In that very same castle, the King was having a headache. This was already the third one that died. His daughter, in sixteen years since being born, survived three fiancées of hers. Who would want to wed a girl with such a record? Even though she was princess…

“King ???: …Guess I’ll have to discount her…”

His thoughts were interrupted by one of the three other people in the room. They were all his most trusted counsellors. The one who spoke was the oldest of them. He was already counselling while the King was a child.This made his words have incrtedible weight behind them.

Counsellor ???: Your Majesty, how would you like to deal with the instigators?

King ???: Hn? Who?

Counsellor ???: The men responsible for the death of the fiancée.

King ???: Was it not a fair duel? Why would we need or want to deal with that?

Counsellor ???: Not at all, we don't, Your Majesty. In fact, I was getting ready to dissuade you from acting.

King ???: Is that so? This is getting me curious. Why should we abstain from acting, counsellor?

Counsellor ???: Because there is no need to use one's hands when others are already at work.

King ???: True. Then, let's discuss who to wed her with next...Let's try to get one that's not retarded like the previous ones for once. If there were a fourth case like this...Gods please be merciful. Anyways, any ideas?

And from there, they began to discuss the potential candidates. What no one noticed was the clever manipulating done by the Counsellor. The reason he had managed to remain one for so long was simple. He would always be the first to bring out the issues to attract attention, then agree to whatever the King he served wished for. Never in his entire carreer did he offer a single personnal advice.

Because those are the best counsellors, the ones who do not give advices but agree to everything.

How can you dislike someone who is of the same mind as yours? You can't.

...

In the Mansion, after dinner, Atem dropped by Shen's room.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Atem: So, how did it feel?

Shen: ...As if I was reunited with something long lost.

Atem: I do understand you. What you felt.

Shen: The time with the spy?

Atem: Yes. By the way, according to Adeline, her butler Albert seems to have waist problems. He, according to her, always bend his back awkwardly whenever he cross eyes with someone...

To that, the both of them laughed widely for some time.

Shen: Ah~ I guess we will need to go see him from time to time, making sure he's okay, right?

Atem: Ah, ah, of course. But back on topic, Master. How was it to cut strings for the first time after so long. Has there been some physical strains?

Shen: No...Everything seems fine. It was as if nothing had changed. I could see the strings linking his soul to his heart very clearly. Just as clearly, I was able to know and cut them. In an instant, no strings were attached to the bodies and their souls flew away.

Atem: Have you found out where they went, Master?

Shen: No. Back then, I thought it could have been this world but, as you know, it is not. That's why we need to find the door. I must find the world where those souls go.

Atem: Of course, Master. However, what about them? They have likely reported to the organisation by now.

Shen: A few more ennemies won't deter me. We will have to first go pay those fuckers back and then we can return to our primary objective.

Atem: As you wish, Master.

As he noticed that Atem remained in the room, Shen asked him:

Shen: What else?

Atem: Should we prepare ourselves for some action after today's events?

Shen did not even ponder before he replied:

Shen: No need. Do you think scheming ants could ever defeat a clever dragon?

Atem: Certainly not. I will be going first then.

...

It was only twelve days later that a guild messenger came to the Mansion to inform them that the individual examinations would be held two days later in the First Arena. This was a never seen speed to organise such an event. Due to the meddling of so many different people with all kinds of hidden agenda, the examination turned into something huge.To the point where even a princess was supposed to spectate.

The strongest adventurers in the kingdom were all gathering in the capital for the first time in many years. Whichever street you took, you risked bumping into a famous B or A rank adventurer. There were even rumors that some L rank adventurer was in town...

Regardless, to the quatuor, the days went by as usual. Adeline was progressing a lot under the tutelage of a Magus such as Atem. Shen was enjoying his free time delving into history books who seemed more like fairy tales to one who lived through the actual events. And Tempest was the usual himself, staying mostly at the establishment or having it be delivered at home. Of course, the other two joined him when it was take-out. No one refuses a free meal...

It did not take that long to figure out what they were doing for Adeline. Well, it did take her more time than she should have. However, in the end, she managed to understand what was going on when she saw the ladies come the day after the duel. If she had not noticed it even after that, it would have truly been shameful.

While her religious upbringing did make her slightly more innocent (or much more) than the average young adult, she did know what this was and how to do it. She hadn't yet gone this far herself and found it quite shameful and embarrassing at the moment but she was young. Such feelings were the priviledge of the youth. She did begin to get an interest in it though...

In any case, the examination was near.