Chapter 14 - The First Number
After the lesson had ended and Master Keldorn left, Lilly had gotten a good idea of how to progress in her control of the enchanting power.
Eolande leaned over, eager to hear Lilly’s thoughts about the lesson. “So what do you think, Lilly?”
Lilly’s gaze drifted off, lost in thought. “We need to be careful,” she murmured, more to herself than Eolande. “The lesson was excellent and he’s clearly an experienced enchanter. He has made me like him more, and be less wary of his motives. And that is exactly why I’m so scared.”
“... You’re afraid he’s manipulating you?”
Lilly furrowed her brows, slightly unsure of herself. “You don’t think he is? I feel like he’s probing me with his questions, trying to figure out if you've told me the things you shouldn’t have. He has everything to gain from me coming around to his point of view.”
Eolande looked slightly disturbed by Lilly’s words. To Lilly's surprise, she ended up slapping herself in the face. “Gods, I’m stupid. I only saw a normal lesson between a student and teacher, but of course I can’t let my guard down around him.”
“... You’ve known him since you were a child, of course it would be hard for you to see him as a sinister plotter. Please don’t hurt yourself again though.”
Eolande sighed, rubbing her temples. “My bad. It’s just frustrating knowing he still has a hold on me. Even now there’s a part of me that’s not convinced.”
“Isn’t that why he’s acting the same way around me, then? I’m not convinced either, honestly… But if he’s as pragmatic and clever as he would have to be for someone in his position, we need to be careful.”
Lilly took a moment to check her notes, reviewing what she had to practice before their next lesson in a few days. Most spells were adjustable through the amount of mana supplied, but the enchanting spell was different. It needed the ratio between drain and infusion to be close to perfect to function properly, and so far Lilly had only learned the ratio for her highest output.
She needed to learn the right ratio for lower amounts of mana as well, which simply was a matter of practice and finer control. Master Keldorn had given her a spell she could use repeatedly on the same object, which would only function when the ratio was balanced.
Feeling satisfied with her grasp of the lesson theory, she pressed a formation on the side of the desk and waited. After a short while, an assistant entered the room, ready to serve.
“Daisy, please let the princess know I’m ready for our meeting now,” Lilly said.
Daisy, the temporary personal assistant Lilly had been handed, responded with a graceful curtsy and smile, conveying both professionalism and warmth. With a swift, elegant motion, she exited the room to fulfill the request.
“Do you know what the princess wants to discuss?” Eolande asked.
Lilly's expression grew thoughtful, replaying the previous encounters with Princess Adelia in her mind. “I’m not sure. She did mention wanting to speak with me again during our first meeting, but you also heard her after the ceremony. I’m a bit nervous since she mentioned secrecy like that.”
“Let’s hope it’s just some girl talk then," Eolande quipped with a glimmer of amusement.
“Yeah, that would be nice. She didn’t seem like the type though... Could you prepare some tea while we wait, Elly?”
Eolande nodded and approached the tea set, preparing the finest leaves for the esteemed guest. “Do you think she minds me being here during the meeting?”
Lilly considered the question for a moment before responding.“Possibly, but I’ll need a good reason to leave you out of it. I don’t keep secrets from you anyways, so there wouldn’t be much of a point.”
Lilly could barely see a smile on Eolande’s face as she was preparing the tea silently.
A knock on the door signaled visitors, and Lilly got out of her chair and told them to come in. Claude came in first to open the door, then stepped aside with a practiced bow, paving the way for Princess Adelia to enter.
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She still looked beautiful, like a white lotus, walking with measured steps into the office. “Greetings, Lady Lilly! I’m so glad we could have this meeting today.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness. Please, have a seat.” Lilly gestured gracefully towards the couches surrounding the ornate wooden table.
They settled into their respective seats, the soft cushions enveloping them in comfort. Eolande took her place discreetly behind Lilly, her posture alert yet relaxed, while Claude, the ever-watchful attendant, positioned himself behind Princess Adelia, embodying the perfect balance of presence and invisibility.
“Would you like some tea, Your Highness?” Lilly inquired, hoping her hospitality would hide some of the nerves.
“Please," replied Princess Adelia, looking as composed as ever.
Lilly carefully placed the fine cups before them and poured the fragrant tea, which carried with it the subtle scent of herbs and flowers.
“So, would you like to jump straight to business?” Lilly asked, setting the teapot down with a soft clink against the tray.
“We can get that over with first, I think, if you don’t mind," the princess responded. Her gaze shifted towards Eolande as she hesitated a moment, but she quickly composed herself and continued.
"I’ve been struggling with how to inquire about this since yesterday… but I’ll just come out and ask. In your speech, when referring to the attack on the city, you said you would hold ‘those responsible’ accountable, not mentioning Dortfell specifically. Could you… Was there anything behind that wording?" Her brows were furrowed, and she looked anxiously at Lilly, seemingly putting extreme importance on her answer.
Lilly’s mind raced, weighing the implications of her answer. She did hide a secret meaning in her speech, but she never thought it would be picked up so easily. ‘I can’t tell her the truth, she’s the daughter of the culprit. Even if she didn’t know, telling her would be silly.’
Trying to lie as convincingly as she could, Lilly responded. “Oh, it was meant to include the assassins cooperating with them, I meant nothing more than that. Mentioning only Dortfell would risk not including others responsible, like a traitor or spy.”
The princess looked hesitant still, like the answer didn’t satisfy her. “If… If I might know of such a traitor, would you… help me bring them to justice?”
‘This is a trap! It has to be! It’s too good to be true!’ Lilly thought to herself. But she was hesitating. With the princess on her side, this entire thing would be much more achievable.
“If you had any proof of knowing such a traitor was aiding Dortfell in the attack, I would certainly try to help you. Such traitors must be rooted from Eldoria if we are to stay united.”
‘That should be vague enough of an answer, and I doubt she has any proof either way,’ Lilly thought.
The princess looked deep in thought, still furrowing her brows. After a deep sigh, she continued, “I had hoped you would reinforce my suspicions, Lady Lilly. I have no proof, and even mentioning my thoughts would put you in a difficult position… But if we’re thinking the same thing and only dancing around each other out of fear, that would be a great shame.”
‘... I can’t even respond. If she’s on my side in this, it would be a shame not to include her. But her words seem eager to manipulate me into revealing what I know as well, making me suspicious…’
Princess Adelia noticed Lilly’s silence and seemed to strengthen her resolve. “If there is anything I could do to make you trust me, I am willing, Lady Lilly.”
Lilly sighed, trying to avoid revealing anything while thinking of how she could come to trust the princess. ‘Well, there is one method… But she would have to be extremely trusting. And even suggesting it would show that I have something I’m hiding. But whatever, my hesitation has already shown part of my hand.’
“There is one thing you could do… But you would have to trust me fully, and be fine with me knowing some things about you you normally would want to keep secret.”
Princess Adelia seemed ecstatic to hear that, completely uncaring for the potential drawbacks. “Wonderful! Anything, Lady Lilly!”
But a voice interrupted her excitement. “Princess, I must protest. You don’t even know what Lady Lilly is suggesting.”
The princess leaned back completely on the couch, looking at Claude upside down. “Claude, you know Lady Lilly is an honorable person. And you also know why I need her trust.”
Claude looked unconvinced, but he still relented. “Fine then, you’re the boss.”
“Claude, don’t be like that. If we had the same view on the issue at hand you would agree with me.”
Claude's response was a mixture of resignation and a touch of humor. “Fine, you’re right. Now please sit up straight, you look ridiculous.”
Princess Adelia smiled as she turned her view back to Lilly. “What exactly is it you need me to do?”
“If you let my flame into your body and core, I can sense your emotions. But I need to warn you, I can also sense every part of your body and every emotion you’re feeling at the same time. So if there’s anything you need to keep from me, you should decline.”
The princess looked surprised and thoughtful before nodding to herself. “You can’t read my thoughts at least, then?”
“No, just the raw emotions. But I can ask you questions and see how your emotions react to them, so it’s basically a form of mind-reading. I could also… stop your heart rather easily if I wanted to. So please consider well before accepting.” Lilly's voice was serious, emphasizing the potential dangers of her power.
“I have considered, Lady Lilly. This is a gamble for me, but I believe I can trust you.” Her words were resolute, driven by trust, and a willingness to take a calculated risk.