----***----

Evangeline

Until I felt the piercing pain of an Arachne's teeth scraping my skin. In an instant, there was a rush of air and a sonic boom as the Arachne's body was hurled into the distance by a gigantic vine. "Younglings these days are truly pathetic. How does a high blood like you end up in the jaws of a mere insect?" a disdainful voice remarked from behind me. Turning slowly, I saw an elderly elf with long grey hair and ears that surpassed mine in length, his glacial blue eye's gaze filled with contempt.

Before I had the chance to respond, George rushed onto the scene, urgency in his voice. "Eva! Where are the others? We need to move, now!" He was not alone; a group of human soldiers accompanied him. Quickly, I gestured in the direction where everyone had been propelled, and without hesitation, the soldiers dispersed throughout the clearing, efficiently coordinating the evacuation of the incapacitated members of our platoon.

A vine golem sprang from the ground, nonchalantly hoisting me onto its back. The elderly elf, showing no intention of further assistance, declared, "I will do no more for a mere human baron. Caleb, escort this child to the human borders, then self-destruct. I take my leave now, don’t forget the fee." Another vine golem, shaped like a giant sandwyrm, emerged from the earth, serving as the old elf's mount as he departed.

Once the elder had left, the rescue team hastened towards the exit of the Forbidden Forest. As a sense of safety enveloped me for the first time today, the accumulated fatigue overwhelmed my body, and I succumbed to unconsciousness.

----------------------------------------

Groggily awakening, I found myself in an exceedingly comfortable bed. As my eyes adjusted and I took in my surroundings, it became apparent that I was in a room of considerable opulence, reminiscent of a noble's bedroom.

Lying beside me in peaceful slumber, Alice was curled up close. Her arms encircled me gently, and the soft sound of her snoring added a comforting rhythm to the quiet room. As I tried to slip out of her embrace discreetly, my movements inadvertently woke her. "Eva...? You're awake?" she murmured; her tone soft as though she was addressing her own younger sibling. Noticing my puzzled expression, she flushed slightly. "I-I'm sorry, I just couldn't help wanting to hug you when I saw you sleeping so peacefully, and... well, I might have accidentally dozed off too," she stammered, clearly trying to lie since I could see that she was in her pyjamas.

Opting not to make an issue of it since she meant no harm, I left the bed to look for my clothes. My old garments were gone, replaced by an elegantly embroidered tunic, skilfully integrated with my spider chitin armour and vambrace.

As I got dressed, Alice did the same, a quiet awkwardness hanging in the air. Just as I was about to leave the room, Alice gently placed her hand on my shoulder. "Wait, I'm responsible for escorting you. This is your first time in the baron's residence, right?" she inquired. I nodded in response, and she beamed, giving me an affectionate head pat.

"First, we should inform the baron of your recovery and express our gratitude. Then, we'll check on the others, okay?" she suggested. Seeing no issue with the plan, I nodded again, and we left the room together.

"Good morning, Lady Verith!" greeted two guards stationed outside our door, saluting respectfully. Alice returned the salute and then took my hand, leading me through the corridors. It was a mostly empty, only two maids were cleaning the place and as we walked, Alice told me everything I missed.

First, the Arachne survived, and is now even more enraged. Fortunately, George had informed the baron in time, allowing the border soldiers to be prepared and the nearby villages to be evacuated ahead of the approaching spider flood. This confrontation marked the emergence of a new battlefield on the world map.

The horde of arachnids that both our human expedition and I had encountered was merely a small segment of the larger force now assaulting the Verdantians.

I had been unconscious for over a week, kept alive by the baron's best healer. It turned out the Arachne's bite had left a lingering poison, despite the wound's superficial appearance.

As we walked through the property, I glimpsed a modest but well-kept garden through the large windows. It wasn't particularly remarkable. Our conversation paused when we reached a set of double doors guarded by four soldiers and a butler.

The butler promptly acknowledged our arrival. "Lady Verith, the baron is now ready to see you. He has much to discuss about you and the elf accompanying you. Elf, I'm pleased to see you in good health," he said, then opened the door for us to enter.

We were greeted by a plump man in his fifties, busy with paperwork, as we entered the room. "Who goes- oh, greetings Miss Verith, and the elf, perfect timing!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm, setting aside his documents. "I'm Baron Leon, as you may have guessed miss elf. Alice, has she been briefed about the current situation?" he inquired. Alice gave a confirming nod.

"Excellent. Miss Evangeline, seeing you in good health after my intervention is indeed a pleasure," the baron began, his eyes twinkling with a merchant-like sharpness. "We are engaged in a war, primarily funded by the crown but also partly by my own resources, as the relocation of villagers impacts my treasury. Your treatment was costly, and so I must ask for a favor in return or payment of the full amount: 7,000 golden crowns and six hundred silvers." Both Alice and I gulped at the sum mentioned.

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Alice intervened on my behalf, "If I may, sir, the cost seems almost fourfold of what my treatment was worth, and Eva is still very new to the human kingdoms. She doesn’t have any money to her name yet."

The baron remained unfazed. "You do realize that your party only suffered physical injuries, treatable by any battlefield medic, while she was poisoned by an Arachne. That required at least a High Healer from the Church of Prometheus to stabilize her. And let's not forget that I had them flown in on griffons from the capital on the very day I was informed, to ensure she faced no risk of death," he pointed out firmly.

Alice seemed to have exhausted her options for assisting me, so I took the initiative to inquire, "What would the favor entail? I'm willing to do my best, as long as it aligns with my moral principles."

The baron's face lit up with satisfaction as he laid out my options. "You have two choices. First, my daughter requires a personal attendant to accompany her to the royal academy in the capital. Your duties would include attending to her needs and ensuring her protection during her five-year education. The second option is for you to enlist as a tower mage and serve in my magic battalion. This would be a 15-year commitment without salary, though your lodging and meals would be provided."

I immediately recognized the imbalance in his offers. Why would five years in the relatively safe environment of the capital equate to fifteen long, unpaid years in his military service? Needing clarity, I asked, "This seems like a false choice. Any rational person would opt for the academy assignment. What's the catch?" My direct question appeared to please the baron.

He laughed, "Good, you have common sense. Indeed, I have numerous adversaries in the capital, primarily ambitious, landless nobles," he glanced at Alice, adding, "no offense, Lady Verith. They're wary of my growing influence in the military. Since the academy prohibits most military personnel, barring professors and civilian staff, I need someone capable to safeguard my daughter. She's young and naive about noble politics. I am aware of your abilities as a healer and your unique talent as a space mage," he explained.

As I was about to refute his knowledge of my space magic, Alice's reaction only deepened my confusion. She knew? She gave me a reassuring pat on the head, explaining, "I was still conscious after the Arachne's attack. I couldn't move, but I saw you use your magic. And no, I didn't tell the baron. But you’re not the first elf a noble near the elven settlements has encountered."

"Thank you, Miss Verith," the baron interjected. "The others who were with you are unaware of your abilities, and your secret is safe with me. Part of my offer to protect my daughter includes your unique skills. I need someone who can teleport her to safety and heal her. Given the likelihood of poisoning or assassination attempts, your abilities are invaluable. You’ll attend the same classes, share meals and accommodations with her. It's a fair deal, isn't it? The maids will handle the menial tasks; I wouldn’t ask a high elf to engage in such trivialities."

I tried to process his words, weighing my options. The baron, however, seemed impatient for a decision. "Still hesitant? I can’t provide more details until you accept one of my offers," he pressed, clearly trying to rush me into a choice. Feeling cornered, I thought, 'It seems the academy is my only viable option. What else can I do? Run away?' Resignedly, I responded, "I will accept the task of protecting your daughter. There is an issue though, I do not know how teleport, nor teleport others, but I can run fast"

"Excellent! The skill issue can be solved when you get to the academy, your abilities are already known by the crown so they will most likely send a teacher in an attempt to have you on their side in the future. Do not worry, they won’t force you into a favour for favour kind of trade, that would be against noblesse oblige" the baron exclaimed. "Arnold, please summon Lily. She should be present for the rest of this discussion," he called out.

Five minutes later, a young brunette girl entered the study. "What is it, Father?" she inquired. The baron introduced me, "Lily, meet Evangeline, your new personal attendant during your time at the academy."

Lily approached and gave me a thorough once-over before excitedly grabbing my ears. "An elf! This is wonderful, Father!" she exclaimed joyfully, then turned to embrace the baron. He cautioned her, "Don't get ahead of yourself. And remember, that was quite rude. She's here to assist you during your studies. Please be kind to her, alright?"

Lily faced me again, quickly offering a small bow and a soft "sorry," before glancing back at her father.

The baron sighed and produced a pair of bracelets and a parchment. "Now, for the second part of the agreement. Evangeline, you'll need to sign this oath by Prometheus. It's a clause committing you to do everything within your power to protect my daughter. Lily, infuse each bracelet with your mana. One is for Evangeline; you both must wear them at all times."

I accepted the contract, finding it written in English.

I carefully read through the contract, ensuring there were no hidden clauses or tricks. Satisfied, I signed it and handed it back to the baron. His eyes lit up as he observed my signature. "You write in High Elven! That's excellent," he remarked with evident pleasure.

His comment caught me off guard. Glancing at the contract as he placed it on the table, I noticed something peculiar. From a distance, the letters in the contract morphed into indecipherable scribbles, and my English signature had transformed into runes. 'What's going on here?' I wondered silently, filing this anomaly away as something to delve into later.

My thoughts were interrupted as Lily handed me one of the bracelets. "Make sure you never take it off, okay? Father is always right!" she instructed earnestly. The baron then dismissed her, "You're free to go and continue with your day, Lily."

Lily exited with an exuberant "yay," leaving without a formal goodbye, prompting another sigh from the baron. He then turned to me, a serious expression on his face. "She is very precious to me. As you've seen, she's not equipped to handle the dangers of assassins or poisoning attempts," he explained, underscoring the importance of the responsibility I had just accepted.

Upon the baron's instruction, I put on the bracelet. Almost instantly, a sense of Lily's location washed over me. "As you can see, this artifact allows you to locate each other at all times, as long as you both wear it. It's designed to make your job easier," he explained. The baron then delved into the reasons behind his extensive measures to protect his daughter.

"You might be surprised by the lengths I'm going to for my daughter's safety, especially since I have two sons you haven't yet heard about. The reason is simple: the second son of one of the seven great dukes has taken a liking to her. They are to be married soon as part of a military alliance. Fortunately, they are already fond of each other, which is a bonus. If I win this Arachne war, their marriage will proceed. Unfortunately, I can't rely on child assassins for her protection, nor do I trust the organizations that train them. That's why you're the ideal choice."

Seeing that I had no further questions, he promptly dismissed me, advising me to use my time as I wished until the end of this week. Then I will have to follow some etiquette training until the start of next month, which is when his daughter was scheduled to depart. As soon as the baron finished speaking, Alice took my hands in hers, attempting cheer me up "Now that this is settled, let's go check on the others, okay?" she suggested.

----***----

Baron Leon

As the elf and Miss Verith left the room, I snapped my fingers, signaling for my butler and trusted confidant to enter. "You called, sir?" he inquired upon arrival.

I was beset with doubts. "Do you think she will be enough? Is it foolish of me to entrust my daughter to a stranger, despite Duke Valor's warnings?" I questioned, voicing my concerns.

My butler, ever pragmatic, offered his perspective. "She is indeed the best option we have at the moment without alerting our adversaries. Additionally, having an elf as an attendant will significantly enhance your daughter's social standing, which should aid in the formal announcement of her betrothal, still, we have to be sure she has some combat ability outside of being the perfect support" he explained.

Still wrestling with uncertainty, I instructed him to arrange a meeting with David in my office later that afternoon. It was imperative to discuss and perhaps reinforce the plans for my daughter's safety and future so I needed his opinion too.