"My apologies, Your Highness," said the Countess as she bowed. "I wish we could have prepared something more for your visit."

"It's fine," Christina replied, motioning for them to raise their heads. "It is my fault for not informing you sooner of our arrival. Something unexpected happened during our travels, and we wish to rest here for a few days. I hope we are not inconveniencing you."

The Countess raised her head and straightened her back to her full length. The woman was tall, comparable to even Maria. Although slim, she was imposing, displaying her pride with every action. She nevertheless remained courteous with the Princess, observing decorum. Despite being in her forties, she looked no older than her late twenties. A gentle smile graced her lips, accentuating her beauty, yet a sadness couldn't be hidden in the depths of her eyes.

"Not at all, Your Highness. This castle belongs to the Royal Family. We are simply its caretaker. Feel free to stay as long as you like. My husband and I are honoured to host you."

"Speaking of which, I see your husband isn't here. Is there anything that requires his attention?"

"There have been reports of a disturbance near the Northern Forest. My husband has gone with his knights to investigate. He should return in a few days."

I see, Christina thought while sipping the offered tea. The forest has indeed been strange lately. I wonder if this has anything to do with our encounter.

"What about your son?" Christina asked. "I heard he came back from the Capital. Did he also go investigate?"

A strange expression flashed on the Countess' face at the mention of her son.

"No," she said reluctantly. Before she could say anything more, the young woman beside her interrupted her.

"Hmmph! He's in Redwaters, making a fool of himself," she said.

She seemed no more than twelve years old, but she carried herself with a maturity that exceeded her age. Despite her childish features, she was beautiful, much like the Countess.

"You don't get along with your brother?"

"That fool only has women on his mind," she replied. "He completely ignores his duties and only plays around all day. Even now, when Father is personally investigating disturbances, that idiot is in town wasting our money on that woman."

The Countess' expression darkened substantially at the mention of "that woman." It wasn't something unusual for countryside nobles to play around with women. Usually, Christina wouldn't pay any attention to such matters, but Redwaters was a sensitive subject. It was much too important to be left in the hands of a fool.

"He may be somewhat disappointing, but he is your older brother," the Countess scolded her daughter. "Show him some respect."

"I will when he deserves it!" she replied.

The young lady's pep couldn't help but make Christina smile. She remembered her childhood years when she was that blunt and direct. She would run around the castle grounds with Maria, causing all sorts of mischief. Those days were long gone, however, as the position of Princess weighed on her. She had too much responsibility now. She wished she could be so free and unfettered, speaking her mind so freely. She now had many expectations on her shoulders. Although the pressure was immense, she also felt pride. That pride is what allowed her to go on.

"Please forgive her outburst, your Highness," the Countess said. "She is still young, and her brother is a delicate subject."

"Think nothing of it. We have all been young at some point. Although I find it hard to believe that simply being a philanderer could sour their relationship that much."

The young girl opened her mouth to speak; a fire raged in her eyes, but the Countess promptly covered it with both hands before any words were uttered. Christina looked dumbfounded at the display; even the Countess looked helpless, then sighed.

"My apologies, but this is too shameful to be spoken aloud. Please understand," the Countess said.

Christina waved her hand, indicating that all was fine.

"You must be tired," the Countess said, relieved. "I've had my people prepare your rooms. Unfortunately, we just have enough for you and your attendants. Not to worry; the barracks are large enough for all your knights if that suits you."

"It's fine; I appreciate it," the Princess replied. "At this point, anything is better than sleeping outdoors."

"I wish you could join us for dinner, your Highness. Although my husband won't be present, I wish to talk to you again. I hardly leave this place and wish to hear more about your journey. Of course, your attendants are also welcomed to join us."

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"Of course, it will be my pleasure, Countess."

"In that case, we will see you later," said the Countess as both women stood and bowed. "Have a nice rest, and I hope you enjoy your stay."

As the women left the room, the Princess' party was led towards the left wing of the castle. While traversing the halls, Christina remarked on the castle's peculiar architecture. Unlike the Royal Palace, this castle was a military stronghold through and through.

The walls were stone, and the windows were reinforced with steel bars. The walls looked the same except for the occasional decorations, which the Countess probably added later to lighten the atmosphere. Sturdy was the best word to describe this place.

After a few minutes of walking, the group finally reached their assigned rooms. Contrary to her expectations, a certain warmth could be gleamed from Christina's room.

The Countess certainly outdid herself, she thought.

Although the room was built the same way as the rest of the castle, the thoughtful furniture and decorations made it much more inviting. As usual, Claire and Richard combed the room for dangers. When none were found, they bid farewell to the Princess and left for their own rooms; only Maria stayed behind.

Maria approached a window from which one could see the Acrean Forest in the distance. A dense sea of trees blanketed the land up north. Summer had ended, making way for autumn, which dyed the wild lands in its colours, making for a beautiful landscape. Yet, Maria only felt apprehension. These woods were not meant for their kind.

Even further, an enormous belt of mountains blocked the horizon as if demarcating the world's edge. Their summits were enveloped in eternal ice and snow that blended smoothly into the clouds above. The mighty Red River, through which the city derived its name, flowed southwards, dividing the forest into two equal lands. Over eons, the unending flow carved its way through the rocks, creating a massive valley where wildlife flourished nestled between the peaks.

Beyond the edge lay the Northern Federation, Maria thought. This natural fortress is the only thing preventing these fanatics from laying their dirty hands on this country.

She shook her head to dismiss these unimportant reflections and pivoted to the matter at hand.

"The Countess doesn't seem happy with our visit," Maria said as she gazed into the distance. "Despite her warm greetings, her expressions seemed forced, somehow."

"Understandable," Christina replied as she slipped from her clothes and buried herself into the fluffy bed. "How would you react if a bunch of people arrived unannounced, and you had to serve them yourself?"

Maria turned around and watched the Princess cheerfully rolling around in bed, a smile on her face.

"Still," she said after a moment's reflection. "Something feels off—the forest, for one. Although we were only on the outskirts, everything seemed normal. What could have happened to force the Count to investigate himself? Also, something the daughter said has been on my mind."

"The woman she mentioned?" Christina said as she stood up, satisfied.

"Indeed, from what I've heard in the Capital, the son never got attached to a single woman. Now that he's returned to the territory, he's immediately infatuated with one."

"True, if this were anywhere else, I wouldn't care much, but this is worth investigating. It would be troublesome if the heir of Count Burnwood could be so easily manipulated. Anyway, we'll know more once we meet the man. What concerns me more is the forest. It has been much more restless in recent years. Incidents like these have been countless since the start of the war."

"According to the other knight's orders reports, more monsters have been sighted. There was even one instance of a high-ranking monster appearing near a village bordering the forest. Fortunately, the Black Knight Order was nearby and repelled it without much damage. Honestly, we were lucky not to encounter anything while in there. It is not a place for people to be in."

Christina thought back to their encounter with Felix once again. While they could avoid monsters thanks to their dragon mounts, Felix must have encountered many. Yet, despite his travel-worn clothes, he seemed perfectly fine.

I wonder what he was doing there, she thought. He may know something about what is happening in the forest. If we ever meet again, I should ask him about it.

"Honestly, I'd rather not get involved," Christina said after a moment of silence. "I already have more than enough responsibilities."

"Get used to it," Maria replied, chuckling. "You are the Princess, whether you like it or not. Many other people dream of being in your position."

"Let them have it, I say. I'm sure those people have some delusions about what it entails."

Maria approached her before enveloping her in her warm embrace.

"You don't really mean that, do you?"

Christina was silent for a while before uttering a barely audible "No."

After their discussion, both women prepared themselves for dinner. Maria's dress was gorgeous. Unlike the more conservative dresses Altheran women usually wore, it exposed more skin, which was more common in the Northern Federation. On the other hand, Christina's dress was simple, preferring mobility over extravagance. Despite the modest dress, her beauty still shone through. Claire and her brother chose to wear their military uniforms, their red hair striking against the silver uniforms. Although Claire was usually more reserved than the other two women, she was no less beautiful.

The castle's servants escorted the group to the reception hall, where the Countess and her daughter were already waiting. The hall was modest but tasteful, a stark contrast to the reception Christina received during her journey to the various lords of the realm. She preferred this more intimate setting over the exaggerated flamboyance she was subjected to.

The Count is still as pragmatic as ever, she thought.

Both women stood as they received their guests, as per custom dictates. They wore tasteful dresses, neither too plain nor extravagant. The Countess welcomed them, and they all sat before a multitude of servants arrived with exquisite dishes that the Countess herself had carefully selected.

"I must admit," Christina said. "I was surprised to see the castle in such a beautiful state. You have impeccable taste, Countess. The last time I was here, it was much different."

"Thank you," the Countess replied, pride on her face. "Indeed, those were dark times. Much has changed since. Much suffering has happened. A little change was necessary."

"Indeed," Maria said. "Too many lives were lost in battle."

The atmosphere grew sombre at the mention of the war. Although most of them didn't participate, they all knew people who had lost their lives. Some were friends, others family. In battles of this size, casualties were inevitable.

Christina savoured the excellent dishes while making small talk with the Countess. Time passed, and when the meal was nearing its end, she resolved to broach the crux of the matter but was interrupted. The hall's doors burst open; they all turned to face the noise, cutting the conversation short. In between them stood a young man wearing extravagant and pompous clothes designed to display one's wealth and opulence.

"Mother," the man said, a grin on his face. "How could you not invite me when we have such distinguished guests."

The Countess buried her head in her hands, trying to escape reality while her daughter stared dagger at the man, clearly disgusted.

Count Burnwood's son, Christina thought, exasperated. This is much worse than I thought.