Chapter 10 - Innocent

As Lilly breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the stage, Princess Adelia approached her with an excited look. “That was a wonderful speech, Lady Lilly! It clearly signaled your connection to the crowd, and how you were one of them.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. That was my intention, but I still meant every word.”

“I’m curious about one thing, but it can wait for a later discussion. There are too many ears here. Would you be fine with a meeting tomorrow?”

“Oh, absolutely. My first lesson is in the morning tomorrow, but after that, I should be available.”

She seemed happy to hear it and clapped her hands together. “Then it’s a deal, I’ll see you then!” Then she walked away from the stage with Claude in tow.

The next person to come over was the Mayor, Mr. Altbeck. “Greetings, Lady Lilly. That was indeed a wonderful speech! Allow me to formally introduce myself, Pontus Altbeck, at your service.” He bowed gracefully in front of her.

“Nice to meet you, Mayor Altbeck. I’m sure we will see more of each other in the future. I hope you understand that you can come to me with any issue the public is facing. I think the arrangements you had with Selene will have to continue in the near future, but eventually, I’ll probably feel up to taking on more responsibility.”

“It would be my pleasure to help in any way I can! I’m sure you’ve heard it enough by now, and will continue to hear it in the future, but I am extremely grateful for your heroic defense of the city.”

“I still appreciate hearing it, Mayor. As I said in my speech, it was a result of circumstances and the way this city raised me. I still don’t feel like I have earned the titles I have, but I will do my best to live up to them.”

“Well, I’m sure nothing I say will convince you otherwise. I’ll just say I hope you feel worthy of them soon enough. We’ll have to set up an appointment soon to discuss certain things then, just let me know when and I’ll be there.”

“Will do. Now I’ll have to leave you, Mayor, but it was nice to meet you formally.”

“Same to you Lady Lilly, goodbye!”

Lilly met up with Eolande again, hoping to get out of here before the crowd managed to clog up the streets. But before Lilly managed to get a word out, she was embraced in a tight hug. “That was a great speech, Lilly! You’ve gotten good at talking like a Lady already.”

Lilly returned the embrace, breathing another slight sigh of relief. “Gods, it’s so tiring to talk eloquently all the time. Do you have any plans for getting back home from here, Elly?”

Eolande thought for a moment before hesitatingly suggesting, “I could carry you across the rooftops if you really want, but there’s a good chance we would be seen. We could use the sewers if you’re desperate, but I really hope you’re not.”

Even the thought felt revolting, so Lilly doubted she would ever go down there. But getting carried didn’t really feel very tempting either, she thought. “I guess just walking is fine, or what do you think, bodyguard?”

“I should be able to protect you against anyone approaching, but it might take a while if you get crowded. And your popularity is the highest I think I’ve ever seen in this city right now.”

Lilly sighed, but she tried to convince herself this was an extraordinary moment and that it would be better in the future. “Maybe rooftops aren't so bad after all. And being escorted by my bodyguard should be fine, right?”

“Do you prefer princess carry or piggyback? Or maybe I could just carry you over my shoulder?”

“Ha ha ha, that’s a good one. Piggyback please.”

“Your laugh is weird, sounds unnatural. But fine, come here then little piggy,” Eolande said while bending down. She had a really annoying expression as she looked back at Lilly.

“You’re feeling awfully confident in your employment, aren’t you? Maybe I should look around for other bodyguards?” The threat lost a bit of its power since she was saying it while climbing on Eolande’s back, but she still had to say it.

“Hah, for this salary you would be lucky even to get a one-armed retiree. Hold on tight.”

Lilly did as she was told, holding around Eolande’s neck with as much power as she dared. And just like that, an incredible acceleration shot through her body, threatening to rip her off Eolande’s back right away.

Lilly let out a yelp and closed her eyes, using the short breaks between jumps to get a better grip. Gradually, she opened her eyes again, and could see rooftops flying under them at an incredible speed. “Elly, please slow down a little bit?” Lilly pleaded, thinking it was unnecessary to go at such high speeds.

But Eolande’s voice was chilling as she replied. “I can’t, someone is following us.”

Lilly felt her heart drop, and fear started creeping up her neck. “What? By who?” Her mind was flashing through possibilities. ‘Did Dortfell send someone to take care of me? Or is it the king? Could it be Claude, sent to spy on me? Or the clan of assassins?’

“I don’t know, but they’re pretty good, to keep up at this speed… Oh.” Eolande suddenly stopped running, causing Lilly to yelp again due to the force sending her into Eolande’s back.

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Before she could ask, Lilly spotted a man in front of them. It was a middle-aged elven man, making it obvious who it was. Grandfather.

“Are you missing the old days of playing tag, old man? What do you want?” Eolande asked, seemingly with a mix of annoyance and nervousness.

He seemed casual in his demeanor, but his message was serious. “I thought you might want to know, there are some foreign forces in the city right now.”

Lilly was surprised this rogue would try helping them, but also cautious of believing him outright. “What? Who?”

“Most likely Dortfell. They started moving during the ceremony, but I’m unsure of their motives. Possibly a kidnapping.”

Lilly thought about the possible targets and who would be the biggest target. ‘The princess would obviously be a huge target, but in that case ‘Grandfather’ would likely have helped her. I should be the second biggest target, but I’m obviously fine. The mayor then? Or…’

Lilly asked Eolande to confirm her fears. “Elly, what do you think? Is he being honest? And who is the biggest target?”

“It’s most likely true… As for the target, I think those you care for would be first behind you.”

Lilly felt her stomach clench. ‘As I feared. And with no protection whatsoever.’

“Elly, go look for Mia and Gramps, please.”

Eolande seemed hesitant, probably not confident in leaving Lilly with this man. But she still let go of her legs so she could slide off her back in the end. As soon as Lilly was on the ground, Eolande disappeared, at a speed Lilly couldn’t even follow with her eyes.

Grandfather raised his eyebrows after seeing her speed. “Wow, she’s gotten fast. But she always was a unique talent.” His expression had a mix of pride and melancholy, hinting at some emotional connection remaining between them.

Lilly didn’t feel like talking to him at the moment, she was too worried about the possible kidnapping. ‘If they get either of them, my hands are completely tied… Gramps wouldn’t want me to come after him if it meant risking my safety, but I still would. And the same goes for Mia.’

“I guess you know who I am by now?” He said, looking at Lilly with curiosity.

Lilly didn’t like those eyes, she felt like he could see right through her in an instant. She would have to tread carefully. “I’m looking forward to our lesson tomorrow, Master Keldorn.”

“Hah, me too. I’m a bit surprised you still want to learn from me after learning my identity.”

‘Let’s be careful not to reveal anything I shouldn’t here… I should still be mad about the attack they helped, but I would know they had their reasons at least.’

“Elly told me the attack on Selene was done with the greater good of Eldoria in mind, or at least that you think it would be. I don’t believe in sacrificing innocents for the greater good, so you’ll have to excuse my contempt. But I value your knowledge and need to learn, so if you’re willing to teach, I’m willing to listen.”

“That’s pragmatic of you… Bending your values for your own gain, I can appreciate that.”

“What, that’s not what I’m doing!”

“Oh? You willingly seek my aid for your own gain, even though you loathe my ideology. Is that not bending your values?”

“It’s not just my own gain anymore, my power is used to protect this city! The city you so mercilessly decided to sacrifice in your stupid shadow game. So I’d say you owe me the help.”

“Oh, good answer! It seems you have thought it through. I’m surprised you have such a low view of my ideologies though.”

“Really? Killing is perfectly fine to you, innocent or not. Why would I not have a low view of that?”

“Oh, and how many people have you killed, Lady Lilly? Are we so different? Would you have taken one life pre-emptively to avoid that attack on your city?”

Lilly didn’t have answers to the barrage of questions right away, finding her thoughts jumbled by the logic in his arguments. She had taken lives, many of them even, possibly thousands. But they were aggressors, coming to kill innocents. Obviously defending and attacking were widely different.

The question of taking one life to prevent the attack bothered her though. She didn’t really know the answer, but agreeing with his side felt like a loss.

“We are different, I never took an innocent life. And if an innocent life needs to be taken to prevent killers from dying, I’m very much against it.”

“Are you innocent?”

Lilly paused again. Was she innocent? She had killed, but none of those lives were innocent. “There is blood on my hands, but all the blood is tainted black.”

“I’m sure the mother of the newly recruited girl you killed that day has a different view on it. In a recently started war, how many of those soldiers do you think have taken lives before?”

“They intended to attack a city, how innocent can they be?”

“Do you think they were on those boats willingly? They were recruited under threat and given orders to attack a foreign city, what would you have done in their shoes?”

Lilly found it harder and harder to justify her actions. ‘Things are never black and white… Maybe he has a slight point.’

“In that case, the recruiter and commander are responsible, and they deserve death. But expecting the defenders to stop defending because the attackers are innocent is lunacy. I was justified in my actions.”

“And if that commander is on his first mission, sending an army to attack a precious military target, is he innocent?”

“No, obviously not.”

“Even if he was ordered to find the best target for an attack under threat from someone above him?”

“Then he should have refused.”

“You’re holding people to an impossible moral standard. The simple truth is that you wanted to protect those close to you, in the same way that the commander might have. And since that’s the case, both of you are possible targets for my clan.”

“... Are you threatening me now?”

“If your dear Mia was indeed kidnapped, how far would you go to save her? Would you be willing to kill everyone responsible?”

‘Of course I would, but I won’t let you have the satisfaction of hearing me say that!’

“You’re asking an awful lot of questions, teacher. I thought that was my job.”

“Deflect all you want, the answer is the reason my clan exists.”

Lilly felt her anger rise, disliking his know-it-all attitude. Maybe he was right, and some innocents are great threats to others in the right circumstances. But she hated to agree with him. “You accusing me of deflection is hilarious, you’ve done nothing else since my first answer!”

“You’re deflecting again, which makes me think you see my point of view now.” He turned around and started leaving, waving his arm as he walked. “See you tomorrow, student. Now that you’re not blinded by your contempt, it might be a constructive lesson after all.”

Lilly was about to respond, but he disappeared the moment his last word was said. She felt indignant. ‘I don’t believe in sacrificing one for the many, I don’t believe in one life over another. But… the people I love are far more important to me than morals.’