The first thing I heard the next day was the faint, distant chirping of songbirds.

I yawned lazily in my dimly-lit room and stretched, feeling somewhat stiff in the morning chill. Rubbing my eyes, I pushed myself out of bed with quiet care so as not to wake Lori and began to take in the sight of my room. The room was rather plain and unadorned for a broken noble's... vacation house, which perfectly suited me. It felt like home to me already, although it'd been less than a month since I'd woken up here. I was just glad to wake up safe and sound in a comfortable bed again.

There were no dolls on display, nor were there any drawings, or trophies, anywhere. All signs of Alice's life, personality, and the usual frivolous objects you'd expect were packed up and sold off long ago. A large, empty bookshelf stood off to the side, but the desk in front of it was bare, with just a few simple pens and the textbooks I used for studying. There was nothing fancy about the room, and the only ornamental object was a flower vase; there was still half-full of water with dead flowers. I had a mirror mounted to the wall off to the side. Aside from that, there wasn't much in terms of decorations or personal items in my tiny bedroom.

I sighed softly as I walked over towards the door, rubbing at my eyes again as they threatened to give out on me from fatigue. First thing in the morning... breakfast first. I dragged myself to the kitchen to see what I could drum up this time. As it turned out, though, all we had left were oats, barley, and a grain like wild rice. We also had a bag of blackberry-like berries called hamei and those pear-apples fruits called pappos. Both were of questionable freshness at this point. The two of us had finished the venison brisket a few days before we'd set out, and our cupboards were pretty empty now. There was something about a lack of proper meals and drinks that somehow made everything feel all that more desolate. I definitely wanted to go out to the market for some fresh produce as soon as possible.

While pondering my options, my stomach rumbled loudly, forcing me to reluctantly put my musings on hold. I rubbed my hands together to warm them up and looked around for something else I could eat besides barley or oats. Eventually, after searching high and low through every cabinet, cupboard, and shelf without finding anything, I gave up and drew some water from the sink. After filling a bowl with water, I cast a quick sequence of spells to prepare the oats while making a mental note of how long it would take until I got hungry enough to try eating. Once done, I added the berries in small handfuls while stirring slowly with magic. Upon finishing, I set a bowl aside for Lori so she would have some food waiting on the table when she woke up.

I decided to get started on the daily routine I'd settled into for a while before our expedition. I set my bowl on my study desk and went into the bathroom. Then, I washed my face and brushed my teeth before dressing into a simple shirt and comfortable trousers for the autumn weather. I returned to my room, grabbed my book, and sat briefly at my desk to read and write. It was hard not to think about my, erm, Alice's parents or where they might be at this very moment. Instead of dwelling on it, I focused on doing what little bit I could right now and began jotting down notes. Furrowing my brow, I tried to remember all the essential details about the trip Lori and I took to the capital city. I spent about half an hour taking notes about everything we'd encountered during our journey, carefully going through every detail. Eventually, hunger set in, so I dug into my oatmeal and berries.

The oats were pretty bland; there wasn't much seasoning involved, but I still didn't care for them that much. The berries were slightly sour but crunchy. They tasted like blueberries but weren't quite sweet enough for me to enjoy them. As for breakfast, it was nothing special, really... Just a bland morning meal eaten alone. It was a strangely unfulfilling and unsatisfying meal today, and I stared at the slog with a frown. The freshness of the fruits was almost unpalateable.

I looked out the window toward the boulevards outside, thinking about our conversation with Garth Duskywind last night. I let out a strained sigh and approached my closet while preparing a spell. I yanked all the residual salts and dirt out of my go-to black robe for a quick dry clean and put it on along with my belt.

Then, I floated my half-eaten bowl downstairs and cleaned it by the sink with a flick of my hand. I turned to open a satchel we hid behind the fireplace, and began to rummage through. We'd made a good six or seven hundred gold pieces of net profit from our ill-fated expedition, and it was a pretty sizeable haul at the end of the day.

Reaching in, I grabbed a handful of silvers and put them into my belt pocket before setting out for the market with a basket. With our little trip over, it was time to set down some wind-down and healing time. I hoped this would give my sister and me a chance to process and catch up with things we might have let slip due to exhaustion last night. Hopefully, I'd make it to the square and back home in under an hour.

As I opened the front door, I heard birds chirping away, and I let out a long exhale before I shook myself slightly, clearing my mind for my grocery run. Not too soon after I stepped out the door, the cool of early morning began to creep over my body.

"Ugh..." I murmured, wrapping myself tighter as the brisk air whipped around me. My face turned red, and my breath came out white; even though it was only a bit past seven in the morning, somehow, it felt like midday already. After ensuring I had everything ready in my bag, I walked down the road toward the town bazaar.

The place was bustling with activity when I arrived, although it was still early morning. People were everywhere; women carried baskets full of fruits and vegetables while merchants were starting to set up shop for business hours to begin. Most were haggling loudly, trying to get every last copper coin they could from unsuspecting customers who didn't know any better. Most people here in Halton were just plain common folk that barely scraped by day-to-day on whatever money or food they managed to make themselves. Like in the world I'd come from, most never see anything remotely extravagant, but it seemed most people here knew how to live on very little if need be. A small stream ran through the middle of the lane, and I looked over it briefly before taking a right toward one of the more prominent vendors at the edge of the market.

[https://i.imgur.com/4w1gUTU.png]

Aside from a few shops and stands selling breakfast, teas, and other goods and drinks, the rest of the market was lined with small booths and stalls offering fresh produce and various kinds of dried herbs and spices. These stalls sold mostly wheatgrass, barley, oats, vegetables, fruits, seed breads, tea leaves, and honey. Before moving on, I stopped at a few and picked up some leafy vegetables, root vegetables, herbs, and tree fruits.

At first glance, many things looked suspiciously similar, especially the stalls selling bread.

One stall's products stood out quite well, though: Their baked goods smelled more delicious than any others. It was so sweet and fragrant that it made me want to try it immediately. The booth was unmanned, and I stared at a glass cabinet full of fresh-baked pastries; my eyes fell upon a muffin with a beautiful pattern of nuts and berries baked into its crust. My stomach growled in protest and hunger as I stared longingly at it.

"Hello there and good morning!" said a cheerful voice behind me.

A tall, portly orc man with thick, brown curly hair and light green skin stepped in front of the stall with a big smile on his face. Then, he moved behind the booth as he continued talking to me. He was wearing a baker's apron, and he had visible wrinkles.

"How may I help you, miss?" He asked politely. His friendly demeanor instantly put me at ease, although this did not stop me from drooling uncontrollably from hunger. "Would you like to buy one? They're freshly baked, and only twenty bronze pieces."

I nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, please! I'd love to have one!" The man smiled and handed me a warm muffin that smelled wonderful enough to make my mouth water. Before handing it off to me, he grinned, "Let me know if anything isn't to your liking." I took it with both hands with all the care I could muster.

"Thank you so much! It smells absolutely divine!" I replied before taking a bite right out of it. When I bit down on the tender pastry, it broke apart easily under my teeth, releasing a burst of scrumptious aroma into the air while sweet berries spread across my tongue. The soft crumbly texture melted in my mouth and gave way to juicy berries and crunchy nuts.

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They combined together perfectly to create something satisfying and delicious entirely. My eyes widened with joy, and I began licking my lips with anticipation after savoring every last morsel of the muffin I had just eaten. I almost forgot about where I was or what I was doing until I looked back up at the baker's booth and saw him smirking at me curiously.

"Well?" he asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"It's amazing," I whispered softly in awe as I slowly walked toward him, trying not to spill any of the remains of the muffin from my hands. "Thank you very much for making such wonderful confectionaries."

The man chuckled heartily at this and smiled warmly, waving his hand dismissively. "Ah, you are most welcome, young lady. That was quite a lovely thing to say, by the way! Thank you."

I blushed furiously and rubbed my cheeks awkwardly with a sigh before turning away with a giggle. Then, I picked up another breakfast muffin for Lori.

As I made my way further along the market square, I spotted several stalls selling food on carts pulled around by people. The savory smell wafting off their wares was intoxicating enough that I salivated even more than when I had just tasted one of the baker's pastries. All these things made me feel strangely nostalgic despite never trying anything like it back when I was on earth. They also reminded me of my favorite place in our house here: the kitchen.

I stepped in front of a stall that had several large slabs of meat and sausages laid out upon it. A friendly-looking youngish woman with long blonde hair stood behind them, talking to another customer and cooking thick soup over a small fire. She turned to look at me, her eyes widening and face breaking out into an inviting grin as she waved enthusiastically. "Welcome! What can I get for ya today, little Alice? It's been a good while since you've come around!"

"Uhhh... How about the cured leg of ham? I'd also like some raw ribs and a full shoulder," I suggested as I approached the counter. I looked at the prices on a board and handed my money over to the older girl.

"Aaah, the cute little girls always pick the sweetest ones," the lady said with a laugh as she looked at my basket full of purchases before returning some change.

As I walked away from the stand with a smile on my lips, I noticed a familiar figure from last night standing across the street. He wore a simple gray cloak over his foreign blue clothes, which covered his chest entirely. The hood was down; his black hair was visible above his pale features; he closed his eyes while listening carefully to something. It was one of the elf dignitaries from the Empire. I froze for a second and hoped to every god I knew of here and on earth that he couldn't pick Lori or me out of a crowd. I began walking faster and pretended not to notice him, hoping I'd have enough time to leave without drawing attention. As soon as I was out of sight around the corner, I broke into a run.

I didn't stop until I made it all the way back home. Once there, I breathed a sigh of relief and went straight inside to find my sister.

"Lori?" I called out quietly, searching for her in the living room.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs towards my direction in the kitchen. "What is it, Alice?" My sister asked groggily when she came into view. "Did you go somewhere already?"

"I'm sorry! I just ran back from town early," I replied as she shook her head slowly with a smirk on her face. Her hair was messy and disheveled, and her eyes were bleary from sleep. She wore a light yellow tank top and a pair of white shorts. It was adorable how she looked like an average college girl right now when I knew she was a terrifyingly strong warrior.

She yawned and stretched, rubbing at her shoulder before she snapped awake and approached me with a serious look. "Ran? Did someone threaten you?"

I shook my head vigorously; if anything - it felt good to let some stress off my shoulders with that walk. "No, no one did... but I'll tell you later. Anyway, I brought back breakfast!" I pulled the muffin out of its paper bag and placed it on the counter. Lori immediately reached for it, almost tripping over herself in excitement as she stared hungrily down at the pastry.

"Thank you so much, Alice!" She said excitedly while picking it up carefully by its edges. After peeling the wrapper away from her prize, she bit into the soft crust. Her eyes opened wide, mouth slightly agape, as she savored the taste of the sweet berries filling. As her cheeks filled with red from eating too quickly, she turned to give me a guilty smile before biting into another bite. I settled in and began to sort out my groceries.

The rest of my basket was full of vegetables and fruits, which would go well with the pork pieces I brought back. I put them all on the table and began making us both something delicious for lunch.

"Hey Lori?" I asked, lazily stemming and separating some vegetables that reminded me of bok choy with my magic.

"Yrres?" My sister replied around bites of the muffin.

"Do you think anything's going to come from this Harbachian Empire thing?"

Lori paused mid-bite and looked at me questioningly. Silence filled the air as I piled the vegetables into a mixing bowl. I idly drew my wand from my belt and started practicing a double cast between dirt separation and continued stemming.

"Well, I dunno," she mumbled between chews. "At least we have a convincing reason for their disappearance now. If I were in their spot I'd definitely pack up and get out right away."

As if the incident with the Knave of Hearts weren't enough to have on our plates, it turned out that Alice's mother was the daughter of a Duke directly in the line of succession for a massive empire down south.

Word was spreading rapidly that both Emperor Anatoliy vo Harbachias and the Duke of Ellineau had recently perished in an ambush by assassins. Unfortunately, Emperor Harbachias did not have a designated heir, and no less than four factions mobilized to vie over the throne.

Garth informed us last night that Alice's mother, who was the Duke of Ellineau's eldest daughter, had publicly renounced her titles and lands to go off adventuring with Charles Liddell well over two decades ago. Knowing her, Garth figured she would want nothing to do with politics and squabbling. However, that didn't stop a cadre of diplomats from coming to the kingdom in search of her. Due to her strong ties to imperial history, she was a piece on the board whether she liked it or not. I'd frantically rushed for some history books immediately after, so I could get a basic understanding of what was happening.

If I had to compare from what I could see in the maps, the Harbachian empire was a solid parallel to several large, wide-spanning empires in earth's history, such as the Roman Empire or the great Chinese dynasties. The former regional kings became dukes under the imperial system and were allowed to retain their lands and power as they melded into one collective Empire.

The ruling class was primarily dominated by elves, although a few human and half-elf emperors existed in the nation's history. Elves in this world weren't entirely biologically immortal as they were in many fantasy stories from earth, but their oldest had lived well between five to eight hundred years. Elves had meager fertility rates compared to their longevity, and as a result, they were often outnumbered by the prominent human regions within the Empire.

To appease the factions beneath her, the first elven empress turned the position of 'emperor' into an office that resembled the historical Princeps Senatus position in Rome, with a permanent hierarchal legislative system to keep it in check. They had a system similar to the Roman senate in the first century A.D., with a House of Lords and House of Commons to separate their senate. Unfortunately, the only people who could take the seats in the House of Lords or the emperor's chair were people elevated to the peerage, and the vote of a Duke's family weighed far more heavily than a commoner's or knight's. In truth, the books made it look like a dynastic monarchy where any real power was a monarchy. One glance told me that the emperor's seat had rotated mostly between two families for almost a millennium; the line of Vionnianne zo Harbachus, the Queen of Conquerors, and the descendants of her most trusted human general - King Aldix di Ellineau.

It was more than likely one faction or another was trying to pull Alice and Lori's mother back as a pawn or puppet ruler. We hadn't confirmed that was why they were here, but Occam's Razor led Garth to conclude that was the most obvious reason.

"Well, here's hoping for the best," I muttered to Lori. "This will come around eventually, but hopefully, we get a few weeks of peace and quiet.

Humming to myself, I levitated some dried herbs from the pantry and added them to the bowl with salt water. Then, I stirred everything around before pouring it into a pan over the stove. With a snap of my fingers, I lit the charcoal on the stove and placed a lid on top so the mixture could steam a bit. I blanched the raw ribs I bought and levitated them into the saucepan to make some hearty vegetable and rib soup.

Once the fragrance filled the kitchen, we both took our plates to sit at the table while waiting impatiently for lunch to finish cooking. The smell of spicy food mixed with exotic porcine and fresh-cut vegetables made us salivate in excitement. Finally, after a few more minutes, I flipped the pot's lid off the flame and scooped up the steaming hot contents onto our plates.

"Mmrgh! Your did aarkickass jerb!!" Lori exclaimed through a mouthful of tender pork. "This is just what I need right now! Thank you so much, little sis." She stuffed another bite full of tasty ribs between her lips, closed her eyes, and sighed in satisfaction. It looked like she was savoring every moment of eating her first authentic meal in days.

After finishing her first plate, she jumped right into a second plate and began to pile it into her mouth. Suddenly, it looked like a realization struck her, and Lori put aside her second half-eaten portion to turn to me. She looked away for a second bashfully, before twiddling her thumbs as she looked up to meet my eyes.

"So um Alice. How about we... finally get around to building that winter firepit? We did start it a bit, but I'd like to spend some quality time together and really finish it up."

A part of me blanched, and my stomach churned nervously inside me as I imagined spending an entire afternoon outside in the cold.

But, there was also something strangely appealing about Lori's proposition. It felt right, like it was exactly what we needed after everything that'd happened recently.

I and smiled warmly before biting into a juicy hunk of rib. Then, I flashed her a grin.

"I'm ready when you are!"