...
"...Ugh... Everything hurts..."
My body felt like a sack of broken glass. Even blinking sent dull throbs through my skull. The moonlight streaming through the windows painted the room in silver, but all I could focus on was the ache in every muscle.
Where... am I?
Blinking away the haze, I recognized the Emerald Room's jewel-toned drapes and gilded furniture. Fleda slumped in a chair beside my bed, her cheek squished against the armrest. Alruna sprawled on a sofa across the room, her snores faintly harmonizing with the wind. The massive bed—meant for royalty—was reserved for me alone, my battered body swathed in bandages and gauze.
They must've been terrified, I thought.
Just imagine, coming back from a city tour to find your older sister unconscious and covered in injuries. If that happened to Fleda, I'm sure I'd instantly panic.
I shifted, wincing as the sting of half-healed burns flared.
How long was I out?
The duel with Karl flashed in fragments—lightning serpents, searing steam, the pendant's blue glow saving my neck.
"Ugh!" I pressed my head as the pain relapsed. "...Before that, bathroom. I can't hold it anymore..."
Gritting my teeth, I grabbed Audiganus leaning against the bedside. The sword's familiar weight steadied me as I hobbled upright.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The cane-like rhythm of Audiganus's pommel against floor echoed too loudly in the silent halls. Every step jarred my injuries, but the call of nature brooked no argument.
As usual, not a single maid or knight was visible in this part of the Northern Estate. The only time when the estate seemed to come alive with staff was in the late afternoon. I didn't know why, but every evening, several maids and knights would patrol around here.
Having gone back and forth to the bathroom a few times before, I now knew the way by heart. Still, the journey stretched endlessly, each corridor colder and longer than the last.
...
"Augh... finally made it..."
It took extraordinary effort just to answer nature's call. But in the end, my struggle would soon be rewarded with sweet relief.
...
"Time to head back to the room."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As I turned to go back to the room, footsteps echoed ahead—rapid, frantic. The sound grew louder, meaning someone was running towards me.
Who could be running around the hallway in the middle of the night?
"—Sis!!!"
As I turned the corner of the hallway, I could clearly see who it was. With her sweet voice and distinctive way of calling me "Sis," who else but my super-cute younger sister—Fleda? Tears streamed down her face as she came to a stop, her chest heaving.
"You... You idiot!" she choked out, fists trembling. "Why didn't you tell us!?"
"Geez, your sister just went to the bathroom. I don't have to tell you that."
"Not that, you idiot sister!" Fleda grabbed my shoulders. "We came back to find you half dead! Alruna lost it—she stormed off at Karl! I could only stand by your side, staring at your nearly burnt body! And, and—" Her words dissolved into sobs.
Guilt twisted my gut. "I'm sorry..."
"...You're always sorry!" She buried her face in my chest, voice muffled against my chest, shaking with sobs. "Stop... hic... hiding things! We're family!"
Hot tears soaked through my shirt, each sob a tiny earthquake against my ribs. "I know." I stroked her hair, my throat tight. "I'll do better. Promise."
A half-lie. I'm not even sure I can do it next time.
I have chosen this path. To shoulder the burden myself. It was a choice made time and again, a silent vow etched into my soul. And I'll choose it again, a thousand times over.
Because in the end, the faint curve of Fleda's smile, the bright sound of Alruna's laughter, those were the treasures I guarded more fiercely than my own life. For those precious glimpses of joy, I would gladly bear any weight, carry any secret, endure any pain.
...
"Done?" I asked gently after a while.
"Mmhmm!" Fleda nodded, pulling back slightly, her eyes red and puffy from crying.
"...Sorry, Fleda," I said, wincing slightly as I shifted my weight. "But could you help your injured sister back to the room?"
"Of course!"
Leaning on Audiganus—and Fleda—I limped back slowly to the Emerald Room. She sniffled, recounting the aftermath:
When Fleda and Alruna returned from their tour of the city, Karl informed them I had collapsed in the Emerald Room. Before they could see me, I had been treated by Karl's maids.
He had coldly informed them of my "training accident." Alruna, piecing together the truth, had raged to confront him, only to find his study locked.
"You've been out a day," Fleda muttered. "Alruna's been crying nonstop, blaming herself even when she's asleep."
One day?
That's why my wounds still screamed as if fresh.I'd actually hoped I'd sleep longer, maybe three days would have been enough to fully recover.
Back in bed, Fleda gently tucked the blankets around me. "I've lost count of how many times this has happened. You passed out for days after doing stupid things to protect people you hold dear. I beg you, Sis, don't scare us too much. I'm afraid, one day, you'll be gone forever."
"...I'll try," I whispered, the promise feeling hollow even to my own ears.
While Fleda slept, I picked up the pendant that saved my life. It lay shattered on the nightstand. No words express my gratitude to Beiyang for this seemingly simple piece of jewelry.
I remembered the moment. The sound of Bernefons falling, my eyes squeezed shut. Instead of pain, there was a loud crack. A blue barrier appeared and stopped the blade a hair's breadth from my neck. It shattered the gem but bought me seconds I need to survive. Beiyang, in his enigmatic way, must have foreseen the danger. However, I don't think he meant it to be used outside of Ferderuchus.
A moment later, the adrenaline faded, and a wave of profound exhaustion pulled me down into the darkness. The image of the broken pendant clutched in my hand was the last thing I registered.
***
A week slipped by like sand through fingers. My wounds, once angry and raw, had faded into pale scars and occasional twinges. Life in the Gustav estate settled into an uneasy calm—no shouting matches between Alruna and Karl, no clandestine duels.
Alruna's fury had dulled to a smolder, thanks to Fleda's relentless cheer and my half-hearted reassurances. Even the memory of my near-death clash with Karl felt surreal now, a badge of stubborn pride rather than terror.
Five minutes against a living legend. Not bad for a nobody.
"How's breakfast?" Fleda chirped, nudging a porcelain plate toward me. Sunlight streamed through the Emerald Room's stained-glass windows, dappling the table in jeweled hues.
I poked at a flaky pastry oozing amber honey. "Sweet. Different."
"Ehehe! That's because I made it!" She perched on the edge of her chair, eyes sparkling. "The maids finally let me into the kitchen after I bribed them with samples. Took three batches to convince them!"
"Oh, that explains it." I munched on the pastry. Its texture and sweetness tasted heavenly with every bite. "Why didn't you just let the servants prepare the meal?"
"Well... living like a noble for a week made me afraid of losing my cooking skills."
"Clever girl." I reached over, ruffling her lavender-scented hair. It felt like petting a cat with incredibly thick fur. "Thanks, Fleda."
"S-Stop!" She swatted my hand, cheeks blooming pink.
Still so easily flustered, I see.
We were alone—Alruna had vanished at dawn for one of her "adventures". I heard she was touring the city, visiting various places to buy supplements for my recovery.
The room felt too quiet without her melodramatic sighs. Fleda, however, hovered like a mother hen. She forbade me to go outside, even though most of my injuries had healed and I could walk normally again.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Not Alruna, but Karl's stone-faced maid—a woman carved from marble, her posture rigid, voice flat as parchment.
"Good morning. His Grace requests your presence. All of you: Lady Adele, Lady Fleda, and Lady Alruna. The meeting will commence once the other are located. I am to accompany you."
Fleda blinked, pastry halfway to her mouth. "Uh... okay?"
"Why?" I asked, suspicion prickling.
"His Lordship did not specify."
Of course.His games were never straightforward.
"Can you walk?" Fleda fretted, eyeing my bandaged forearm.
"Yes, Mom," I deadpanned, heaving myself up. Audiganus leaned against the bedpost, but I left it—no need to tempt fate. "Let's go."
With that, the three of us left the estate to search for Alruna.
***
"S—such a lovely morning, isn't it?"
Silence.
"...Care to share your name?"
Silence.
This was unbearable. Every attempt to chat with the stone-faced maid trailing us died at her lips. She shadowed us like a specter, her expression as readable as a blank scroll. I had initially thought she might be approachable, but if I had known it would be like this, I might as well have been talking to a brick wall.
"Ah, look, Sis!" Fleda suddenly exclaimed, pointing towards something across the street.
"What is it!? Is that Alruna!?" My heart leaped.
"No, Sis. That. The necklace is pretty." Fleda's finger remained pointed, not at a person, but at a shop window.
...
I sighed.
Subtle as a thunderclap, as always.
The pendant was beautiful—a teardrop gem the color of twilight, cradled in silver filigree. Fleda's fingers hovered over it, her cheeks pink with longing. She'd been eyeing my own blue gemstone—Beiyang's parting gift, and my... icy locket—for days.
The jewelry store's sign—an iron cross—immediately identified it as a reputable establishment backed by the Guild. Its exterior suggested a blend of elegance and security, not a place for casual browsing. This wasn't a market stall; this was a high-end jeweler catering to a discerning clientele. I braced myself, knowing this was going to be an expensive morning.
"Alright, alright, Fleda. I'll buy it for you."
"Yaay!! Thank you, Sis!" Fleda jumped up and down, her face lighting up with pure joy.
"Haa... you only act like that because you know your puppy-dog eyes are my weakness, don't you?" I teased, playfully pinching her cheek.
"Tehe!" Such a manipulative little sister. I hoped I had enough money to buy the necklace.
Kring! The bell above the shop door jingled as we entered.
The shopkeeper, a stout man with shrewd eyes and a neatly trimmed beard, emerged from the shadowed interior of the shop, his gaze instantly drawn to the captivated Fleda.
He wore a slightly worn but still presentable tunic, and his hands looked calloused, suggesting he was more than just a merchant but likely also involved in the crafting or acquisition of his wares.
"How much?" I asked him.
"1000 Gulden, miss."
I winced.
Almost all of my savings for a shiny rock?
It was beautiful, no doubt, the blue gemstone catching the light with an alluring sparkle, but a thousand Gulden felt like robbery.
Before I could even begin to haggle, the maid stepped forward, her presence suddenly more imposing. Her black uniform, trimmed with stark white accents at the collar and cuffs, spoke of a certain authority.
On the left breast, embroidered in silver thread, was the unmistakable heraldic symbol of a lion rampant—the emblem of Gaede, and the Gustav itself. Her voice was glacial, brooking no argument. "This is Blue Baron quartz. Mined cheaply in Aragon mountain caves. Market value: 400 Gulden at best."
The shopkeeper paled. His eyes darted nervously to the maid's uniform, the implications of crossing the Gustav family's maid clearly dawning on him.
"W-Well, with the trade routes snowed in and winter shortages—"
"350 Gulden," the maid interrupted. "Final offer."
Truth, my Law whispered. The man wasn't lying—just desperate.
"Deal," I muttered, tossing him the agreed-upon coins, feeling a slight sting at the dent in my purse but knowing it was still a fair price.
Fleda squealed with delight, clasping the necklace to her chest like a holy relic.
"Thank you, Sis! I'll cherish it forever!" She threw her arms around me, her hair tickling my chin in her enthusiastic embrace. Worth every single penny, I thought, smiling down at her radiant face.
"And... thank you," I said to the maid, who stood statue-still. "What's your name? 'Maid' feels... impersonal."
...Yep, just as usual. She didn't answer our questions again.
"—Childa." A voice, soft yet clear, finally broke the silence. "Richilda Gaede."
Finally!
A smile pulled at the corners of my lips. "Alright. Thank you, Richilda."
***
The western market thrummed with chaos—a symphony of clattering carts, haggling merchants, and the sharp tang of spices hanging thick in the frostbitten air. Fleda darted ahead, her new sapphire necklace catching the pale winter sun as she wove through stalls piled high with dried herbs, enchanted trinkets, and bolts of fabric dyed in Gaede's signature cobalt hues. Richilda followed like a shadow, her boots crunching rhythmically over the cobblestones.
Then I saw it—the Gustav family carriage.
A monstrosity of polished ebony wood and silver filigree, its crest—a lion rampant—gleamed ominously beside a cramped apothecary shop. The horses stamped impatiently, their breath fogging the air as a harried stable boy adjusted their frost-crusted bridles.
The shop's door opened.
Alruna stumbled out, her arms wrapped around a burlap satchel bulging with herbs. The wind had torn strands from her usually pristine golden hair. Her cheeks were flushed—not from the cold, but from what looked like a heated argument. She froze when she spotted us, her blue eyes narrowing at Richilda.
"What's she doing here?" Alruna spat, clutching the satchel tighter.
Up close, I caught the scent of dried elderflower and witchroot—ingredients I recognized from the bitter tonics she'd forced down my throat all week.
"Karl summoned us," I said, though the words tasted sour.
"Of course he did." Her laugh was brittle. She thrust the satchel at me. "Here. Moonbloom tea for inflammation, frostpine resin for scarring. The apothecary tried to swindle me, but—" She glanced at Richilda, bitterness sharpening her tone. "—I've learned a trick or two about haggling from certain people."
"Alruna, you didn't have to—"
"Don't." She cut me off, her voice cracking. "Just... drink the damned tea."
Fleda sidled up, her fingers brushing the sapphire at her throat. "Please, come with us. Your father might listen if we're all there."
Alruna stared at the carriage, her jaw clenched.
For a heartbeat, I thought she'd run back to the apothecary, the stables, anywhere but the castle. Then her shoulders slumped, defeat etching lines into her youthful face.
"Fine. But if he so much as mentions the betrothal, I'm throwing this—" She shook the satchel. "—at his head."
Richilda stepped forward, her voice devoid of inflection. "Let us go. His Lordship dislikes delays."
"His Lordship can choke on a frostpine needle," Alruna muttered, storming past her into the carriage.
...
The ride back was suffocating.
Alruna sat rigid, the satchel of herbs a barricade on her lap. Fleda hummed nervously, tracing her necklace's gemstone. Richilda stared blankly ahead, a living portrait of obedience.
Through the window, Gaede's spires loomed, their peaks veiled in clouds as dark as Karl's reputation.
As the drawbridge groaned beneath us, Alruna finally spoke, her whisper barely audible over the carriage's creaks. "He's going to use you. Just like he uses everyone."
I leaned back, the moonbloom tea suddenly heavy in my hands. "Don't worry. We'll just use him back."
Her smile was thin, fleeting. "Optimist."
I corrected her, "You have to have a broad perspective if you're ambitious."
But as the carriage rolled into the shadow of the Gustav estate gates, even I couldn't swallow the lie whole.
***