easily be resolved by Mother.


    I could not express how grateful I am for Mother to listen to my wishes.


    I told her the truth of the events that happened while leaving out the fact of my identity. Thankfully, Mother understood what I wanted to achieve. And in all gratitude, Mother gave me her support, and thus me leaving Liz¡¯s trial to her judgment.


    Liz was proven guilty, but the result of the trial was never made public. Subsequently, Mark¡¯s right to the throne was relinquished due to Liz¡¯s deeds. Therefore, Liz¡¯s original goal of ousting Argent from the race was far from reality. In terms of the order, I became second in line for the throne. Third was Elaine.


    Liz, having lost her direction, was put into house arrest for an indefinite time. That punishment was my wish.


    Although it was true that her deeds amounted to her death, I felt it was not the right thing to do. If ever we announced that Liz was involved with Libet for capturing me, the citizens¡¯ ire would surely rise. At that point, Mark¡¯s fief would be in peril. Not to mention Mark¡¯s life.


    No matter how much I hated Mark, he was just a tool for Liz. I could not blame him. He only followed what was drilled into him. He followed what thought was right. In fact, I was thankful that my brother was simple and straightforward.


    Nevertheless, what I was surprised about was Liz admitting the deed. She even claimed responsibility for the merchants she hired. For her to do such¡­ it was surprising. I never expected that of her. Maybe, just maybe, she did give extra care to her subordinates. However, that care was not enough to overcome Mother.


    After all, until now, Mother is insurmountable.


    There is also the fact that I wanted to give Libet a blow to reduce their power. A declaration of war would surely achieve that with terrorism as the cause. However, a war between humans during the calm period was not desirable. I¡¯d rather have Laurel¡¯s resources allotted to the production of food and materials for the incoming war after winter. And for that to happen, Laurel must not go to war with Libet.


    That said, all in all, the matter of Liz¡¯s treachery was peacefully resolved. However, of course, Father was not amused. Although I heard Father wanted to execute Liz himself, Mother stopped him. Mother reasoned out Liz¡¯s identity as the daughter of Anthony. With her execution, Laurel¡¯s ties with the Barques would be jeopardized. And with the people hearing the cause, the Barques popularity with Laurel¡¯s people would plummet. At the current situation where the distribution of goods was of prime importance, the result was undesirable. And thus, Mother gave Father the option of letting Liz live under certain conditions. Without any other option, Father agreed and resolved the case.


    If there was anyone unhappy with the result, it was Lara.


    I was thankful that Lara stopped Liz for me. However, her opinion somewhat differed from me and Mother. Although she understood the current war situation, she was adamant on punishing Liz. It went to the point that Lara visited me in my chamber.


    ¡°Just what did you do, Amelia?¡± Lara asked with knitted brows. ¡°What she did to you was unbecoming of a Royal. She threatened the peace of Laurel and the Royals itself. After all that, you are willing to let it slide? What were you and Diane thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mother Lara.¡± I shook my head. ¡°The situation calls for a peaceful resolution even though I am with you for the punishment.¡±


    ¡°That again! Do you really think that producing resources for war is enough?¡±


    ¡°That I do not know. However, as much as possible, I want to elevate our advantage by providing Brent with sufficient equipment.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Her fist balled, Lara walked back and forth around my chamber. ¡°That won¡¯t do Amelia! Even with preparations, the war is far from easy!¡±


    I knitted my brows. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I know you have thought of it, Amelia. The reason why Niveria fell. It was no mere luck. Our enemy has something, someone. That entity, rather than the war itself, is what we should be preparing for.¡±


    I had thought of it before. It was one of those possibilities.


    ¡°You mean a Hero on the side of those who invaded Niveria? I had thought about it, sure. I mean, if we humans were given the gift of Heroes, why would our enemies, who on their own right is a civilization of their own, not have a similar gift or technology?¡±


    Lara breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I knew you would understand.¡±


    ¡°However, that has no relation to Liz¡¯s attempt, right?¡±


    Lara frowned. She stood stock-still for a moment before rushing to my direction. My hands held by Lara, I stared at her concerned face.


    ¡°It has, Amelia. By miles. We should not keep Liz any longer.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I expressed confusion. Even if Liz took part and managed to bridge a connection with Libet, there is no meaning if Liz was sanctioned. Therefore, Liz was of no longer use to Libet.


    ¡°Have you ever thought what Liz is, Amelia? Or where she truly came from?¡±


    I shook my head as Liz tightened her grip on my hands. ¡°Other than being the daughter of Anthony Barques, no.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me, Amelia, who is Liz¡¯s mother?


    ¡°¡­¡± I could give no answer. I merely shook my head in response.


    ¡°See? Keeping her is like keeping a wolf in a sheep¡¯s pen.¡±


    ¡°I see your point, but Liz has never acted out of her ordinary routine during the time she lived as a Queen. Or at least I heard.¡±


    ¡°I-!¡± Lara¡¯s lips trembled. Her lips curved into a smile. Then her face contorted. She was visibly conflicted until she bit her lips and released my hands. ¡°Fine. Amelia, you do what you have to do. However, promise me. Dive deeper into Academia. Learn with Meiko. Make it so that Brent doesn¡¯t have to fall.¡±


    Lara turned around and walked away. Before she reached for the knob, I asked, ¡°What do you mean? What do you mean Brent¡¯s fall?¡±


    My chest was filled with uncertainty, confusion. My mind was bogged down by questions of how Lara came up with that conclusion.


    ¡°Amelia, remember this well. Academia is the last bastion for any creature in this world. Learn its secrets. There is a reason why there is a statue of Babel within its first few levels. There is a reason why Academia was discovered as a city underneath a dome of lava. It¡¯s a structure beyond what even Academia thinks it is.¡±


    Lara turned the knob and left.


    ¡°But you did not answer my question¡­¡±


    I was left standing, contemplating what Lara said. First and foremost, I found her doubtful. If she knew something more than the Royals or the True Scholars of Academia, then that would have meant she had an authority far greater than anyone else in Academia.


    ¡°Lady Lara is weird¡­¡±


    Nevertheless, despite her refusal to accept the outcome of the event, Lara remained silent. She took Elaine with her and visited the Tribe along with Kanna and Erina.


    On the other hand, before I left with Evelyn, I met with Clarissa.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear sister. I have to leave. However, please do trust that I will attend the wedding, even if I have to ride a wyvern just to do so.¡±


    Clarissa shook her head. She held my hand and faced me with a bright smile. ¡°Sister¡­ sister¡­ It feels somewhat foreign to me. But I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m very very glad to see you again.¡±


    Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her green irises reminded me of Maxwell.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be! It was my fault. I was powerless and yet you came for me. You and Kanna saved me. I cannot express my gratitude. I cannot express how glad that you¡¯ll be my sister. I cannot ask for more.¡±


    I felt conflicted. I could not help but express a wry smile.


    ¡°I only did what is must.¡±


    Clarissa shook her head vigorously. ¡°No! I don¡¯t think there is any other Royal that will come and rescue another with their life on the line!¡±


    ¡°Pardon but, I think Max will do the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ You¡¯re right. I think Brother will but¡­¡± Clarissa stared at me for a few seconds. ¡°But I think Brother will only do that for you. Brother will¡­ risk his life for you.¡±


    Clarissa suddenly withdrew her hands from mine and bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sister. It has been on my mind before coming here. I was thinking that I and your brother¡¯s marriage is¡­ getting in the way between you and Brother. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    I rushed to Clarissa and propped her up. ¡°Don¡¯t be, Clarissa.¡± With a smile, I said, ¡°This marriage. Your brother and I agreed to this. It was us who made this possible. So, don¡¯t worry. You are not getting in our way. Besides, Max and I are good friends.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, Clarissa. Right now, Argent needs someone at his side. From here on, he has to shoulder more responsibility as the next King. Him alone is¡­ something I cannot imagine. Brother needs someone. And you, Clarissa, fits perfectly at his side. You¡¯ve known each other before. Although not as much as Max and I have known each other, I believe you two will get along.¡±


    I squeezed Clarissa¡¯s shoulder and expressed a smile. ¡°So take your time, Clarissa. Get to know my Brother. Cover what he lacks. Help him stand up as the next King of Laurel.¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Clarissa then embraced me. Without qualms, I returned the embrace.


    ¡°There, there, little sister.¡±


    As it was, Clarissa and I were in good terms. However, rather than Clarissa, what I was worried about was Argent.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t have a response,¡± was what Argent said. ¡°Give me more time to sort it out.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ do you mean? Haven¡¯t I given you enough time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°My sister became different. She also revealed a truth she was hiding from all of us. Now she returns with another Hero in tow. How am I supposed to respond to that? Besides, my head is full by just thinking about the extent of Liz¡¯s connection with Libet. What information got out? What are the things we developed that have arrived on Libet? To what extent¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop dodging the question, Argent. Answer me.¡±


    ¡°Amelia¡­ I¡­¡± Argent looked at me with concern. ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to think of you. But seeing as you are, you are still the sister I know¡­ but different. Something about you has changed. It¡¯s not about you losing your humanity but¡­ you seem different. How to say this¡­ you are more¡­ alarmed? Anxious?¡±


    ¡°Because I am.¡± I frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, Argent.¡±


    Argent knitted his brows. ¡°What do you mean by time? Is there another thing I am supposed to know that you have yet to say> If so, speak now.¡±


    I took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°That is none of your concern. But to achieve what I¡¯m aiming for, I need you to help Mother in suppressing Father¡¯s willful decisions. I need you both to support me. I need you two to help Father realize that I can hold my own ground.¡±


    ¡°I cannot help you if you won¡¯t tell me what¡¯s going on, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°Brother! Please! Just help Mother suppress Father. That is all I need for now. Everything else¡­ I¡¯ll work it out on my own somehow?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have any plans? Nothing laid out?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t. It¡¯s not a situation that I can plan in advance. Even if I could¡­ I don¡¯t think it would be enough. At best¡­¡±


    ¡°At best what?¡±


    I shook my head and banished the thought. ¡°No. Nothing. It doesn¡¯t matter. Planning ahead is not really the solution. I don¡¯t have any valid options. Only possibilities that I can hope for. But the possibility is¡­ slim at best. Nevertheless, I must do what is must. And for that, I need Father to not interfere with my actions.¡±


    ¡°You know Father won¡¯t let this slide even if we convince him for a moment.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°I know. I know. At least, for two months. Help me.¡± I took a deep bow and said, ¡°This will be the last favor that I will ask you, Brother. So, please.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The clock ticked. I remained in a bowing position.


    ¡°Two months.¡±


    ¡°Yes, two months.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it. However, after two months, you have to show your face to me and tell me the truth behind all this charade.¡±


    I propped myself up and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the response I wanted to hear.¡±


    ¡°Still, thank you.¡±


    Afterward, I told Argent that I would leave immediately. I was sure I would incur Father¡¯s ire but I cannot waste any more time in Laurel. I needed to help Mola and the others.


    No matter, it has been long. I wonder how Mola will treat me for vanishing for a while. Just imagining the scene brought a smile to my face. ¡°I hope Liscia is doing fine too.¡±


    <hr>


    Down the hallway, heavy footstep echoed. Following closely behind were voices of concern.


    ¡°Your Highness Mark, please, stop this. This decision was made between the Royals!¡±


    Mark strode towards Amelia¡¯s chamber, unmindful of his servants¡¯ qualms.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Mark then stopped. He turned to his side and faced a door.


    ¡°Let me in.¡±


    The servants standing beside the door expressed concern. ¡°Your Highness. It is too early for Her Highness Amelia to be awake. Please wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°Amelia!¡± Mark shouted. ¡°Come out of here! You need to explain everything to me!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness! Please! This instant, leave! Her Highness requires her rest!¡±


    ¡°Amelia!¡± Mark forced his way and pushed the servants aside. He grabbed the knob of the door and turned it. ¡°We need to talk!¡±


    As soon as Mark opened the door, he went straight to Amelia¡¯s bed. He grabbed the sheets from the side and threw it. ¡°Amelia!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± The servants rushed in and witnessed the same spectacle as Mark. The bed, its sheets thrown aside, was empty. Amelia was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Where is she?!¡±

 Chapter 107: Two Heroes and a Royal 1

    ¡°Just what kind of situation has this evolved into, Your Highness?¡± Mola said with crossed arms, her forehead creased. Her bitter, twitching smile expressed both irritation and confusion. ¡°First you were kidnapped and now this? What sort of conspiracy is this?¡±


    ¡°Mola, the purpose of this meeting is to explain the current situation. Whether you like it or not, you just have to accept the reality for now and listen very carefully.¡± Amelia was unperturbed by Mola¡¯s expression. At the least, she expected Mola to walk out of the meeting given the situation. ¡°I know I came here without advanced notice, but everything will fall into place so keep silent for now.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you tell me everything. Down to the last detail, you get me, Your Highness?¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but you are still the same as before, Mola. I¡¯m quite thankful.¡±


    ¡°The word came from yourself that it¡¯s useless to butter things up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯d be better if you were frank, especially for matters like this.¡±


    ¡°In any case,¡± Mola sighed and took a sit on a stool. ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Amelia explained to Mola what happened when she was captured. She narrated how she came up with the idea of messing things up for Libet by being captured. However, with how the events flowed, the plan was summarily torn into pieces. The rest of the events were simply her deciding on the go.


    ¡°Basically, you struck a deal with that Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°Yes. For now, I¡¯d like to keep her under my watch. I¡¯ll let her do as she please, but with limits, of course. I¡¯d rather have her on our side or on the neutral side if push comes to shove.¡±


    ¡°You really are considering the Heroes as potential enemies huh. Isn¡¯t that a very pessimistic view?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the reality, Mola. You can¡¯t just trust anyone, especially people suddenly given with tremendous abilities. If they aren¡¯t suitable to wield those abilities, they will become a vineyard of thorns rather than a fragrant flowerbed.¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡± Mola nodded. ¡°Considering our situation, we have two Heroes under our wing. One we work along with and one unstable element.¡±


    Mola stood from her seat and roamed around the small bedroom where Amelia and Mola held their meeting.


    ¡°Aside from that, it¡¯s quite unlike you to hold a meeting in a place like this.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mola. I don¡¯t have much to spare right now. I came here only with Evelyn. Kanna and Erina will arrive in a few days. Nevertheless, I skipped the Duchy and went straight here so¡­ I basically don¡¯t have anything with me but a few silvers to spare.¡±


    ¡°What? Just what went through your mind to come here without preparation?! Sure, we have a few guards and servants around in the land you own here but why did you come here so suddenly?!¡±


    ¡°You see, the situation I told you earlier isn¡¯t exactly fully resolved. I¡¯m pretty sure Father is raging about now for me suddenly disappearing. Maybe Mark too since his Mother was involved in my case.¡±


    Mola knitted her brows. ¡°So you became a fugitive?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°Close, but not exactly. The event will resolve itself with time. I had Brother¡¯s and Mother¡¯s help to boot.¡±


    ¡°Then why exactly are you in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t exactly say¡­ It¡¯s more of curiosity right now, to be honest.¡± Amelia recalled Lara¡¯s parting words. She also recalled Mola¡¯s report regarding the secret passage they found with Meiko. ¡°If I remember, you reported that Her Royal Highness Lara hinted the time and place, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was really weird how Her Royal Highness knew about the passage. Back then, I simply thought she had some sort of access to secret information among the True Scholars of Academia.¡± Mola¡¯s heel clacked against the floor on her sudden turn. ¡°It¡¯s not a farfetched idea that she has access to them if we are to assume she has connections inside.¡±


    Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that¡­¡±


    It¡¯s a structure beyond what Academia thinks it is.


    ¡°By that you mean?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°In any case, has Meiko said anything about what you guys saw? And how were Liscia and Halbert?¡±


    ¡°About Meiko¡­ It¡¯d be better to see her personally¡­¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Mia!¡± As soon as Liscia recognized Amelia¡¯s figure, she ran up to her and gave her an embrace. ¡°It¡¯s been long! Really long! I thought you are going to be married to a Noble and can¡¯t return to Academia anymore!¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not that easy to hold down, Liscia. Though there were some problems along the way, I¡¯m back.¡±


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    ¡°Welcome back, Mia,¡± Halbert greeted from behind Liscia. ¡°Now our small group will be complete if Max is around.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Max can no longer attend.¡±


    Liscia frowned. ¡°Yes. We understand. Brent is all about preparing for war and aiding the refugees now. He can¡¯t exactly goof off. Still, it¡¯s sad that our group has a slim chance of returning to its formal state.¡±


    Amelia expressed a dry laugh as she Liscia released her. ¡°This is bound to happen, Liscia. Max is a Royal, after all. We are far below him.¡±


    Liscia knocked on Amelia¡¯s forehead. ¡°What¡¯s with that head of yours? It¡¯s obvious Max was head over heels for you. Halbert and I were even expecting him to propose to you and offer the seat of a Queen.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t agree more,¡± Halbert chimed.


    ¡°We¡¯re not in that kind of relationship, Liscia. I do miss his presence though.¡± A wry smiled shot across Amelia¡¯s face. ¡°Enough talk about Max, I heard you guys found something.¡±


    Liscia and Halbert turned to their rear. ¡°Yeah, along with Mei here, we found something interesting.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s been a while.¡± Meiko shyly raised her hand and wave at Amelia.


    Once Amelia and Mola met with Liscia, Halbert, and Meiko, they moved to an inn where Evelyn was residing.


    ¡°Well, hello there.¡± Evelyn greeted, her lips curved into a wide smile as soon as her eyes spotted Meiko¡¯s figure.


    Astonished, Meiko was struck frozen on her feet as soon as she saw Evelyn.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Mei.¡± Mola nudged Meiko from behind as she whispered. ¡°She won¡¯t reveal anything. For now, just keep your composure.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡±


    Once everyone was seated on at their own seats within a large bedroom for two, Amelia began.


    ¡°Liscia, Halbert, Mei. This person here is Lady Evelyn. She is one of the Heroes summoned by the Libet.¡±


    Both Liscia and Halbert wore knitted brows.


    ¡°Is this some sort of prank, Mia?¡± Liscia asked.


    ¡°Have you changed, Mia?¡± Halbert followed.


    ¡°I¡¯m the real deal, you know?¡± Evelyn lifted her palm halfway and manifested a dagger on her hand. ¡°See? This is something the magic you guys know could do, right?¡±


    The next moment, the dagger vanished.


    ¡°You guys call it a blessing from the Gods if I remember.¡±


    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±


    ¡°What? Trying to process what you just saw?¡±


    ¡°More like, we are processing how Mia got involved with you.¡± Liscia frowned. ¡°I know you¡¯re entirely not a part of Libet, but I can¡¯t readily trust people who came there. Be them a Hero or not.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same.¡±


    When Meiko heard Liscia¡¯s remark, she could not help but down a mouthful of saliva.


    ¡°I know she came from Libet and I know it¡¯s really dubious how we met, but for me, please, Liscia, Halbert, please work her.¡±


    ¡°Mia, just what happened to you? The usual you would have readily rejected almost anyone coming from Libet. Especially those who are tied to the church.¡±


    ¡°This is different, Liscia. I know I have some explaining to do but now is not the time for that.¡±


    ¡°Now is the time, Mia.¡±


    ¡°For now, this is simply an introduction, Liscia. There¡¯s no need to raise your wall right now.¡±


    ¡°If Max was here, Mia, he would have shooed her away by now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear Max¡¯s shoes, Liscia. Just leave that shoes for Max when he returns. For now, I just want you to introduce yourselves. Because, sooner or later, we are bound to work together. It¡¯s not exactly easy, nor is it exactly a group with great synergy, but let¡¯s keep our personal problems at bay for now.¡±


    Liscia clicked her tongue. ¡°You have to explain everything to us, Mia.¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will.¡±


    The group exchanged their basic greetings. It was a simple exchange of names and a series of questions regarding one¡¯s motives and goals. By the end of it, Evelyn left after passing beside Meiko and giving her a light nudge.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Meiko.¡±


    As soon as Evelyn left, Liscia barraged Amelia with questions.


    ¡°How did you two meet? Just what is she doing here? Does Libet know she is here? Does she have any contact, say a party member belonging to Libet? And what work do you mean?¡±


    One by one, Amelia answered Liscia¡¯s questions.


    ¡°Is she that haphazard?¡± Liscia asked as they walked down the streets of Academia. ¡°I mean, I get that pursuing what you want to do is an understandable ideology, but for a Hero, she is¡­ a bit too lax?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how she is,¡± Amelia replied.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s just her,¡± Meiko added.


    ¡°You think so too, Mei? Well, for me, she is a weird one. Really weird. She runs around without a shred of attachment for her comrades. Well, for us, that is a plus since we can consider her out of range from Libet¡¯s spies. However, she herself is a problem. I can¡¯t see her working with us in complicated plans.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to involve her too deeply with our concerns.¡±


    ¡°Mia is right. She¡¯ll be helpful in a lot of areas. We just have to make sure she isn¡¯t involved in the deeper parts of our plan.¡±


    ¡°That said, Mia was already briefed?¡± Halbert asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I told her already,¡± Mola said.


    ¡°Then what do we do now?¡± Liscia asked.


    ¡°I want to reconfirm everything I heard from Mola. Maybe we can create a new plan of action from there?¡± Amelia suggested.


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Halbert said.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s take a rest. We¡¯ll discuss everything again tomorrow,¡± Mola chimed. ¡°Liscia, Halbert, let¡¯s part ways here. We¡¯ll see you again at the same restaurant tomorrow morning at the usual time.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Good night, Mei, Mia, Mola. See you guys tomorrow.¡± Liscia waved her hands as Amelia¡¯s group left.


    While Amelia, Meiko, and Mola were traveling back to their quarters, Meiko raised her voice. ¡°U-uhmm¡­ Lady Amelia?¡±


    Amelia snickered a laugh. ¡°Meiko, just call me Mia. Without honorifics if possible.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes, sure.¡± Meiko knitted her brows as she tightened her hold on her rod. ¡°It¡¯s just that this is the first time we¡¯re speaking to one another other than last time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Amelia looked down. ¡°I apologize for last time.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s¡­ okay. Kanna told me everything that happened. You¡­ risked your life too. And you helped me so¡­ I can¡¯t really blame you for last time. Speaking of¡­ where is Kanna?¡±


    ¡°Kanna will be joining us soon. It¡¯s just that I left first so I can get a better view of the situation.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Meiko lagged behind Mola and Amelia. She halted and kept staring at her hands holding her rod.


    ¡°Meiko?¡± Mola called as she realized Meiko stopped. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    As soon as Amelia approached, Meiko said, ¡°Lady Ame¡ªno, Mia, can I trust you?¡±


    Amelia looked to the side. She gripped the hilt of the dagger hanging on her waist and said. ¡°You should never give your complete trust to people like me.¡±


    Mola¡¯s eye¡¯s widened in surprise. ¡°You¡­ What are you saying now?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Meiko asked, her forehead creased.


    Amelia looked to the sides. Her eyes scanned the surroundings for any possible eavesdroppers.


    ¡°You can trust me, Meiko. You can trust me that I will help you with whatever I can help you with. However, complete trust? That I cannot give you. I can never give that to you.¡±


    ¡°But can I trust you that you will help me find a way back home?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ consulted with a person I can trust regarding that. I won¡¯t coat it, but the chance is slim at best¡­ Maybe I can work it out with enough time and knowledge. However, if we are to speak of time, I¡­ cannot give you an accurate response.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me. Is there anything I can help you to achieve that option?¡± Meiko stared straight at Amelia. The weight if her stare bore her will to return home.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t really say. But what I am sure of is that... your life will be at risk.¡±

 Chapter 108: Two Heroes and a Royal 2

    A moment after the silence, Meiko spoke. ¡°Mia, can we speak alone?¡±


    Her tone lacked her usual timid nature. Her voice was calm yet deep.


    ¡°Mola, please,¡± Amelia said, her eyes fixed on Meiko. ¡°We¡¯ll follow after you later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be better if I¡¯m listening so we can compromise on whatever problems you two may face.¡± Mola sighed, altering her eyes from Amelia and Meiko. ¡°Scratch that. I can¡¯t imagine leaving you two alone. I mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please, Mola. Just for now,¡± Meiko interrupted. ¡°I just want to¡­ confirm. Confirm what Mia has to say.¡±


    Meiko knitted her brows and expressed uncertainty. ¡°Mia I¡­ want to trust you. Really, I want to hear what you have to say. Let¡¯s¡­ not hold barriers. I want to know how we should treat each other; where we have to draw the line.¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°Bring me to whichever place you want if that will ease your mind.¡±


    ¡°Mia!¡± Mola was taken aback. ¡°You know you should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust Meiko?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°But this and that are different!¡± Mola pulled on her hair. ¡°I know Mei isn¡¯t a bad person, but you! Right now, I can¡¯t really predict what will you do! And that makes me anxious!¡±


    ¡°Mola, there are things that you should not know. It¡¯s something only Meiko needs to hear. So, please, give it a rest.¡±


    ¡°Mei! Tell me where! I¡¯ll wait at the entrance! That¡¯s the best compromise I¡¯ll take!¡±


    ¡°Back in the chamber with Babel. There, I want to speak with Mia there.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Meiko shook her head. ¡°You are mistaken. I do not intend to delve in deeper. I just want to talk there. There are things I want to know, too.¡±


    Mola heaved a sigh as she hunched forward. ¡°Fine! But I¡¯ll stay at the entrance of the chamber. That should be far enough for me not to hear your conversation! Use Whisper if you will!¡±


    The issue resolved between the three, they went towards the chamber with the statue of Babel. The chamber was empty like it usually did. The arms of the clock told it was four hours past sunset, two hours before midnight. Although Academia¡¯s labyrinth was usually bustling with people, the chamber with Babel lacked nearby areas where adventurers and magicians could make a living.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long while since I went here.¡± Amelia looked up at Babel. ¡°And it still amazes me how this thing has retained its pristine condition despite the age of the mega-structure known as Academia. Just shows how much I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Mia, no, Amelia.¡± After gazing at Babel in silence, Meiko broke into Amelia¡¯s monologue. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will call me na?ve. Maybe careless. But¡­ I want to be fair. I want to be open. I want¡­ the truth. In return, I¡¯ll tell you everything I can.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I have already thought of you as na?ve. However, there are people who change in a short period of time. So, whether you are or not, it does not matter.¡± Amelia took a deep breath and faced Meiko.


    ¡°Amelia, you are¡­ lying. And at the same time, you are speaking the truth. So, what you have told me¡­ is partially a lie or partially the truth.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you meant by fair.¡± Amelia laughed in a dry manner. ¡°But Meiko, can you confirm that your blessing is telling you the truth?¡±


    Meiko narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Out of all the Heroes, I mean, you knew this isn¡¯t some sort of game, wasn¡¯t it? Evelyn does not seem all too serious either. She simply wants to make the most out of her situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Meiko unconsciously took a step backward. Her eyes shot wide open. Eventually, she realized her palms were covering her mouth.


    Meiko trembled. She felt a shiver bolting down her skin. ¡°H-how? How did you¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fair trade, isn¡¯t it?¡± Amelia smiled. ¡°So how was it? What did your blessing say?¡±


    Meiko moved her head sideways. She stopped, then, again, shook her head sideways.


    ¡°Why? How come?¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°So, you can¡¯t trust even your own blessing. How inconvenient of a gift from a God.¡±


    Meiko¡¯s hands continuously shook. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead. ¡°Then, what is the truth? What is the lie?¡±


    ¡°Libra of Truth and Lies. It¡¯s known magic, but not quite the efficient one. I doubt even the True Scholars could make it work on their own.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It was¡­ known?¡±


    Amelia nodded. ¡°There is a lot of magic found here in Academia. Most are beyond what a single person could manifest. From the last I studied here, only about 40% were properly deciphered and explained. Although we could always copy the inscriptions and pour mana into the crystals to know what magic it is, it¡¯s quite a dangerous practice. After all, it¡¯s hard to know what the magic does without manifesting it.¡±


    ¡°Guinea pigs¡­¡±


    ¡°Right on the mark. Anyway, we¡¯re getting far off. But you have calmed down. So, that¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Meiko shook her head once more and slapped her cheeks.


    ¡°Meiko, it¡¯s only yourself you can trust.¡±


    ¡°Right. Right.¡± Meiko took a deep breath and closed the distance between her and Amelia once more. ¡°Maybe I should start.¡±


    Meiko shifted her sight to the Babel. ¡°I¡¯ll skip the details but¡­ this place. It¡¯s something like the Babel itself.¡±


    <hr>


    It has been centuries since the last dwarf that wielded their God¡¯s gift, the Tool of the Dwarf God, emerged. At that time, Gareth, wielder of the said tool, shared Amelia¡¯s views. A place that supported whoever that lived in it, no matter what race they came from.


    Gareth was a peculiar man for a Dwarf. Unlike most the Dwarfs, Gareth did not seek what lied beyond their skills. He did not seek the peak of his skills, although he wished to improve himself in his crafts. Rather, Gareth sought after crafts that would someday lead him to his goal. The goal of a diverse community.


    Gareth was not alone. Summoned Heroes joined his quest and gave Gareth some advice. Among those Heroes, there were some which recalled the story of Babel. The part where the humans were made to speak in a diverse language in order to halt the completion of the tower interested Gareth.


    Diverse language. I wonder, were the races in a similar situation before? No. No. The big question is why do the races only have one language? Thinking about it, isn¡¯t it possible for a dwarf of another continent to speak a different language? But some has crossed the seas and yet they speak the same tongue. What is it? What was it that binds the races? Are the races like bees from the same colony which can inherently communicate in an unconscious level?


    His knowledge was supplemented by stories from Heroes. His ideas spawned from the simple methods and unique ideas the Heroes held. And among anyone else, Gareth was the only person who overcame the limitations that the blessings placed on its benefactor. Gareth made a tool that deciphered what a Hero was saying whenever the communication interference kicked in. All thanks to the Tool of the Dwarf God.


    The Tool manifested itself before Gareth after a time Gareth worked on crafts that helped bridge the difference between races. It was as if the Tool recognized his efforts and his goals. For Gareth, it was as if their God has recognized his dream. For a race without a guardian, it was the best recognition that a dwarf could hope. His desires renewed by the tool, Gareth¡¯s hunger for knowledge grew far more intense.


    For a time, Gareth understood how electricity worked. He understood that electricity traveled from material to material depending on its properties. With that as a basis, Gareth formulated his own. It was what was now known as the Mana Lines that was spread across Academia.


    Nevertheless, those Mana Lines were but one of the inventions of Gareth. However, before it became functional as the Mana Lines, they were experimental ideas. Not until one day Gareth could no longer be satisfied with the stories and ideas of the Heroes. And thus, Gareth created the greatest tool he could have ever made with the Dwarf God¡¯s Tool.


    It was considered an artifact. An object on the level of what was bestowed by the Gods. Even Celestia found the tool peculiar and interesting to a point.


    The tool was a watch. A pocket watch.


    True to its nature, the watch worked by manipulating time.


    Gareth used the artifact to take a short trip into the future. At least, that was how he understood how time worked. Nevertheless, Gareth wanted to see what was in the future of the world. He wanted to see what objects or advancements the society has made. He wanted to see the problems of the future so that the present can prepare for what was to come. And so, Gareth, for a short time, visited and saw the future.


    When Gareth came back, his face drew nothing but dread. The future was bleak. The fate of the races was nothing but a dead end.


    ¡°There is none.¡± Gareth clutched the chain of the pocket watch. ¡°None other should see.¡±


    Gareth removed the pocket watch and stored it in one of his protected chests to never see daylight once again.


    ¡°I need to create a place where people can keep on living.¡±


    Gareth, in his trip into the future, saw one of Origin¡¯s Reset. He saw nothing but destruction. He saw the reconstruction of the continents. However, for Gareth who knew nothing of the Reset, he saw it as simply as the end of the world.


    From there, the construction of the immovable fortress, Noah¡¯s Babel, began.


    <hr>


    ¡°This place is like this tower of Babel, but in reverse,¡± Meiko explained. ¡°Rather than a tower that reaches for the sky, it pierced the ground. And rather than divide whoever that lived or helped with its construction, it united them. Maybe this statue of Babel was a reminder of that.¡±


    Amelia could not help but tilt her head to the side. ¡°If that was true, and going by the condition of this inverted tower, we should have at least met a person among those¡ª!¡±


    Amelia¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°The records!¡± She grabbed Meiko¡¯s hands and held it just above her chest. ¡°There should be records of skeletal remains around the time Academia was first founded! If we can find records of those, then we can determine if people really used to live in the labyrinth of Academia instead of beasts!¡±


    ¡°R-right.¡± Meiko was taken aback. Amelia¡¯s enthusiasm threw her off-guard.


    ¡°And if it really was an inverted tower, then we have barely explored its depths!¡± Amelia smiled from ear to ear.


    If the maker of this tower is alive! Or at least he left something that helped in the creation of Academia, then! Then! Hope is not lost!


    Tears began to roll down Amelia¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Haah¡­ What is this?¡± Amelia freed Meiko and brushed her tears away with her fingers. ¡°Why is it¡ªflowing?¡±


    Amelia¡¯s lips trembled. She could not help but express a smile. The weight in her chest was light.


    ¡°No. No. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, Amelia.¡± Again, Amelia kept brushing her tears away. She covered her face and turned away from Meiko. ¡°Nothing was proven yet. There is no assurance.¡±


    Don¡¯t hope. It¡¯ll break you, Amelia thought to herself. There¡¯s no guarantee that we¡¯ll find anything useful deep down. We do not know of the dangers. There is no assurance that we¡¯ll find something within two months. I.. must not blind myself.


    Amelia could not help but try to suppress her emotions. However, she was relieved. Deeply relieved that there was a new option for her to choose from. Relieved that she can work towards a goal without a definite path in mind. Albeit her new option only opened another bottle of expectations, that island of reprieve was an irreplaceable land for Amelia¡¯s sea of problems.


    ¡°Amelia¡­¡± In the end, Meiko was struck speechless as she witnessed Amelia¡¯s fragile form.

 Chapter 109: Two Heroes and a Royal 3

    ¡°I apologize.¡± Amelia turned around and wiped her tears. Despite that, a few tears found themselves building up on the edge of her eyes. ¡°Just¡­ give me a moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Meiko clutched her left arm and looked to the side. She bit her trembling lips as she forced herself not to see Amelia¡¯s state. ¡°Take your time. I¡¯ll¡­ wait on the opposite side of the statue.¡±


    For a moment, nothing but Amelia¡¯s sobbing filtered through Meiko¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t let sympathy get the better of my judgment.¡± Meiko shook her head and tapped her cheeks once, twice. ¡°It could be an act. Don¡¯t let it bother you. This is for me. This is for Father and everyone else. I need to¡­ get back.¡±


    I really¡­ don¡¯t belong here.


    Meiko cuffed her ears with the palm of her hands.


    Don¡¯t listen. I want to see Father, Grandmother. There¡¯s also that new sweets shop opening next to the convenience store. Anna told me she¡¯ll let me help with the store. She told me she¡¯ll need someone who knew how to prepare tea. I need to get back.


    Meiko shut her eyes.


    I can¡¯t just leave my previous life. I want to see them. I want to touch them¡­ I need to¡­ be reunited with them. I have a life. A second life is not needed. I do not need a fantasy. Even if it¡¯s hard¡­ I have my own reality. I have a world I used to live. I just can¡¯t leave it just like that. I¡­ don¡¯t have anything in this world I can fight for. I really want to return¡­


    Meiko bit her lips.


    But Kanna helped me. Amelia¡­ helped me. Mola and the others too. They helped me get by. So at least¡­ in exchange for the help they gave me¡­ I need to help them.


    But there are limits. I need to set a limit. I must not give everything for anything. Or else¡­ I¡¯d be a fool.


    You are no Hero, Meiko. You are an ordinary girl caught up in a mess.


    <hr>


    Sniff.


    Amelia brushed her nose with her fingers.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Of all the things that could happen, why did I break down?¡± Amelia¡¯s lips trembled. ¡°Am I really that hopeful? Am I really that hung up for a chance to escape my problems? Ah¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore. I don¡¯t know myself anymore¡­¡±


    Amelia leaned her back on the statue and slid down to a sit. Her hands covering her face, Amelia sobbed. ¡°What will I say?¡±


    Amelia looked back to the words Celes once said to Amelia.


    ¡°Celes, is it really possible for a Hero to return to their previous world?¡±


    Celes simply smiled as she sat on the twisted tree bench she grew before. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Amelia frowned. ¡°I¡¯m asking here because I do not know.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Then, let me revise the question.¡± Celes stood up and walked towards the nearest grave marker. She looked up to the Tree of Origin before turning around to face Amelia. ¡°Are you hoping that it is possible?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Amelia answered swiftly. ¡°At the least, I do not want to lie to Meiko. I did say the truth there was no known method for her to return but¡­ I did say that I¡¯d look for one. And maybe answer that possibility after exploring Academia or the secrets the Scholars kept hidden from the public.¡±


    ¡°All things considered, yes. It is possible for a Hero to return.¡±


    Amelia tilted her head. ¡°All things considered? Then, there are conditions?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, have you succeeded even once?¡±


    Celes, again, simply smiled. She turned around and faced the Tree of Origin once more. ¡°What do you think? What do you see?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia blinked her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ pretty vague.¡±


    ¡°The answer is obvious Amelia. You are seeing the answer itself.¡±


    ¡°It may be for you, but I don¡¯t even have the slightest idea. I don¡¯t even know why you are cleansing the souls of the Heroes¡­ Wait¡­¡± Amelia¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°Are you cleansing their souls so they can return to their world just like they used to?!¡±


    Celes chuckled. ¡°Amelia, not once have I tried to send a Hero back to their previous world. The possibility is there. But I have no reason to do so. Every single Hero born into this world ends up here. There is no exception.¡±


    ¡°But why? Isn¡¯t that¡­ the right thing to do?¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Celes returned the question. ¡°Was it really the right thing to do?¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t belong here. Going by that logic, they should be returned to their rightful place.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s their own creator was the one who threw them here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Amelia shifted her eyes to her feet. ¡°Are we just objects to the Gods? Our Gods?¡±


    ¡°It may or not may be the case. However, even if it that was not the case. Hero¡¯s being a sentimental being is no reason for me to return them from where they came from. It does not benefit me as a guardian. However, you, Amelia, is a different case.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Celes smiled. ¡°You yourself is the answer, Amelia.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Myself¡­ Again, Celes, that is too much of a vague answer.


    Amelia continued to sob.


    Why must you test me like this? Do I really have to keep on thinking for every second of my life? Can¡¯t I have a rest? It¡¯s one problem after another. I am accomplishing nothing. I am achieving nothing. It¡¯s all hopes and dreams. I need¡­ an answer. A proper answer.


    Amelia¡¯s necklace glimmered.


    Are you listening, Celes? Please, just tell me a straight answer. Let¡¯s not beat around the bush.


    [Amelia, have I really brought you so low?]


    No. I understand. I know you want me to learn. To think for myself. To be independent. However, this time around, I want a straight answer. Continue from where you left before. I need¡­ Meiko¡¯s help. I need to convince her. I want her to believe in me. I want her to fight alongside me wholeheartedly. And for that¡­ I need an answer. A concrete answer.


    [¡­ Then, Amelia, do you wish to trade?]


    Trade? Trade what?


    [I will let you and Meiko progress with your problem, however, when the time comes, you will let me do as I please with you.]


    Do as you please¡­ At what lengths?


    [There are no boundaries.]


    But why? What do want to do with me? And when?


    [I cannot tell. However, rest assured it is simply a safety margin for me.]


    Amelia suddenly realized that her sobbing has long stopped. And as she thought of forfeiting her life, at least, if it¡¯s my life in exchange, let me say a proper farewell to everyone, Amelia gulped.


    Celes chuckled. [Then we have a deal.]


    A moment after, everything turned white for both Amelia and Meiko. They felt a sudden pull and sensation of free fall struck their minds.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s happening!¡± Meiko screamed as darted her eyes. ¡°Amelia?! Wait, the Babel is gone?!¡±


    Amelia, on the other hand, blinked her eyes and embraced the sensation of falling as if it was the norm.


    ¡°What kind of transportation is it this time?¡± Amelia muttered, used to the surprises Celes does now and then.


    ¡°Amelia! What¡¯s happening?! Did we trip some sort of trap?¡± Meiko tried swimming towards Amelia, but to no avail, her distance to Amelia remained the same.


    ¡°Relax, Meiko. It will be over soon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke like that! I don¡¯t want to die this early! And here I was reminiscing the old times!¡±


    ¡°No! We¡¯re not dying! We are just¡­ simply falling, that¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®that¡¯s all¡¯, you know?!¡± Meiko cried. ¡°If we hit the ground, we¡¯ll splatter like goo!¡±


    Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°Just relax, will you?! Nothing bad is going to happen to us!¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?!¡±


    ¡°Just trust me!¡±


    A second later, Amelia and Meiko felt a light bump from their rear.


    ¡°See? Nothing bad happened,¡± Amelia said, scanning the surrounding greenery. ¡°But why a forest though?¡±


    Meiko put up a hand over her chest and breathed. ¡°T-that was scary. I thought I was going to die.¡±


    [How was the surprise?] Celes in her doe form walked from the shade of trees into the clearing where Amelia and Meiko was.


    ¡°Getting somewhat used to it,¡± Amelia said.


    [I see. But I believe it¡¯s enough to pull you both back into reality?]


    ¡°W-w-wait! A talking dear?!¡± Meiko scuttled backward until her back hit a tree. ¡°Ouch!¡±


    [You have seen a number of beasts underneath Academia, Meiko. I believe this is no surprise to you.]


    ¡°It is! And how did you know that?!¡± Meiko panicked. She embraced herself and made herself as small as possible.


    [I have my ways.]


    Amelia knitted her brows. ¡°Celes, are you¡­ teasing Meiko?¡±


    [You may believe what you wish to believe, Amelia. That aside.] Celes tapped the ground with her hoof. The next moment, the ground trembled. Soon, several roots burst from the center o the clearing and formed a table and two chairs. [Both of you. Sit.]


    Amelia promptly took her seat and said, ¡°Meiko, there is no danger. I know it¡¯s a lot to take in but¡­ please don¡¯t use your common sense for now. Better to shut it off completely for a moment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a tall order¡­¡±


    ¡°This concerns my promise. My promise on how to get you home. I¡¯m fulfilling the end of my promise, so, please, calm down and sit.¡±


    Meiko¡¯s trembling stopped. ¡°You mean, you found a way for me to get home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Amelia turned towards Celes. ¡°She will tell us to be exact. And this will be the first time I¡¯ll be hearing it too so¡­ I want to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meiko clenched her fist and took a deep breath. She stood and then took her seat opposite Amelia.


    [Now then, Amelia, I¡¯ll have you to bind you with this contract first.]


    A magic circle formed in front of Amelia. The sigils, the number of layers the magic circle had, were all in the realm Amelia could not understand. At the very least, she could tell it was a complicated spell.


    [Thrust your arm into the magic circle and the contract will take effect.]


    Amelia nodded. She raised her left arm and inched it close to the magic circle. As soon as her finger touched its surface, the center portion parted like a sliding door. Then, as her hand went deeper, the layers of circles covered Amelia¡¯s arm and clamped like a lock. The moment her hand reached the last magic circle, the magic circles glimmered and vanished.


    [Now then. What is it do you want to know first?]


    ¡°Can Meiko return to her original world?¡±


    [Yes.]


    Meiko gasped in response. ¡°Really?! I can?¡±


    ¡°Can Meiko do it on her own?¡±


    [No.]


    ¡°W-wha?¡± Meiko stood from her seat and raised her voice. ¡°But why?! Why can¡¯t I! T-there¡¯s magic for it, isn¡¯t there? I know there is! It¡¯s just that the conditions are! Are¡­¡±


    Meiko covered her mouth as her voice faded as she recalled the conditions to unlock the magic that brought in Heroes from another world.


    It¡¯s too much¡­


    Amelia looked towards Meiko and asked, ¡°Is what Meiko thought as the answer to her prayers another option?¡±


    Celes chuckled. [You know well it¡¯s a no, Amelia.]


    ¡°I figured.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Meiko blinked her eyes. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been there, Meiko. And I told you, you cannot trust your own power.¡±


    ¡°H-how can you be so sure? The conditions are¡­ gruesome, true. But¡­ they are convincing, at least.¡±


    [You will do well not to believe to your gift, Hero Meiko.]


    ¡°Telling me that doesn¡¯t convince me at all.¡±


    ¡°Then, can you return Meiko?¡±


    [I have the ability to do so.]


    Meiko¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡°Then! Plea¡ª¡±


    ¡°However, given my situation, I cannot. No matter how long time passes, I cannot and will not return Heroes to their original world. The deed does not benefit me or Origin in any form.¡±


    Meiko fell to her seat and slumped forward. ¡°But why? I was just¡­ caught up in all these.¡±


    [That thought of yours is false, Hero Meiko. The Gods does not simply pick randomly who their candidates are. There is a reason as to why you were chosen. And that reason, I cannot tell. So, at the least, you are by no means an innocent bystander.]


    ¡°Ah¡­ What did I do wrong¡­?¡±


    [The question is what you did right, Hero Meiko.]


    Meiko fell into silence.


    ¡°Then, if you won¡¯t and can¡¯t return Meiko to her world, then who does? The Divines? The True Divines? The Gods themselves?¡±


    [Other than me, there is their God, of course. However, them returning the Hero they sent here is close to nil.]


    ¡°Then?¡±


    [The last option, as I told you before, is you, Amelia. You are the Heroes¡¯ only option of return.]

 Chapter 110: Two Heroes and a Royal 4

    Amelia kept her eyes fixed at her hands on the table. She stared at her palms as she tried to grasp something intangible.


    ¡°Amelia¡­¡± Meiko muttered from the opposite side of the table as her lips curved into a frown.


    Amelia blinked once, twice. She kept her eyes fixed at her hands as if she were staring at the void. There was no end. There was no beginning. She felt like she was wandering through a thick fog where even her own feet could not be seen.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what to say but¡­¡± Meiko looked to the side with a hint of disgust. A disgust directed towards herself. ¡°I really want to go home. But not like this¡­ Even for me, it¡¯s¡­ too hard to bear.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But you know, I think there¡¯s still another way. Maybe something that Celes did not know. A way for me to return without you doing that much¡­¡± Meiko gripped her arm. She bit her lips and imagined what lengths Amelia had to go through just for her to return home.


    ¡°A way even Celes did not know? It¡¯s impossible. Definitely impossible.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t say that for sure. I mean, there has to be another way.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Why? Why do readily believe what she says? She might even be manipulating you.¡±


    ¡°Celes was created by multiple Gods on behalf of their own life. In Origin, she is probably the closest being to omnipotence. So, if she wanted to do something, she would have done it without relying on probability. She wouldn¡¯t rely on something as unstable as me.¡±


    ¡°You say that but¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything she said made sense, Meiko. Even you can¡¯t deny it, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Right.¡± Meiko heaved a sigh. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense that you¡¯ll do all the work and I¡¯ll do nothing. It¡¯s¡­ uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may, there¡¯s no other choice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Amelia raised her head and looked at Meiko¡¯s figure curled to the side as if she were repenting for her sins.


    ¡°Meiko, I¡­ can¡¯t guarantee that I can return you to your home.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you just remain instead? At the least, we can give you status. A land to govern, maybe a new family. But you wouldn¡¯t accept that, would you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many years it will take me.¡±


    Meiko expressed a bitter smile. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Still, do you want to go back?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Meiko nodded.


    ¡°Even if there is a chance that you¡¯ll remain encased for eternity?¡±


    ¡°Yes. At least, let me dream of my home while I sleep.¡±


    ¡°That dream will be nothing more than an illusion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than seeing nothing but darkness; feeling nothing but loneliness.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Amelia snappily stood up and turned to face the forest behind her. ¡°Meiko, I¡¯ll do what I can, but I won¡¯t guarantee you anything.¡±


    ¡°I know. Facing a God is¡­ no laughing matter. You are risking your life for my selfish desire. I can accept any drawbacks, as long as it¡¯s not my life.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia shifted her sight to her feet. There she saw a sapling growing near the trunk of a tree. She crouched and brushed her fingers against the bright leaves sprouting from its thin branches.


    ¡°You know, Meiko, there were several times that I have hoped that my life will end earlier than anyone close to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡± Meiko stood from her seat and approached Amelia¡¯s side.


    ¡°I thought, maybe if everyone I loved has left the world, then I¡¯d better be dead as well. It¡¯s a wish of a fool. It¡¯s a wish of a person who has little hope for its own future.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°One time, I looked up to the future. I promised Kanna. I told her that one day I¡¯ll stop being a Princess. I¡¯ll stop being a Royal. I¡¯ll stop being Amelia. The girl everyone knew will cease.¡±


    Amelia recalled the words she exchanged with Kanna during the time she encased herself in Alabaster.


    ¡°I just really loathe the fact that everyone will die before me.¡± Amelia embraced herself and gripped her arms. ¡°Just the thought of losing someone important to me is frightening. Just losing Grandfather was¡­ too much. I don¡¯t know if I can hold on. Not that now I¡¯m losing my mortality little by little. Even there will come a time that I¡¯ll lose Kanna. That¡¯s just¡­ how immortality works. No, that¡¯s just me with a mortal¡¯s mindset despite gradually turning into an immortal.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Do you¡­ plan to end your life?¡±


    ¡°I used to. But I¡¯m sure, Kanna will see through me and will remind me not to. That¡¯s¡­ just how she is.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    Amelia expressed a bitter smile.


    ¡°I plan to assassinate myself. Make up a tragedy and make it look like I died. It¡¯s the only option I have to pretend that I¡¯m still mortal. Since dying of old age or illness is far unlikely for me now. I can¡¯t even tell if I¡¯ll still grow at the rate of a regular human in terms of appearance or I¡¯ll retain this form for the rest of my life.¡±


    Amelia chuckled.


    ¡°Just think of it, anyone in pursuit of immortality will chase after me if in case they realize I barely looked different after passing the age of thirty. Some will probably claim that I was using a drug or something. Perhaps traded something to a demon to retain my physical appearance.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine that happening.¡±


    ¡°Haaah¡­¡± Amelia sighed. ¡°Elaine will one day take over my rule in the Duchy. It might be hard but¡­ she¡¯ll probably do it on my behalf. Elaine is¡­ too good of a sister.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Meiko. Even if I manage to seal you, I cannot guarantee you will come back for you. I might forget about you entirely and break your hopes. Will that be fine with you? Are you willing to bet your life on me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. But what I¡¯m sure of is¡­ you¡¯re the only option I have.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°But at least before we come to that, I will help you. Maybe my limit will be ten years before you can seal me in peace. Before that time arrives, I¡¯ll try my best to help you.¡± Meiko sat beside Amelia and stared at the sapling and smiled ¡°But just in case¡­ Just in case I reach the point of no return, please use me as you see fit.¡±


    ¡°Listen to yourself, Meiko. You are entrusting your life to a stranger.¡± Amelia knitted her brows.


    ¡°I can answer your doubt all day and my answer won¡¯t change.¡± Meiko grabbed Amelia¡¯s hand. ¡°And it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t trust you. We¡­ can build it up slowly. And there¡¯s Kanna. I think we might get along.¡±


    ¡°You best not make too many memories or you¡¯ll regret it at the time you have to be sealed.¡±


    Meiko shook her head. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I have been enjoying after arriving in this world, it¡¯s meeting people who don¡¯t have to force me to do anything. And because this is a new world for me, it¡¯ll be a memorable experience before I return.¡±


    ¡°Time.¡±


    ¡°Time?¡±


    ¡°If by chance I manage to locate the world you live in, I¡¯ll need to know when you existed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. It makes sense.¡± Meiko chuckled. ¡°Maybe after you become a godlike being, you can read my memory and¡­ maybe trace from there. But I don¡¯t know. Even what Celes told us are hard to comprehend. All those stuff about realms, Gods, time, soul and whatnot. Frankly, most of it went over my head.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean.¡±


    ¡°But that does not matter right now, right? It¡¯s not like were cramming those events in a few months or years. We don¡¯t have to answer what we can¡¯t right now. Even according to Celes, at your growth rate right now, it will take more than just a few decades.¡±


    Amelia looked at Meiko. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are willing to bet on all this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m betting at a zero percent chance, right?¡±


    ¡°No. What I meant was that you are betting on it way too quickly. You have just learned who Celes was. You learned how you can return home. You learned that I¡¯m partly no longer human. And yet¡­ your mind is decided.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Kanna has been telling me about you a lot. And¡­ from who Kanna is I can¡¯t really see her befriending someone who is actually bad.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± Meiko released Amelia¡¯s hand and stood up. ¡°Still, I trust Kanna¡¯s judgment. I also trust Mola¡¯s judgment. I can¡¯t see them following you if you were the exact opposite of a good person.¡±


    Amelia stood up and dusted her dress.


    ¡°Compared to Celes, I¡¯m nothing more but like this sapling here.¡±


    Meiko expressed a wry smile. ¡°I think so too.¡±


    ¡°Still, will you work with me?¡±


    Meiko nodded. ¡°I¡¯m willing to entrust my life to you.¡±


    ¡°I might not be able to keep your memories intact.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ part of the risk.¡±


    Amelia heaved a sigh and reached out her hand. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll try but I won¡¯t promise.¡±


    Meiko reached for Amelia¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s my gamble. I may not be good at it, but I¡¯m willing to trust you, Amelia.¡±


    [I believe you two are done?] Celes¡¯s voice echoed around the forest.


    ¡°Yes. Please take us back. Mola might be panicking now that we vanished due to some unknown reason.¡±


    [Amelia, like I said earlier, it will not be an easy task.]


    Amelia smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a contract or a promise anyway.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°Besides, Meiko is right. I don¡¯t have to mind what I can¡¯t answer right now. It¡¯s a bad habit, but I need to keep reminding myself I can¡¯t resolve everything in one go.¡±


    [¡­ Well then.]


    <hr>


    ¡°Just where the hell did you two go?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, Mola.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that!¡± Mola shouted once more.


    ¡°We just spoke with each other, Mola. We just¡­ transferred to somewhere you can¡¯t see or hear.¡±


    ¡°You too, Meiko! Don¡¯t give me that! We agreed that both of you will speak to each other in that room!¡±


    ¡°Just give it, Mola. Just think of it that it¡¯s too private that we can¡¯t have prying ears,¡± Amelia said.


    ¡°That hurts me a little, you know?! Can¡¯t you really trust me that I won¡¯t eavesdrop?!¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°Anyway, Mola, just leave it. There¡¯s no point in arguing what is done. For now, both of you can return.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? You aren¡¯t coming with us?¡± Mola said. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to do something back in our base?¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind. I need to keep track of Evelyn. That girl is¡­ unpredictable even for me.¡±


    Mola sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. Anyway, let¡¯s go. I want to have a rest.¡±


    <hr>


    She¡¯s tired¡­ Amelia¡¯s is definitely tired¡­


    Meiko¡¯s thoughts ran around as her eyes peered through the window during the night.


    I can¡¯t think of any reason why she¡¯ll tell me all of her plans in the far future other than that¡­ I guess even those who lived life as a Royal has problems too.


    Still, I can¡¯t believe what that Celes said. I guess what she said was true but¡­ just for a Hero to get back we need to face the God who sent them? In that case, Amelia has to face the God that sent me here? That¡¯s absurd¡­


    But it makes sense. It¡¯s like a person threw something away and then someone comes knocking on their door and says ¡®this is yours, take it back¡¯. But if ever I managed to return, then, the God of my world will need to die. At least, that¡¯s what Celes said. But what will be the drawbacks? Will the world I live in still be safe after that?


    Ahh. I really can¡¯t understand. Why do they want to destroy Origin anyway? Was their hate that deeply rooted? Are Gods really as petty as Celes said? But from the sound of it¡­ it¡¯s like Celes wants Amelia to turn into someone who can hunt down Gods? Well, it¡¯s true that Amelia isn¡¯t bounded by being Origin¡¯s guardian.


    However, it¡¯s frightening. It¡¯s frightening that something is planted within us and we can¡¯t take it out¡­ Are the Gods that desperate? Do they really want to manifest in Origin and knock Celes out of the picture? Ahh¡­ There¡¯s too much information that was suddenly revealed to me. I can¡¯t make heads or tails about them.


    ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± Meiko ruffled her hair in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to trust Amelia.¡±

 Chapter 111: Two Heroes and a Royal 5

    ¡°What are you doing? Some sort of letter or something?¡± Evelyn asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pry. It won¡¯t benefit you,¡± Amelia said as her hands moved back and forth over a sheet of paper.


    ¡°Really?¡± Evelyn moved to Amelia¡¯s back and peeked.


    ¡°As you can see, there is nothing to gain from reading this letter.¡± Amelia kept writing, unbothered by Evelyn¡¯s prying eyes.


    ¡°Still guarded around me huh?¡± Evelyn frowned. ¡°But you really to write such orders huh? Can¡¯t your people move on their own?¡±


    ¡°Frankly, there is no need for me to order them. I have already arranged what my people need to do when I left my maidservant in my fief. I am merely ordering them to continue with the previous orders given.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that unnecessary?¡±


    ¡°It may be in your standpoint, but a Lord least needs to communicate with their servants and vassals to inform them of the current situation.¡±


    ¡°Even though the situation changed so much that I¡¯m now partially on your side?¡±


    ¡°Whether you have joined my side or not, my goal as a Lord does not change. The same is true for my plans as a Royal.¡± Amelia sighed. ¡°But I cannot deny the fact that this event has sidetracked me from my original goal. Things do not always go the way you want it.¡±


    ¡°You brood too much.¡±


    ¡°I cannot deny that.¡±


    Silence fell between the two. Within the room for two in an inn within Academia, spoke now and then, each conversation trying to pry more information from the other. However, the silence kept both on their guard. That is until finished Amelia finished sealing the letter with her private seal. did


    ¡°Evelyn, I will need you to gather materials.¡±


    Evelyn grinned. ¡°I already did.¡±


    Amelia hastily shifted her sight to Evelyn. ¡°You¡­ Tell me you did not steal.¡±


    ¡°I may have? I may have not?¡± Evelyn smiled.


    Amelia stood from her seat and approached Evelyn who was sitting on her bed.


    ¡°What?¡± Evelyn stared straight to Amelia.


    A sudden clap resounded within the room. When the clap subsided, Evelyn was left dumbfounded. She felt her stinging cheeks as she returned her sight to Amelia.


    ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°Hand them over. Everything you stole, hand them over. I¡¯ll properly return them,¡± Amelia spoke in a deep tone. ¡°You have me on your side. If you need anything, tell me. I¡¯ll arrange them for you. There is no need for you to steal.¡±


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you do as you please as long it does not violate any laws.¡±


    ¡°Way too upright.¡± Evelyn frowned. ¡°Even though most of you Royals and Nobles steal from your people on a daily basis.¡±


    ¡°Do you have evidence to support your claim? Even though I cannot deny that some may have done or is doing such, lumping us as a group under one¡¯s personal description is inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Return them and tell me where you stole them.¡±


    Evelyn sighed. ¡°Fine. Fine. Can¡¯t have fun when miss upright is around¡­¡±


    ¡°Stealing is wrong, Evelyn.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in a position to tell me that.¡± Evelyn glared. ¡°I mean, you are a Royal of another kingdom. If ever you found something valuable in the dungeon underneath Academia then you will claim it for yourself, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± Evelyn smirked. ¡°So, it¡¯s fine to steal when it¡¯s on an international scale but not on a local scale?¡±


    ¡°This and that are different.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ Care to tell me the difference?¡±


    ¡°For one, the legal owner of the item you stole is currently alive. In the case of finds within the labyrinth, the owner is immediately assumed dead. That is what is stated within the laws of Academia. Therefore, the items found within the labyrinth are without ownership. Therefore, within the laws of Academia, whoever founds the item within the labyrinth is the new owner.¡±


    ¡°With that logic then it¡¯s fine if the owner of the items I¡¯ve stolen from is dead, right?¡± Evelyn smiled.


    ¡°Stop spouting disgusting words. When the original owner is found dead, then the wife or the children will receive the ownership of the items owned by the deceased. In case the children are not in the capacity to receive ownership, the ownership may be transferred to three generations down of the deceased owner.¡±


    ¡°So their family needs to be wiped out in order to claim complete ownership huh.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°You do know that¡¯s considered murder. And if you ever committed one, I definitely would not hesitate to end yours.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. Hold there. I am merely speaking of the possibility.¡± Evelyn chuckled. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯ve said it, then the owners of the items found within the dungeon¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°¡ªRight. Labyrinth. Anyway, the owner of the items found within and three generations down are considered dead, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Evelyn smiled. ¡°Did that law considered long-lived races?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Amelia looked to the side. ¡°I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Hehh¡­ Then let¡¯s say that we can prove that the owner, say a high-elf or something along that line, still has a living relative three generations down. Would that be covered?¡±


    ¡°It should be¡­ is what I want to say. However, I do not know how Academia will tackle such a situation. The Scholars will definitely be divided by the matter. Since, if they considered such, they may have to return their finds to the living relative. However, it seems unlikely, but the possibility is there.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Evelyn chuckled and etched a conniving smile. ¡°Considering who you are, aren¡¯t you frustrated?¡±


    Amelia shook her head. ¡°No. Considering other races into the law takes time. We humans are, after all, very different from them. There may be similarities, true, but each race has a different set of values and needs.¡±


    ¡°Boring.¡±


    ¡°It takes time to incorporate a diverse group of races into human laws. Considering how we humans used to seclude ourselves from other races, we know little to nothing about them. Even those who live in my fief have little information about their own race.¡±


    Amelia balled her fist. ¡°After all, helpless children are far easier to capture than adults.¡±


    The matter was not foreign to Laurel. Most non-humans within human settlements were either captive children or adults who were captured from their childhood days.


    ¡°Trafficking non-humans because they aren¡¯t covered by law¡­¡± Amelia grit her teeth. ¡°A despicable excuse.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you look for an adult within the territory of the other races? I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be that hard to find someone willing to share information.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as it seems. Laurel is the farthest from non-human settlements. We have to pass through the other kingdoms to get to them. Besides, it¡¯s unlikely for them to lend a hand unless news about non-humans living peacefully within human settlements reached their ears. For now, we have to establish a law that will allow Dwarfs and Elves to feel at ease within Laurel. It takes time to review the law, but it¡¯s definitely getting there.¡±


    Restart the trade. Increase the volume. Advertise the merchandise from the Tribe. Allow people to have expectations and a good impression of both Dwarfs and Elves.


    The wheel was rolling. It was rolling even without Amelia¡¯s direct intervention. After all, the pieces were set. There was no need for Amelia to be there. She needed only the people she trusts to work on the orders she gave.


    Ark and some of Amelia¡¯s Maidservants, Rick, Fae, and Camille included, had been working on strengthening the presence of the Tribe within Laurel, or at least, Aves. The trade, both the routes and the merchants handling the trade were covered by Auguste¡¯s vassals, a support which was planned if ever the trade resumed. Lastly, the law. The ones to handle the law was Diane, Argent, and Sylvar.


    The effort was not evident in the front. However, good relations with the Tribe¡¯s Dwarfs and Elves was progressing.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard. It takes time. But sure enough, it¡¯s progressing. My people are making it progress.¡±


    Amelia recalled the continuing research on the behavior of the non-humans within her fief, the Duchy. As time grew by, more and more structures were built in order to cater to the needs of those non-humans.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what you are saying but fine.¡±


    ¡°We got off track. Nonetheless, everything you stole, hand it over.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Sure.¡±


    <hr>


    The next day.


    ¡°Eh? Lia? I thought you won¡¯t return yet?¡± Mola blinked her eyes atop a staircase. On the foot of the stairs was Amelia accompanied by maidservants.


    Amelia heaved a sigh. ¡°There are some troublesome things that I cannot handle without returning earlier as planned. Anyway, Mola, go get dressed and meet me in the solar.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. Should I get Meiko too?¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± one of the maidservants said as Mola vanished into the hallway atop the stairs.


    ¡°I will take it after my meeting with Mola. Also, please prepare the things I have listed. Then there¡¯s Erina. She will arrive in two to three days. Please prepare her quarters and another one for a guest. Also, prepare another room and equip it with the tools I mentioned earlier. Make sure none other than the people within this mansion shall know the contents of the letter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The maidservant bowed.


    ¡°Oh, one last thing.¡± Amelia turned around and faced the line of servants behind her. ¡°Another Hero will join the mansion. Please do not treat her like Meiko. She is dangerous. As much as possible, if there is a problem surrounding her, report it directly to me. Do not try to suppress her with force. I am not willing to have needless deaths.¡±


    ¡°¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±¡±


    It did not take much time for Mola and Meiko to reach the solar where Amelia was waiting.


    ¡°So? What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°I needed money.¡±


    ¡°¡°¡­¡±¡±


    Mola and Meiko looked to each other with puzzled expressions.


    ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t you have a summable spare with you?¡± Mola asked.


    Amelia placed the palm of her hand onto her face. ¡°It¡¯s barely enough for the things Evelyn stole randomly.¡±


    It took a few seconds before Mola was able to process a response. ¡°¡­ What?¡±


    ¡°Evelyn stole some things around Academia.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± This time, Meiko responded.


    ¡°Hahh¡­ Do I have to repeat what I just said all over again?¡±


    ¡°No, we heard it. Loud and clear. We just can¡¯t fathom why a Hero of all people would steal.¡± Mola scratched the side of her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t she wealthy? So why steal?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me what I can¡¯t comprehend myself.¡±


    ¡°Evelyn? Stealing?¡± Meiko murmured with a troubled face.


    ¡°Believe it or not, she did.¡± Amelia leaned her back on her chair. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s just her way of knowing how I would react to situations or it¡¯s just an impulse. But I believe it¡¯s closely related to the former.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s highly likely to be the former,¡± Mola added. ¡°Anyway, if that¡¯s the case, then we should just be on our guard, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Keep all the documents somewhere else. Don¡¯t keep them in the storeroom. And if possible, have the servants retrieve the documents only if you are sure that Evelyn is not around. We do not want her to gain too much information.¡±


    A sudden knock came from the door.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s me, Albert.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I thought you already forgot about Glasses for a second there, Your Highness,¡± Mola chuckled.


    ¡°I cannot deny that. I indeed forgot about Albert. Anyway, please enter, Albert.¡±


    Albert, usually called as Glasses, took a seat beside Mola. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it has been.¡±


    ¡°So, what was the reason I was called in?¡±


    ¡°I have read what you¡¯ve found about the dasbalites.¡± Amelia smiled. ¡°Please continue progressing the research. We may be able to create our own mana supply or some sort with the knowledge we can gain from the dasbalites.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Glasses bowed. ¡°Right now, we managed to capture a mimic and had successfully sealed it along with a bunch of dasbalites. For now, the mimic has been stable and has considered the dasbalite as a proper object fit for the mimic¡¯s purposes.¡±


    Meiko shuddered as Glasses explained the matter. ¡°Ugh¡­ those horrid times¡­¡±


    ¡°Was there any significant change?¡± Amelia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s still under observation,¡± Mola answered.


    ¡°Right,¡± Glasses continued. ¡°For now, the mimic is stable and isn¡¯t moving at all. It did collect the dasbalite shards around it and formed some sort of plant-like structure. Although it was not like that at first.¡±


    ¡°Then we could say that the mimic was able to successfully adapt to the nature of the dasbalite and has formed an effective measure in order to use it?¡±


    Glasses nodded. ¡°That too is what we believe. The mimic has exposed the dasbalite¡¯s surface into the air.¡±


    ¡°I see. Is there any other significant change?¡±


    ¡°There is one,¡± Mola answered. ¡°The mimic became completely docile after a while. It was running wild at first, thrashing around the enclosed chamber. But the more it grew into a plant-like structure, the more docile it became. Perhaps the energy produced by the dasbalite was enough for it to survive and has entered some sort inactive state.¡±


    ¡°So it did manage to make use of dasbalites¡­¡± Amelia put a finger onto her lips and looked to the ceiling. ¡°In any case, is there a hint for us to make use of the dasbalites like the mimic did?¡±


    Mola¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°To be frank, we do not have a concrete solution right now.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, the mimic¡¯s adaptability and how it manages to do such is still a huge mystery till this day. Although we have verified that those rikeas aren¡¯t the only ones capable of making use of the dasbalites, a solution to utilize the dasbalites on our own is¡­¡±


    ¡°Albert, Mola. It¡¯s fine. Harnessing something we knew little of is not an easy task. Having blockades along the way is understandable. So, please, don¡¯t be too bothered that both of you have gained little from the experiment.¡±


    Glasses stood and took a deep bow. ¡°I apologize for the disappointment, Your Highness. I will amass knowledge to fully realize a tool that can mimic the functionality of Academia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on the same page with Albert.¡± Mola stood from her seat and copied Glasses.


    ¡°Both of you, I know the matter with the dasbalites may bring about a revolution. I know deep inside that both of you are excited to bring about a new age in the realm of magic and magic tools. However, don¡¯t push yourselves too hard. I still need you both for other projects. So, please, raise your heads. I appreciate the work both of you have spent on the study of dasbalites.¡±


    In response to Amelia¡¯s order, both Glasses and Mola took their seat.


    ¡°Nevertheless, Mola, I want you to leave your findings to Albert. Albert, you will continue the study of the dasbalites. It may slow down the progress but I need Mola for another matter. It requires some physical activities, so I¡¯ll have to excuse you for my plan.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness,¡± Glasses replied.


    ¡°Physical activities?¡± Mola questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter. We need to dive deeper into Academia¡¯s labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Mola asked.


    Amelia looked towards Meiko¡¯s direction. ¡°Meiko, I want you to tell everyone here the interpretation of the mural you found deeper into the labyrinth.¡±


    ¡°Mural?¡± Mola expressed her confusion. ¡°Wait, Meiko, we haven¡¯t come across such, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ it¡¯s a long story. So, please, just for now, let me cut to the chase.¡±


    Thus, once more, Meiko explained her thoughts regarding Academia¡¯s labyrinth. She also explained her interpretation of the mural she once glimpsed at while she was using Clairvoyance.

 Chapter 112: Two Heroes and a Royal 6

    In the morning after the discussion between Amelia, Mola, Meiko, and Albert, Mola and Meiko left the so-called base in Academia.


    ¡°Uwaaah¡­ Why am I even assigned to this kind of task? I¡¯m not exactly that good in combat,¡± Mola said, hunched with a grim expression. ¡°And what¡¯s with that discovery? It reeks of physical labor! Just imagine the strain on your own mind staying there for days! It¡¯s practically nuts unless you¡¯re some sort battle maniac!¡±


    ¡°I think Mia wanted you to be there to document or investigate anything on the go. I mean, if something unexplainable comes along the way, you can probably make a hypothesis out of it.¡± Meiko walked beside Mola as she held her rod on her left. ¡°Among everyone back there, you are probably the most qualified for that role.¡±


    Mola scratched the back of her head. ¡°I know. The problem is, she wants to rush it and just keep going down. With me around, the exploration speed will drastically drop.¡±


    ¡°But the safety will go up.¡±


    ¡°Good point.¡±


    Mola and Meiko kept walking down the street to the nearest lift.


    ¡°Liscia is in school right now, isn¡¯t she?¡± Meiko asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Halbert will be joining us though. Have to say, Halbert sure is hardworking. He spends all his money to keep Liscia in school. The mere thought that Halbert is doing all that is just amazing you know? It¡¯s quite hard, but they just keep pulling it off.¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Meiko smiled. ¡°Halbert sure is tough.¡±


    ¡°Well, he did brag it off to Liscia that both of them will hit it off once they leave the village. It was a stupid decision to do so without preparation, to be honest. I can probably say the same for Liscia for getting swept up by Halbert.¡± Mola chuckled. ¡°Still, Liscia, too, is amazing, you know? Her tuition may be discounted due to her ability to maintain her grades, but her case is definitely different.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, you could say that the difference between me and Liscia is that I have the means to pay for pretty much anything I needed. Books, equipment, tools, materials and more. On the other hand, Liscia barely has any of that.¡±


    ¡°I get what you mean.¡± Meiko nodded twice. ¡°You mean, if she had more time and resources, she might be at your level or even better?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s pretty much it.¡±


    ¡°Oohh.¡± Meiko¡¯s gaze shifted to the sky. ¡°But why won¡¯t she join Mia then? Pretty much all their financial problem can be solved if she did.¡±


    ¡°Well, you know Liscia, she¡¯s pretty adamant with what she believes. On the other hand, Halbert goes with whatever Liscia decides.¡±


    ¡°That seems a bit¡­¡± Meiko flinched at Mola¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yeah, not having the ability to decide for yourself is a flaw. Well, Halbert is Halbert, and Liscia is Liscia. Can¡¯t fault them much for who they are. Anyway, they are doing great with that kind of setup, so I guess it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hope they can keep the status quo or do better.¡±


    <hr>


    Liscia looked to the board in front and back to her notes. She kept repeating the same action until she was satisfied with what she wrote. A similar scene could be observed from the other students within the room.


    The hands of the clock ticked. Most students focused their attention to the board until the sound of chalk running against a slate stopped. A second after, a bell rang from the hallway. It was soon followed by the clatter of chairs mixed with sighs and voices of delight.


    ¡°Uwaah. The lesson literally drained me,¡± said a student beside Liscia. ¡°Liscia, how about you? Did you understand most of it?¡±


    Liscia tucked her book and her notes into a sack. ¡°Not much, but I think I can catch up with enough reading.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t skimp on studies huh. Must be hard on you¡­¡±


    Liscia expressed a strained smile. ¡°Not in particular. Someone has it harder than me. So, this much is fine. I can¡¯t let myself be pampered too much.¡±


    ¡°Must be nice to have a boy you can rely on.¡± The girl chuckled.


    Liscia simply smiled and said, ¡°Anyway, see you tomorrow.¡± Liscia went to the aisle and waved her hand.


    ¡°Teach me what you discover next time, Liscia!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Liscia walked down the hallway and straight to the school¡¯s lobby. Once she reached the entrance, she was greeted by a familiar face.


    ¡°Mia!¡± Liscia smiled and ran towards Amelia. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you wearing that uniform!¡±


    Liscia gave Amelia a quick hug and said, ¡°But I guess you wore that so you don¡¯t can go in and out as you please, right?¡±


    Amelia giggled. ¡°Partly.¡±


    Dressed in a dark-green mantle reaching up to her waist, Amelia returned the hug. Underneath mantle was a plain white blouse paired with a navy-blue knee-length skirt.


    ¡°So, why are you here? Did you come to fetch me?¡± Liscia started walking towards the gate and Amelia followed.


    ¡°Pretty much. Anyway, we need to talk. There are¡­ some surprising things I need to inform you.¡± Amelia expressed a strained smile. ¡°I know we just met again yesterday but I¡¯m already trying to impose something onto you.¡±


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t mind, really.¡± Liscia chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ve been doing these for so long that the details doesn¡¯t matter much anymore. On the other hand, it¡¯s was fun being with you, Mola, and Max. Imagine meeting an actual Prince and befriending him. That¡¯s no ordinary feat specially for a commoner like me!¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°You¡¯ve befriended two, you know?¡± Amelia mumbled with a strained smile.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear you there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, the usual place won¡¯t do. I have prepared another one though, so let¡¯s go there.¡±


    ¡°Which establishment?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say. It¡¯s a bit too confidential, to be honest. The topic this time will be a bit heavy so I¡¯m really feeling sorry right now.¡±


    Liscia bumped her shoulder against Amelia.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you today? Did anything change?¡±


    ¡°Sort of. Anyway, I¡¯ll tell you everything later. For now, let me apologize in advance.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Fine.¡± Liscia sighed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with that person.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s that but it¡¯s not the entirety of it.¡±


    ¡°Now that got me thinking.¡± Liscia tilted her head.


    ¡°Frankly, I want to invite you to eat out like we used to and into the usual place. I kind of miss the ambiance, the cafe¡¯s, that is.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean!¡± Liscia looked to Amelia in agreement. ¡°I can only eat there when you invite me so it¡¯s been long since I went there. The stuff there is bad for my wallet but great for the tongue.¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s very you, Liscia. Anyway, maybe after we sort out the talk later, if you¡¯re still willing, let¡¯s go and visit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think some talk will take away my appetite just like that!¡± Liscia proclaimed.


    ¡­


    ¡°I think I lost my appetite,¡± Liscia exclaimed wearing a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I apologize, Liscia. I somewhat expected this. So, please, let me treat you when you regain your appetite.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait. Let me just get this straight. You, Mia, is not actually a personal guard for Her Highness Amelia?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat uncomfortable hearing you say my name with honorifics, but yes. I am not a personal guard but the Princess itself. I apologize I have been hiding it from you all this time.¡±


    ¡°Did Mola know?¡±


    Amelia nodded.


    ¡°Halbert?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Liscia leaned on her seat and blinked a few times. ¡°I was really surprised you brought me to the residence of Laurel¡¯s Princess. I thought the Princess wanted to meet me since you were telling stories about me to Her Highness. I never thought that you, the Princess, was on my side the whole time¡­ Well, I guess that explains Max¡¯s unusual attraction to you¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Within the school grounds, Liscia met Mia with a brown hair and a hairstyle where a clip parted her fringes to the side. However, the Mia in front of Liscia had a silver hair without the clip.


    ¡°It¡¯s really a shock for me.¡±


    ¡°I know. But¡­ aren¡¯t you mad?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± Liscia stood from her seat and placed her hands on the table. ¡°I mean, Royals usually do conceal their identities, right? It¡¯s not unusual for you to do so as well. You are, after all, in a different kingdom.¡±


    Amelia nodded.


    ¡°Anyway, please give me a few more minutes to digest everything. I¡¯m pretty sure there still more topics to talk about after revealing your identity.¡±


    ¡°Take all the time you need.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Liscia took her seat once more and started dwelling on the situation.


    Mia! A Princess! An actual Princess! Uwaaahh! I¡¯m friends with an actual Princess just like Max! Is this a dream?! How did this happen?! But really, that explains why Max was head over heels for Mia! I should have known! I thought Max was just going out with Amelia out of concern for the relationship between the Brent and Laurel! I never knew they were THAT close! This is news! A huge news!


    Liscia tucked her lips and knitted her brows.


    I know it¡¯s too late to think about it now after all that¡¯s happened, but Mia has been treating me to several things for so long! Have I been racking up more debt?! She didn¡¯t put tbs on me, right?! What am I to do?!


    ¡°Liscia. You¡¯ve been quiet but I think you¡¯re exaggerating thing in your head.¡± Amelia chuckled.


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ Kind of¡­¡±


    Mia is right. No, Princess Amelia is right. Ugh! It really does sound awkward now that I think of it¡­ I¡¯ve been calling her Mia so it¡¯s fine, right? Right?


    Liscia exhaled and tried to relax her body.


    Ugh¡­ Now is not the time for this¡­ Stop panicking. Right. Just think of Mia as Mia, but with more authority. Maybe I should just ignore her being a Princess and act like I used too. But ugh¡­ I think I¡¯ll be a bit conscious of it for a while¡­ It¡¯ll take a while to get used to it¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if I act like usual, r-right?¡± Liscia asked, anxious.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that.¡±


    It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine. But really¡­ there¡¯s too much things to ask now that I now her real identity¡­ Why is she here without Max? Did something happen between them? And I know that she isn¡¯t a demon or a devil as the church proclaimed since I¡¯ve been with here for some years, but I must know why she was called as such.


    Liscia shook her head.


    Those questions can come later. For now, there should be another reason why she¡¯s revealing me all this.


    ¡°Her High¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mia is fine, Liscia. We are friends. There is no need to call me with honorifics.¡±


    ¡°But!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be uncomfortable for both of us to suddenly distance ourselves from each other. After all, I do intend to ask you and Halbert to join me at some point.¡± Amelia expressed an eager smile. ¡°I think highly of you and Halbert, Liscia. That is my opinion as your friend and classmate.¡±


    Liscia shifted her sight to the sight with a light grin one her face. ¡°It¡¯s somehow embarrassing when you say it like that.¡±


    ¡°Now then. Are you fine to continue what we are supposed to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Wait, just let me breathe for a bit.¡± After inhaling and exhaling thrice, Liscia said, ¡°Okay, hit me.¡±


    Amelia snickered. ¡°Sometimes you say weird phrases. Anyway, first things first, Mei, or Meiko, is also a Hero.¡±


    An audible clap resounded within the room. ¡°Sorry, let me sink that information for a moment.¡±


    Liscia contemplated once more with the palm of her hands covering her face.


    Uwaahh¡­ First, I am friends with a Princess and now a Hero? Just what is going on with my life? Have I really been treading a dangerous life all this time? Wait¡­ if Mei is a Hero and Mia a Princess, don¡¯t tell me¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Mola is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mola is just Mola.¡±


    Liscia heaved a sigh. ¡°Then, Uhm¡­ Gla¡ª I mean, uh¡­ What was his real name again?¡±


    For a moment, Amelia kept chuckling to the side. ¡°All of you have been way too cruel to Albert. Well, Mola was the one who came up with his very generic nickname which stuck to most people.¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ It was Albert. I remember now.¡±


    His name was Albert?! Has Mola mentioned that name before?!


    ¡°And No. Albert is neither a Prince nor a Noble. He is like Mola.¡± Amelia cut to the chase.


    ¡°Good thing. For one second there, I thought I was mistreating someone of importance.¡±


    ¡°So you were aware you were mistreating Albert?¡± Amelia chuckled.


    ¡°No, not really. I mean, if we were friends it¡¯s fine. But if he was an important person and I kept calling him Glasses¡­ it¡¯s definitely a different case. Oh! The same applies to you, Her Hi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mia.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Now since you seem fine now, I¡¯ll go straight to the main topic. I¡¯ll explain the details after.¡±


    Liscia nodded.


    ¡°Liscia, please help me dive deeper into the labyrinth. By that, I mean going deeper through the unknown route you and the others previously took with Meiko.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Those things. But Mola and I visited that route a few times, but it wasn¡¯t always open.¡±


    ¡°Regarding that¡­ there¡¯s something Mola hasn¡¯t shared with you¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°From Mola¡¯s finding¡¯s, the route only opens at the presence of a Hero. You see, you were with Meiko so¡­¡±


    Liscia¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°Ah! Now that you say it, the puzzle piece falls right into place!¡±


    ¡°Though Mola isn¡¯t really sure how the labyrinth distinguishes an ordinary human from a Hero.¡±


    ¡°I think we should leave that for later.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°Well then I¡¯ll discu¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Liscia interrupted. ¡°Before that, I have a question.¡±


    ¡°You may do so.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Princess, right? Knowing you¡­ You¡¯ll join the exploration, correct?¡±


    Amelia expressed a strained smile. ¡°You really know where to hit where it¡¯s difficult.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the first problem you¡¯ll encounter though.¡±


    Amelia sighed. ¡°I¡¯m still polishing my plan on how to do this smoothly. And I don¡¯t have much time to spare anyway. I¡¯m not really sure how long Mother and Brother can hold Father back before forcefully taking me back to the capital.¡±


    Liscia flinched. ¡°Did¡­ something happen?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. It¡¯s a problem of my own.¡± Amelia waved her hands to dismiss the thought. ¡°Anyway, I still have to prepare several things before we can start the exploration. There¡¯s also the fact that my personal guards will still arrive in about four to six days so there¡¯s a lack in physical manpower¡­¡±


    Liscia grimaced. ¡°Sounds tough.¡±


    Amelia chuckled. ¡°Can¡¯t deny that. Anyway, about the exploration. We¡¯ll have to¡ª¡±

 Chapter 113: Two Heroes and a Royal 7

    ¡°Hey, uh¡­ Right, Maize! Maize, we need to talk.¡± Kanna approached Maize with her hand waving along the way. ¡°And haven¡¯t seen for a while.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Miss Erina, Lady Kanna. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Maize turned his eyes from the training ground to Kanna and Erina. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Lia is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lady Kanna, please, let me handle this.¡± Erina interrupted.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Sir Maize. Please gather a forth of Her Highness¡¯s troops. You will lead them to Academia and receive orders from Her Highness.¡±


    Maize expressed an uncanny smile. ¡°Seems like Her Highness managed to escape from His Majesty¡¯s grasp. Aside from that, any orders that came from Her Highness? And the proof of course. You know I can¡¯t have Her Highness¡¯s guards move without verifying the authenticity of the orders.¡±


    ¡°The letter has been placed in your office. Please read the details there,¡± Erina replied.


    ¡°Hey, hey. Maize, what about the two Enarfs here? Where are they?¡± Kanna scanned the training ground and found no signs of her brethren.


    ¡°Them? They are out on the foot of Alabaster. They said we need a proper place for the Wyverns to land and take off. It does make sense though. We can¡¯t have them actively around the fief and eyeing the cattle. They also scare unaccustomed citizens.¡±


    ¡°That so? Then can you prepare me a horse or two? I need to fetch them.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Maize turned to the training ground and shouted, ¡°Kasta! Come over here!¡±


    A few seconds later, Kasta arrived in front of Maize with a snappy salute. ¡°Your orders, captain.¡±


    ¡°Escort Kanna to where the other Enarfs are. Use the warhorses to get there and accomplish whatever she needs as fast as you could. Now, go!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Kasta turned to Kanna and said, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way, Lady Kanna.¡±


    ¡°Sure, thanks!¡± Kanna waved her hand and left with Kasta.


    ¡°I believe both of you arrived using the wyverns.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erina responded.


    ¡°Guess you didn¡¯t notice an open area while passing Alabaster?¡±


    ¡°We did. However, informing you is the topmost priority. Her Highness needs you to mobilize as fast as you can. Please consider it as an emergency. If possible, please only bring a minimal amount of equipment.¡±


    Maize whistled. ¡°That¡¯s quite the sudden order. I wonder what got Her Highness rushing for time.¡±


    ¡°Things happened.¡±


    Maize chuckled. ¡°Guess I have to ask Her Highness herself.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Nevertheless, please read the document in your office. Time is of the essence.¡±


    ¡°Got that.¡± Maize turned to the training ground and informed his troops to continue their training and left with Erina. He left the training ground with a somewhat intrigued smile. ¡°Finally we¡¯re talking,¡± he whispered under his breath.


    <hr>


    ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± Lara asked herself. ¡°Where?¡±


    Lara sat on her chair in her private chamber, staring at an empty corner of the room. Her eyes bore no hint of light. Resting between her left hand and the armrest was an obsidian crystalline clip.


    ¡°It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of her. I don¡¯t understand. Why did she let her go? You¡¯re being a hypocrite, Amelia. You stand for justice. You uphold the law as much as you can. Now you are letting her off with a minor punishment?¡±


    Lara clenched her hands into a fist. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Is it because she is family¡­? You are being too lenient, Amelia¡­ She was trying to get you killed. She hated you so much. Why can¡¯t you understand? It¡¯s for your good that you get rid of her¡­ It¡¯s for the good of Laurel¡­ As well as Brent¡­ it¡¯s for the good of everyone¡­¡±


    Lara grabbed the neckline of her dress and clutched an object underneath. She gritted her teeth and held the object as tight as she could. Eventually, tears ran down her cheek and she began to sob.


    ¡°It¡¯s my only chance¡­ My only chance and yet¡­ you are denying me.¡± Lara sniffed. ¡°Why do you deny me?! You too, Grandmother! You were known to be the most logical person around and yet you are submitting to your emotions!¡±


    Lara voiced her emotions, alone.


    ¡°You listened to me! You believed me! And I helped you! I helped you to establish what Laurel is now! And now this?!¡± Lara bit her lip until a drip of blood reached the edge of her tongue. ¡°If it¡¯s familial love, then show me some too! I am your Granddaughter after all! But no! No¡­! No¡­¡±


    Lara kept sobbing in silence for a few minutes.


    ¡°What should I do¡­ The war is inevitable¡­ The Heroes will fall. The last bastion is Academia¡­¡± Lara hung her head to the side like a lifeless doll. ¡°Everything¡­ will fall. Even the combined strength of two nations was unable to handle him¡­ He is¡­ too strong.¡±


    Silence enveloped the solemn room in the middle of the day.


    Under her breath, Lara managed to pour some mana into the object near the neckline of her dress and whisper, ¡°Play.¡±


    A series of light intertwined from underneath Lara¡¯s dress and managed to find its way into the open space. The lights swirled around until it formed a series of colors, then forming an image. Eventually, the image moved.


    [I made two of it. One is made from quicksilver, the other¡­ Well¡­ Orichalcum. It¡¯s the only thing we managed to make out of the vein we found in Alabaster. I know it¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s probably the best we can create. Probably the only weapon we can create than can withstand a battle against that monster.]


    ¡°Garfin¡­¡± Lara whispered.


    [We¡¯ll move east from here. It seems the flames of the recent war will soon reach this place so the Tribe will move out. Some will probably move underground, the others, land, and air. Some will stay to retain the communication between the separate search, but¡­ At best, it will only probably take a month or so to find a new settlement.]


    ¡°¡­¡±


    [Sorry Lara. But if you want to look for me next time, you¡¯ll have to search for the Tribe on your own. Leaving marks on our way is not the best idea for the Tribe. So, here, take both of these. It¡¯s my masterpiece, so, use it well.]


    ¡°Garfin¡­¡±


    [Farewell, Lara. I hope we see each other again in the future.]


    ¡°So much has changed¡­ Garfin¡­¡± Lara mustered her strength on her feet and stood. ¡°The course of time is vastly different¡­ The Tribe is¡­ still here. But why? Why is it gradually returning to that point? I tried my best to divert from that crisis. Is it inevitable? Ah¡­ Gareth¡­ should I return and accept the outcome? Or should I use it one last time?¡±


    The moving images began to distort and followed behind Lara as she walked towards the balcony. The image then formed a scene in a small room with a sphere of mist and a girl.


    [Lara. For such a long time, you are my first visitor. The first person to reach this realm. I commend you for that.]


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Realm, you say?¡± Lara asked from the playback behind her.


    [Yes. It has occurred to me after a long time. Time is not a simple matter of past, present, and future. It is far more complicated than I have ever thought. Far complicated than the knowledge of the Heroes I met.]


    ¡°I quite frankly don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Gareth, the sphere of mist, chuckled. [Yes, of course. It¡¯s not a subject that anyone would understand.]


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    [In a simple term. This is a passage that will allow you to do over what was once done. If you once wished to divert the war before it reached this point, then this is the place to be.]


    Lara¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Do over?! You mean I can go back in time and make things right?!¡±


    [Yes.]


    ¡°Then, please! Let me do so!¡± The girl voiced with both eagerness and hatred.


    Gareth¡¯s chuckle resounded within the small room. [Your resolve to change what was done overpowers your sense of doubt. Have you not thought that I may be lying to you?]


    ¡°No. You¡¯ve said it, right? You knew about the war and its outcome. You may have no physical body but you have retained your memory and will. That is enough for me to think that you are something exceptional.¡±


    [Ooh. To be complimented after such a long time feels great.]


    ¡°In any case, I¡¯m Lara. You are?¡±


    [Gareth. The master of this stronghold.]


    Gareth and Lara chatted for a while, trying to know more of each other.


    ¡°Gareth, I have a question that has long since been bothering me.¡±


    [Go ahead.]


    ¡°Why did you open this passage to me? And why aren¡¯t you at the bottom-most part of this stronghold? It doesn¡¯t make sense at all.¡±


    [Like I told you before, I can observe anything far from here, correct?]


    ¡°Yes, you did. But it¡¯s limited to this plane of existence, right? And even though we are in a realm connected to different times you can only observe the present from outside the stronghold, right?¡±


    [Yes. Observing other realms is something I was never able to achieve. They may be an entirely different world from this which is why I cannot peek inside them.]


    ¡°So?¡±


    [Remember the war? Pretty much everyone from Brent was dead except for you. The others were kept as prisoners.]


    ¡°¡­¡±


    [The war continued after winter. Brent was overwhelmed and was pushed back. Libet took the chance to pincer the enemy from behind at a bad time. The enemy forces were forced to overrun Brent and they managed to break through which led to Brent¡¯s ruin.]


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    [The forces eventually reached the capital as the King tried to retreat. Then that being that led the enemy forces appeared in the castle and¡ª]


    ¡°Please stop¡­¡± Lara interrupted. ¡°Please.¡±


    [And everything fell apart. The King managed to reach the capital after being surrounded by enemy forces. But it was too late. The Queen was dead.]


    Lara shirked and looked to her feet. ¡°Mother died protecting me¡­¡±


    [But you lived. That being killed everyone connected to Royalty. But that being allowed you to live.]


    ¡°Yes¡­ I still don¡¯t understand why¡­ Why spare me and me alone?¡±


    [He did not mean to spare you, Lara. That is what made me interested in you.]


    Lara lifted her head. ¡°Huh?¡±


    [I have been observing that day. That being did not mean to spare anyone. That being simply forgot about you. It lost sight of you.]


    ¡°Huh? I was there¡­ I was beside Mother until her last breath¡­¡± Lara¡¯s hands quivered. She recalled the blood on her hands as she caressed her Mother¡¯s corpse.


    [Because someone intervened. Someone stronger than that being.]


    ¡°Who?¡± Tears ran down Lara¡¯s face. ¡°If that being is far stronger than him, then why didn¡¯t it stop him from committing genocide?¡±


    [I hope to understand just like you. But the truth remains. That being saved you. Regarding why, I don¡¯t know. I cannot find a link between the two of you.]


    ¡°What did it look like?!¡± Lara tried to grasp Gareth out of reflex and tumbled forward.


    [It was distorted, unfortunately. It was as if it anticipated me observing the events. But I saw the same distortion each time a Hero went berserk. But the sequence of events after that being appears will shortly be removed from my memory. To think that being can reach me in this realm and alter my memory¡­ It¡¯s frightening¡­ I never thought such a being existed.]


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s more mythical than the beings that started the great disaster?¡± Lara turned around with confusion painted all over her face.


    [I can¡¯t tell. The beings of the great disaster had no qualms of me observing their work. I was elated at the fact that I managed to see my effort come to fruition. But I was na?ve. External factors were not the only problem. Nevertheless, nothing exceptional happened to the bastion after the beings of the great disaster slept once more.]


    ¡°¡­¡± Lara was at a loss for words. She found it hard to process the information she was given with her knowledge.


    [I apologize. It was an understatement. Life sprouted once more after some time. It was as if life was born from nothing.]


    ¡°Life¡­ restarted anew after the great disaster?¡±


    [Yes. It was as if the life took by the great disaster was given a new life in a new world. It was astonishing. Just gaining knowledge of it sparked the start of opposing factions within the bastion.]


    ¡°Was it the reason why there are no longer residents inside the bastion? The labyrinth of Academia?¡±


    [The bastion was supposed to house life for an indefinite time. But of course, people eventually yearned the life outside. The notion that they are kept like birds in a cage rose. Then one event led to another until it went out of control. At that point, I had to disable the barrier. It was my greatest mistake. A great mistake.]


    [I should have never done it,] Gareth voiced with regret. [If I had not disabled the barrier, this place would have still been teeming with people from different races.]


    ¡°¡­¡±


    [Unknown beings began to descend after I disabled the barrier. They each claimed that they were there to protect a specific race and demanded that they are removed from the bastion. They despised the idea that the races are living together. They claimed it would not work out in the long run and that they should meet their respective Gods. It was chaotic.]


    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you reactivate the barrier?¡± Lara brushed off her tears.


    [I wish I could. They were already inside the protection range of the barrier. So, I could do nothing but watch. At the least, I realized they are unable to penetrate the same barrier that the great disaster failed to breach.]


    ¡°What happened afterward?¡±


    [Eventually, their memories were wiped out and were taken by those unknown beings. It did not happen to all the races inside the bastion, but a great sum vanished. From then on, the bastion which originally needed all the races inside working together became too difficult to maintain. The beasts too inside became difficult to handle until a few broke loose and caused a disaster¡­ In the end, everyone was wiped out.]


    ¡°¡­¡±


    [I wished to restart over. I wanted to retry all over again and fix the holes I¡¯ve missed. I wanted to show the Heroes who sacrificed themselves for this bastion that their life was not for naught. But it¡¯s impossible now. My quest for immortality disabled me from traveling through time. My physical body¡­ rotted away. Now I am only left with my soul and will, forever trapped in this chamber.]


    ¡°Heroes sacrificed themselves for this place?¡±


    [Yes. For us to protect this place, a seemingly impossible feat was needed. One was a seemingly infinite supply of mana. That we covered by creating an inverted tower where the bottom-most part was dedicated to absorbing mana from underneath.]


    ¡°There is mana underneath?¡±


    [Yes. It can power this bastion without problems. However, mana alone is not enough. A massive magic circle was needed. For that, each floor of the bastion starting from below until the very surface constitutes that magic circle. I pride myself on it as the greatest and most intricate magic circle in history.]


    Lara was at a loss for words. ¡°E-every floor?¡±


    [Yes. Then the last ingredient was the catalyst. I have tried using Orichalcum to best of its abilities, but it is not enough. Orichalcum can do the job for a while but it does not last. Afterward, after a silly joke, we accidentally found that the Heroes themselves can act as catalysts. To be specific, their gifts can act as catalysts. But in exchange, they had to forfeit their life¡­ Eventually, we called those catalysts as God fragments.]


    ¡°God fragments¡­¡±


    [It was the greatest breakthrough in our history. Those God fragments far surpassed Orichalcum. However, we never published its discovery.]


    ¡°Since people will exploit Heroes?¡±


    [Yes. As their comrade, I could not allow it. I cannot allow that they will live their life simply as a tool by force.]


    ¡°I can image that.¡±


    [Which makes me think. It¡¯s possible that the distorted being was aiming for those God fragments. It seems it was specifically targeting Heroes alone. If it was the case, what was it used for? Just counting how many it has in its possession makes me shudder¡­]


    ¡°But it has not brought harm, has it?¡±


    [Yes, it has not. But we can¡¯t say for the future. Just imagine, this bastion is powered by ten of those fragments. I was able to observe that the distorted being approached Heroes in berserk more than twice than what this bastion has. Just imagine how much power it could possibly possess with it. Look, this bastion can repel the great disaster as well as those unknown beings with ten.]


    ¡°But it saved me¡­ right? But I wish it saved my siblings as well as my parents¡­¡± Lara crouched and hugged her knees.


    [Yes, it saved you. That powerful being saved you. And you can still do things over. You still have a physical body unlike me. Which is why¡­]


    ¡°Which is why you allowed me to reach this place?¡±


    [Yes. If that being is protecting you, then you have the highest chance to meet it.]


    ¡°Do you want to know more about it?¡±


    [Perhaps, yes. But I want to know if its intentions are good or not. If it is good, please tell it to destroy me.]


    ¡°W-why?¡± Lara was taken aback.


    [I have lived my life long enough. It has long been time for me to relinquish the title of the greatest Dwarf and pass the Dwarf God¡¯s Tool. But I cannot just leave this bastion. If there is no master, everything will go out of control. The fragments will be released and will spell disaster if it was not handled properly.]


    ¡°You want to shut down this place for good?¡±


    [Yes. It¡¯s my last wish. In return, I will give you the tool I made to see the future. Use it for your personal gain. Use it to correct things from the past or advance to the future. It¡¯s your call, Lara. Just know that whatever the timeline, this realm will stay. But be wary, this gift can only be used two more times.]


    ¡°¡­ I haven¡¯t met it till now, Gareth. I wonder if it¡¯s avoiding me¡­¡± Lara, in her own chamber, muttered. ¡°I tried searching, but I found nothing. There are no records. There are no sightings or anything that matches its actions. Nevertheless, I cannot wait for one of the Heroes to go berserk. Perhaps Meiko will in time as she explores the bastion. However, war is coming¡­¡±


    Lara released her clutch on the object above her chest.


    ¡°Suppose Liz was out of the picture, Libet would have never gained the information for that fake pincer. The capital wouldn¡¯t have fallen. That traitor¡­ should not live.¡±


    Lara gripped the nearby curtain. ¡°Brent¡¯s fall was predetermined. It was planned so that Libet, Laurel, and Academia can attack from all sides when it occupied the center of Brent. But the effort was wasted. Liz¡¯s attempt to make Mark gain honors in battle backfired and everything went to ruin. It was all for petty personal greed¡­¡±


    Lara took a deep breath and cleared out her raging emotions. She wiped her tears and fixed her disheveled hair. Once she clipped a part of her hair on the back, her silver hair became brown.


    ¡°I have to find a fix for this¡­¡±

 Been a While

    Hello,


    It''s been a while. I haven''t written for a long while. The major reason is well, work. I''ve been stable in my new work and is now a regular. Though that doesn''t mean I have free time now.


    I want to keep going to be honest, but I''m at a point where I restarted consuming a lot of things. Novels, Manga, and more backlogs that piled so much I could no longer ignore them. I''m not sure when it will end since it doesn''t consume as much time and effort compared to writing. But it''s not like my backlog is infinite. I''m actually burning through them at a fast rate.


    Another reason I stopped for a moment is I myself is somewhat lost how to tackle the labrynth. I have the end goal, but I''m lacking convincing pieces to get to that goal.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    At the moment, I''m writing a very long summary from start to finish. It''s about Amelia talking about her life and the events that passed while skimming though a lot of information. I''m not entirely sure when I''ll finish it but I''m debating of whether to publish it here or not since it will ultimately conatin spoilers from where I last stopped writing.


    Also, spoiler ahead.


    Spoiler: Spoiler<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    Silver Amelia is just part of a long series. You can consider it as one Major Arc while the Arcs inside are Mini Arcs. I''m pretty stupid for doing it like that, to be honest. I want to kill myself sometimes. If I do publish the long summary, I guess you guys can guess what I''m referring to. There is a huge shift in things after Silver Amelia after all.


    Anyway, I''ll try to keep writing. But I''ll no longer have a schedule. I''ll write when I can.

 Risen from the dead?

    It''s been a very long time. Very long. So much has happened, but here I am.


    I noticed some people have read my work and commented and even reviewed while I was out. Thank you so much. I never knew even though I stopped working on it for various reasons, I still managed to get some people read about Amelia.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    On to the topic. Am I going to continue Silver Amelia? I''m honestly not sure. I want to continue, but so much have been lost to time. But what I''m sure of, I''m currently preparing things to start writing again. In a week or two, I''ll probably start posting again. I just need to get myself up to speed.