"Peep!"

You keep looking at it. Why don't you go after your friend if you're so worried?

Tch.

<< It's not that simple. >>

My gaze turned away from the small parchment paper in my hands. I rolled it up, stuffed it into one of my pockets, and continued walking.

Four days had passed since Natalia Ashford's gossip arrived, and her insight into why Granvov wandered into the Celestial Mountain Range bothered me quite a bit.

I already knew back from the sixth round that he had received a telling from the Misfortune Sisters—the last one they gave in Genise before they packed up shop and took off. What I didn't realize until receiving Natalia's gossip was that his going into the creepy mountain range was a direct result of that misfortune telling.

> Grandov was seen speaking with the Misfortune Sisters, after which reports from his fellow soldiers state that his demeanor changed. He immediately gave notice of leave to The Order's captain without any prior warning and, within a mere hour, was seen leaving the capital. One of the soldiers said that Grandov was muttering something about needing to save everyone. I speculate that whatever the Misfortune Sisters told Grandov caused his impromptu trip to the Celestial Mountain Range.

"Peep!"

Why is it not so simple? If you're worried, you should go after him.

I sighed.

<< Nothing happened to him in my original life. I had known Grandov for four years into the future, and he was perfectly alright. He'll survive whatever troubles he might face in the Celestial Mountain Range. >>

It was like his hero-bent personality to go into some creepy forest and save some poor individuals. Whomever he went in to save, they were probably going to live on just fine. As was Grandov, who, until he finally collapsed in the final battle against the Kobar Empire, I had never thought it possible to die.

I walked out into the courtyard and took in the bright blue afternoon sky. The black carriage that Jasper had ordered for me was sitting in the center, waiting for me.

<< However, I know for a fact that my family is in danger. Especially these next couple of days. If I leave to go after Grandov, I'm uncertain about my family's future. >>

Thus far, I had prevented anyone I cared about from dying unexpectantly. Yes, my grandmother passed away, but that was due to ill health rather than malicious intent. And while Queen Yadana Dayla's passing was still a shock, it wasn't a complete catastrophe as expected.

"How are you feeling, Jasper?" I asked the red-haired, freckled young man holding my carriage door open. "It's your first day back at work. Are you sure you didn't want to take more time off?"

At the same time, I had watched him vomit out his insides in the previous round. Now, he was alive and well.

Leona fluttered off my head and perched herself on a golden velvet pillow inside that had become a staple of every carriage I rode in.

Jasper rolled his eyes.

"Not happening," he said. "I had laid about in bed long enough. And unless you offer an all-expense paid trip to the Kado Islands, I won't bother with 'resting up' any longer."

Jasper's role had been switched to attend to my needs in the afternoon. I had requested that Remlend continue to be my morning attendant instead of Jasper, as he had been doing an excellent job. Even Denise, despite her flaw of poisoning my tea, was overall a better attendant than Jasper. Although Remlend and Denise were both excellent attendants, it was a low bar to be better than Jasper.

Rationally speaking, Jasper shouldn't have been an attendant at all, much less so my head attendant. He was prone to sleeping in, and when he came to wake me up, he did so in a somewhat disruptive manner by jumping on my bed or clapping his hands loudly. Not to mention, he usually forgot to bring tea, or if he did, it was too horrible to even consider drinking. One would have thought he was actively attempting to poison me, except that he usually drank all my tea himself instead. It was as if he prepared the tea for his own consumption.

"Suit yourself." I shrugged and entered the carriage.

Jasper was quick to follow, settling comfortably in the seat across from me, with his arms stretched out along the backseat and one leg casually atop the other. One would think he was another young master rather than my attendant based on his carefree demeanor.

While Jasper was generally awful at his job, he was trustworthy, and I had grown up with him. He was the grandson of one of the older butlers that had since passed on. Also, unlike everyone else at the Frey Manor, he was quick to scheme and play along with any and every prank I pulled. He did have one note to him that made him a good attendant; he was surprisingly resourceful. Anytime I needed something unusual for one of my pranks, he always knew a guy who knew a gal who could provide what I needed within a day's notice.

"Young master Luca, where are we heading?" Henry's head poked inside the carriage. He had his usual expression of a golden retriever. It certainly suited him better than the pained look when he died in the Humpton Forest the round back.

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"The palace," I replied.

Cake?

Leona chirped hopefully.

<< Indeed. And hopefully, we can have some non-poisoned cake too. >>

There was a poisoned cake at the palace that I had nearly forgotten about and a conversation about Adovoria's future that I needed to have with Princess Evelyn. Today Lady Sedna Ozeryn had sent over this month's investment, and it felt ridiculous having such a ridiculous sum currently sitting within the Frey Manor coffers, not being utilized.

"Very well, I'll let the driver know," Henry replied, shutting the carriage door.

"The palace?" Jasper's casual demeanor changed. "Ah, I have a friend there I've been meaning to see."

The twinkle in his eyes suggested that it was probably another unfortunate soul that had lost in a gambling bet to him and that Jasper was looking forward to collecting on some odd favor. Unlike Marianna Gerlita, owner of the Gilded Siren, Jasper preferred collecting favors rather than gold as his debt payment.

"Peep!"

Luca, if you know Grandov will be fine, then there's nothing to be so concerned about, is there?

Leona brought back up the conversation from earlier.

I sighed and leaned my head against one of the carriage windows. I gazed out as the carriage rolled forward, passing through the Frey Manor's gates and entering the capital city's bustling streets.

<< The issue is that I'm not entirely certain that events will play out as expected. There are all the butterfly effects I'm having on the world. Then there's Chase, Lady Sedna, and who knows how many other Awakened who are moving about differently in this timeline than in the original. A lot has already changed from the original timeline. >>

Apart from Grandov, I knew of two other people implicated with the Misfortune Sisters, and their futures had drastically shifted. One was Kaiden, who attempted to kill Micah after talking with them. And, had succeeded in previous rounds, but due to my meddling, my brother was alive and well now. Then there was Duncan, who was told to find me in Ascot as I would save his dukedom. However, his misfortune telling was also curious because I had never run into him until the previous round when I went to see my grandmother.

It wasn't so simple as the future changes. The Misfortune Sisters' telling to Duncan may have been different in my original life. Or was it the same, in which case, just what happened in my original life? Did Duncan wait for me forever in the Town of Ascot? Or did he try to find me in Genise and failed?

And I couldn't even ask my favorite information broker about them. Freida Stran had already made it abundantly clear that she didn't want to have anything to do with the Misfortune Sisters. That's what made them and their misfortune tellings even more concerning and why I couldn't help but worry about what might happen to Grandov.

"Ahoy to Luca. We've arrived." Jasper tapped my forehead with his index. "What's with that overly serious expression? It doesn't suit you."

I rubbed my forehead.

"I just got lost thinking about something," I said.

"Don't get so lost in your thoughts that you stop looking around and living in the present." Jasper jumped out of the carriage and held the door open for me. His demeanor immediately changed to one of the utmost respect.

"Young master Luca, I shall be nearby should you need me," Jasper spoke.

I shuddered at his change in tone.

"Thank you," I replied and looked about, noting the palace guards and attendants.

Jasper might have acted the fool in private, but when outsiders were about, he performed as an exceptional attendant. Perhaps he was even a tad over the top, which always embarrassed me.

"Luca Frey? Princess Evelyn was expecting you," Julius, the idiot mage, had come over to greet me. With his black wavy hair parted neatly down the middle and posture, he looked far more intellectual than reality would have it.

"She was?" I raised an eyebrow.

I hadn't even bothered sending a letter informing her ahead of time, which in hindsight, I probably ought to have. She was Adovoria's Crown Princess and thus likely had a slew of matters to attend to. I was lucky that she could meet on such short notice.

"Yes." Julius nodded his head. "Princess Evelyn had informed me that you could come by at any time and to be ready for your presence. You are her betrothed's brother, after all."

"Ah." I recalled that he had said something similar in the previous round.

"Peep!"

But didn't Princess Evelyn tell you in the previous round that she was interested in developing a friendship beyond that of you being Micah's brother, because of your phoenix eyes?

I nodded.

Princess Evelyn was the first non-Awakened individual to have brought up the topic of phoenix eyes with me. Chase Daylan had mentioned few knew about those who had Awakened, and I felt relieved to know that my brother's fiancée was one of them. Of course, her previous remarks hinted at a somewhat different interpretation of phoenix eyes. She seemed to be under the understanding that they meant I had some sort of talent when in reality, all that the golden eyes meant was an ability to die and come back to life with future knowledge still remembered.

But her misunderstanding hardly mattered. All that mattered was that her perspective rendered her a captive audience to my urgent requirement to fund The Order and our army's preparation, readying our defenses for the impending Kobar Empire invasion in a few years' time.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"It has been a pleasure getting to know you and how we can partner in the future," Harrison Bronson, a fat man with a pencil-thin beard, shook Micah's hand.

"The pleasure is all mine," Micah replied with a smile. "My family looks forward to supplying all your building needs."

"Of course, of course." Harrison nodded.

The man before Micah managed the roads across the Adovorian kingdom. Everything from construction and upkeep was within his domain. He did it well, but perhaps too well. His work went unnoticed and was simply accepted as a given. However, nothing was ever a given in life. A little elbow grease and an overlooked building requirement stipulation having just passed through The Noble Council meant that the Freys would essentially hold a monopoly on all future road construction.

And if I control the roads, I can control the flow of money and power.

Harrison walked away, and Louis rushed over to Micah's side.

"Young master Micah, a message has arrived for you."

Micah accepted a small scroll and undid the black seal, recognizing it to be from Seymour, his most trusted subordinate.

Micah's expression darkened, having read the message.

Tsk. That's certainly unfortunate.

He rubbed the black rune seal, making the parchment paper darken and fall apart as ash.

"Louis, get the carriage ready. I'm heading back to the capital," Micah ordered.

Micah had Seymour investigate the Frey Manor's matters and identify how Denise's betrayal went unnoticed and if there were any individuals that the Frey Manor's security had missed.

"But your next appointment—"

"Another rat has been caught," Micah said.

"Ah." Louis understood. "Very well, I'll have the carriage ready right away."

Micah watched Louis run off. He pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the black soot off his hands.

Just how will Luca react to this betrayal?