Her throat seizes at the sight. Suddenly everything is too constricting, too horrible, and downright ghastly to perceive.

“Your highness, are you quite alright?”

The thing, woman, says and her eyes widen. Somehow from this angle, she can spot emeralds beneath her eyelids. Belatedly Rex realizes she said this part aloud, as the maid takes it upon herself to explain.

“Oh, these, no one has ever inquired about them before. Your eyes are perceptive your highness.”

She continues.

“A Veil had them installed due to my mothers request. It’s similar to how mortals pierce their ears.”

“T-That sounds gruesome.”

The maid smiles, teeth gleaming in the light.

“I screamed for days, your highness. But it is customary for my clan you see.”

She opens her wardrobe and produces a cape made of obsidian and glass. It flows like a normal fabric.

“Would this be suitable for your outing?”

“I-I suppose so.”

The maids eyes widen comically.

“Really?! Oh you never wear this type of thing, I’m so estatic, truly!”

Is a maid supposed to be so familiar with her liege? Or maybe they’ve grown comfortable over the years. However the other two maids in the room have been silent this whole exchange. She decides to test things out.

Rex looks up and acknowledges a woman with red curls. However, she never truly takes her attention off the monster.

“What do you think?”

“Ah me?! Well, it’d be appropriate to wear for tea with Duke Veney.”

“Why?”

The girls eyes flick between the monster and her liege.

“I-I s-suppose it would c-cause him d-delight that you wore Nalgae pieces!”

“Nalgae?”

“Yes! T-This is a Nalgae cloak, b-but I don’t mean anything offensive of course!”

The monster pipes up.

“Oh Caran don’t be so frightened. I for one am delighted that her highness is embracing Nalgae culture.”

“Y-Yes, indeed, it’s absolutely delightful.”

She feels like she’s missing something.

…

After leading her to the dining room Rex observes that even the silverware has a strange, otherworldly sheen to them. It might be poison.

Queen Axel sits across her with Diamond the Knight by her side.

“Sister, I hear you’re going to visit the Duke this afternoon.”

“Ah yes, I suppose so.”

“It is wise of you to wear Nalgae clothing.”

She still doesn’t understand.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Why so? It’s only a piece of cloth.”

Axel giggles.

“Surely you jest! Wearing a cloak made by the Nalgae while visiting the residence of one!”

Diamond’s eyes snap to Axel’s golden hair as it seems to sparkle with something akin to firelight.

“Sister, you’re becoming wise! Helping me smooth relations with the Nalgae will have you rewarded. In fact, I may marry you off to one!”

“What?!”

“Oh I jest sister. I know how much you adore Creed Knights lately”

The Queen leans forward.

“However, I must warn you of how this act would be seen as a blatant show of defiance to the nobleman.”

“What do you mean?”

“They may see this as an act of showing favor to the former royal family. They will mark you as a sympathizer vying to restore the old monarchy. We already have quite a few protesters calling us usurpers after all.”

She thinks she understands. The monsters are Nalgae and she’s visiting a former royal. Did the humans usurp the Nalgae? Then why is she meeting with a Nalgae Duke?

Wait, why is SHE visiting a Nalgae?!

“Sister, what’s the matter? You haven’t spoken for quite some time.”

Is the Queen trying to get her killed? It makes sense in a way. Her maids a monster and she’s meeting another. She was attacked yesterday for goodness sakes! This girls trying to throw her into death.

“Can the Duke be trusted?”

“Hmm? Why ask such a thing? You know him much better than I.”

Quick, she must backtrack and throw her off the scent! She cannot be seen as having no knowledge.

“Sorry, I misspoke. I meant are the other Dukes trustworthy? Our people I mean.”

“I don’t wish to speak ill but some are more trustworthy than others. Just be wary, sister.”

…

Duke Veney’s mansion is quite pleasant on the eyes. Layered like a cake, the walls are a translucent blue with onyx shaped crystals embedded within.

A magnificent garden of floating lilies circle the house; they let out songs when she passes.

Strange horse like creatures stand upright with glass stilts, though she suspects the stilts are apart of their body.

“Rex! I’m so very delighted that you’re safe.”

A man who looks to be in his late teens rushes towards her.

His hair is a dark blue that reminds her of the sea, though his eyes resemble the sky and are less intense than her maids. He has a baby face that is morphing into that of a man.

Unlike Diamond, his pale and skinny physique is far from a knights, though they tower over her in comparison.

She sees no claws on his hands, only a gray coating.

Overall, he doesn’t look entirely like a monster.

Words appear above him.

‘Duke Veney Von Ascertain, former Prince and love interest.’

She allows him to embrace her but her shiver doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Are you alright Rex? Wait just a moment while I get you a cup of tea.”

Immediately a sense of calm enters her mind. The tone of his voice had taken on a bell like degree and calmed her in ways she couldn’t comprehend. All thoughts of his monstrous origins fly out the window.

After tea is served she makes a good note of his face.

“Veney, I heard something rather interesting today.”

“Huh? Something more interesting than me? Do tell.”

“Earlier I asked my maid as to why her eyelids were pierced and she said it’s customary. Is this accurate to all households?”

Something strange passes over his countenance.

“Not necessarily. It depends on those willing enough to pass the First Test.”

“What is that?”

“Oh I could tell you, but these are top secrets of the Nalgae. I can’t let any ordinary human in on our secrets.”

His voice is mesmerizing.

“I’m not ordinary, in fact I happen to be of royal origins.”

He makes another strange face but it passes.

“Rex, is the tea not to your liking? I can make you another if you’d like.”

“Oh, no, that’s quite alright. I just feel a bit sick is all. Apologies, I should have informed you sooner.”

Also why is he and Diamond labeled as love interests? She’d assume they’re Axel’s love interests but she doesn’t understand why such titles show themselves to her.

She vaguely remembers seeing them on the cover of some games but usually Axel was front and center.

As the conversation marches on she catches herself several times gazing at his countenance. Of course she noticed he was unnaturally beautiful but it hadn’t distracted her so terribly like yesterday.

It’s as if each time she looks away a force too strong for her to perceive forces her gaze upon him.

Why was this happening? It’s as if her body is becoming muddled.

And then, in her rear view, a piece of glass appears in the calming wind. Ink is smeared at the edges but she can still perceive the words.

“You are infatuated! This status effect will appear when spent in the presence of a male Nalgae.”

“Since Veney is half mortal, your status effect is halved by two.”

So that explains things, though she’s surprised with the revelation of him being half mortal.

“Your perception has decreased by one. Your stupidity has increased by three.”

Well, that’s incredibly rude. Still, she must end this tea party soon or else who knows what danger she’ll be in.

Just as she’s about to excuse herself, a heavy feeling clouds her mind and fills her with fear and longing. The smell of roses and lilies overwhelm her.

A man, no, Nalgae, steps from the shadows of the evening light. A tall man with pastel teal hair and matching eyes, his smirk sends a shiver down her spine.

A gorgeous beast, his claws extend as he greets them, and words glitch in and out above him.

‘Noh the Hǔnluàn, or the Michin Jis, advisor to Queen Axel.’