Five years passed in what felt like a blink of an eye. Morrigan continued practicing hard with her art magic, learning how to control and use this incredible power properly. She learned her limit and how to effectively create things she wanted. However, after Alphegor forbade her to create anything from the Overworld or Earth, she felt like there was nothing she wanted to create.

Sure, she could make new fancy furniture, unique dresses and attires, and even plants which now filled her bedroom. She could even create her own favorite desserts without actually having to cook them. Her only limit was the size and complexity of the object. As long as it wasn't a living being and she stayed within her magic reserves, she could create it. As long as she could paint it, of course.

It all seemed so great in theory. And in practice, the whole Demon Kingdom was now at her feet. Nobles sent her invitations to parties or begged for her to invite them to the Demon Castle. They sent her extravagant gifts and showered her with praise. So this power helped her solidify her rather weak hold on the Crown Princess title. But some tried to reverse this power on its head and claimed that nobody should have the ability to create anything they wished.

Morrigan guessed that there would have already been an uprising if it weren't for Viana. She was the one majority of nobles pushed towards the Crown Princess seat. She, however, had made a public statement that she'd be training to become the next Prime Minister instead and would support Morrigan's claim to the throne. And since no other princess had as strong of standing as her, nobles had to take a step back and wait until a candidate as equally promising as Viana would rise to the challenge.

So for the time being Morrigan could relax and not worry about political matters. The problem was that she could not leave the Demon Castle. Not even to look around Linberor. The security in the castle was watertight and there was no way for her to slip out without notice. As such, her spirits slowly waned and her desire to use paint magic diminished.

"Morrigan, pay attention!" Viana tapped angrily on the desk, bringing Morrigan out of her thoughts.

"Huh?" she looked up at her eldest sister. Viana had taken it upon herself to teach Morrigan politics, so that meant that she didn't have to learn from Lord Weisedun anymore. That was both a blessing and curse at the same time. Blessing because Viana's teaching methods were far better. Curse because Viana demanded absolute perfection from her. Not a single mistake was tolerated.

"Focus. You've been staring blankly into space for the last minute. Do you even remember the topic we're talking about right now?" she sighed and rubbed at her temples.

"External politics?" she replied somewhat sheepishly, realizing that hadn't heard a word Viana said.

"No! I was explaining the ruling system in the Duergar Country. How their ruler is elected rather than born into the position. I swear, lately you've been acting like… like a shell rather than a person," Viana said, but rather than looking angry, she appeared concerned. "Is there something wrong?"

"No. Nothing really is wrong," Morrigan replied. It felt like she was lying, although she actually wasn't. Nothing bad had happened lately. She was steadily learning more magic, her relationships with most of her sisters had improved, and she gained a better understanding of the Demon Kingdom each day. Nobody had tried to attack her either. And yet at the same time, it felt like she had been stagnating.

"If there was nothing wrong, then you wouldn't be so sullen all the time. Is this about your dragon?" Viana took a chair and sat down across from Morrigan, looking her in the eyes.

"No… I mean, maybe," she replied. Haku had also become somewhat depressed lately. He didn't want to play as much anymore, and even flying around the castle did little to cheer him up. Azrael sometimes even took him for a flight beyond the castle borders and that cheered him somewhat. But most of the time, the dragon was glum. Morrigan wondered whether he was mimicking her mood.

"Yes, that is an issue. He's getting bigger and bigger, so the territory around the Demon Castle is becoming too small for him," Viana said thoughtfully.

"It's becoming too small for me too…" Morrigan muttered in a barely audible voice.

"You know that Father has forbidden you to leave–"

"– to protect me. I know, I know. But it feels like I am suffocating in this castle. Day after day all I see are the same dark walls and the same dark halls with the same familiar faces and same word exchanges. It feels like if it goes on for much longer, I am going to go insane," she rambled, then fell silent as she saw the increasingly concerned look on Viana's face.

"But, Morrigan, you can ask for anything your heart desires. You can create anything your heart desires," Viana said.

Not anything. The things I truly want to create, I am not allowed to create.

"I know. But it still feels like I haven't seen anything. All the places and people you teach me about – I haven't seen or met any of them. People from the other Underworld races, I've only seen at the Nachtstern Festival and that was five years ago," she said with a heavy sigh and looked down at the familiar dark floorboards. "I just want to see what lies beyond these castle walls."

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Viana gazed at her sister for a while then put a gentle hand on her shoulder, "If you really feel so badly within the castle, then I'll talk to Father. Convince him to take you outside."

"But I've begged him so many times already. He always says no."

"Then we just need to give him a good reason to say yes," a small smile appeared on Viana's lips, and Morrigan looked up at her.

"A reason for Father to say yes? It'd have to be something that makes the danger of me venturing outside worth it. And don't think anything is worth it in Father's eyes. Not after what happened with the fallen," she said dejectedly.

"This isn't like you, little sister. Besides, there is a good reason for Father to say yes. Even he cannot outright forget about traditions," Viana smiled, and Morrigan cocked her head at Viana curiously.

"Tradition? What tradition?"

"There is one which I am pretty sure he hasn't told you about. No, I am 100% certain he hasn't told you about it and has forbidden anyone from mentioning it," Viana said.

"What tradition?" Morrigan tugged at Viana's hand impatiently.

"The Crown Princess Tour," Viana said with a smile.

"That sounds… amazing! A tour? So I'd have to travel around the Demon Kingdom? How come I've never heard of this before?" Morrigan's eyes sparkled from excitement.

"And as I said – Father has forbidden everyone from speaking about it. Not me, of course, but I imagine he didn't think I'd tell you about it willingly."

"So explain it to me. What is this Crown Princess Tour?"

"In order for the Crown Princess to solidify her place as the heir and also to help her learn about her Kingdom and the Underworld as a whole, she is sent to travel the Underworld. This is done while the heir is still a child, making them more involved in the process of ruling the country," Viana explained.

"As a child? Is there a certain age when it's done?" Morrigan asked, her heart thundering from excitement.

"Yes. It is usually done at age sixteen," the demoness replied. Morrigan's excitement waned a bit as she realized that Viana must have gone through this tour, fully expecting to become a queen one day.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered.

"What are you apologizing for? It's not exactly your fault. Besides, I can't say that I like the spotlight too much. I prefer working from behind the scenes," Viana calmed her, then smiled. "Now, enough moping. We need to figure out a way to confront Father about this and get him to say yes."

Morrigan nodded enthusiastically and the two girls continued talking through various scenarios of how their conversation with the Demon King might go.

***

"Absolutely not!" Alphegor said sternly from behind his work desk while Viana and Morrigan stood in front of it. They told him a long speech, listing all the positives and negatives of why Morrigan should go on the tour and what could be done to alleviate any possible dangers that she could encounter along the way. Lucius was eyeing the whole scene with curiosity, his inkpen never stopping as he worked.

"See? I told you he would say no," Morrigan said to Viana, her shoulder slumping.

"Of course, I would say no. The whole point of you staying within the Demon Castle is for you to remain safe. And yet now you dare to suggest going on a tour around the Demon Kingdom," Alphegor growled and glared in Viana's direction. But the older girl had grown impervious to his glares as they had lost their previous sharpness once she announced that she would support Morrigan's claim to the throne.

"Father, you cannot keep her locked up in the castle like a prisoner for the rest of her life. Besides, if Morrigan does not go on this Tour as every previous Demon King and Queen has, nobody will acknowledge her as the Crown Princess," Viana explained matter-of-factly.

"We'll come up with a new tradition. Something she can do from within the castle," Alphegor retorted.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, but any replacement tradition would not be accepted by the people," Lucius interjected, and the King glared in his direction forcing the older demon to look down and continue working on the document in front of him.

"Father, please! I cannot stay locked up in this castle any longer… I-If this goes on, then soon I feel like I won't even want to paint anymore," Morrigan said. Alphegor's breath hitched at this declaration and the anger in his features was replaced with sadness. He looked for a moment, thinking, but then shook his head.

"I understand that, Morrigan, but this is not just some trivial walk around the city. This is–"

"You don't even let me walk around the city," Morrigan said in a voice louder than she intended. Her eyes began to fill with hot tears and she looked away, trying to wipe them away.

"Father, please at least consider it," Viana said and placed a reassuring hand on Morrigan's shoulder. She never thought there would be a day when Viana would be speaking on her behalf against her father. And yet here they were.

Alphegor sighed loudly and then slumped down into his chair.

"I-I will consider it… But I do not make any promises yet," he conceded, and Morrigan looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Really? Thank you, Father! You won't regret this," she said and skimped out of her father's office, nearly jumping up for joy. Viana gave Alphegor a quick curtsy and followed her.

"I haven't made any promises yet!" he shouted behind them.

"Perhaps not. But whenever you have said 'I'll think about it' in the past, it always meant yes," Morrigan whispered to Viana, who nodded affirmatively at this.

"I heard that!" Alphegor shouted behind them.

"I love you too, Father!" Morrigan shouted back at him, and the King had no other choice but to admit defeat.

"I must be getting old, Lucius. I can't beat these girls, especially when they work together," Morrigan heard her father say.

"But it is heart-warming to see them work together," Lucius hummed happily.

"That is true… Perhaps if I were to send Viana with Morrigan–"

Those were the last words Morrigan heard her say, as she happily took hold of Viana's hand. Her sister seemed surprised at first but then smiled back as the two of them retreated from the Demon King's office. Victorious.