In the wake of the nasty business in the city, everyone in my little clan has found ways to keep busy. Earl and Anna maintain the estate, keeping the floors polished and the windows clear. In the afternoons, they have their lessons, usually with Talia. I encourage them to do something for themselves in the evenings.

For Anna, that means playing with her flocketts, running amok or training them to do saints know what. Earl is more reserved even with explicit permission to cut loose. The rowdiest he gets is taking walks under the moon but if he isn’t making himself useful, he spends the time meditating in the room they share.

Our flower is similarly reserved. When she has a free moment, whether during the early hours that even the sun groans at or in the afternoon when everyone else is about and she doesn’t have to be concerned about surprise attacks on the estate, my imp slips out to loot the city, bringing back goodies for Talia. She’s becoming more like a crow, helplessly attracted to all that glitters and gleams.

Her closet grows by the day and she’s taken to decorating the estate. Nothing much. A painting here. A vase there. Little spots of color that brighten the otherwise bland home. I’m sure if I give her enough time, she’ll transform the place. It’s not even that she likes the Teppin home, I don’t think. More instinctively wanting to surround herself with the color she was deprived of her whole life.

When she isn’t decorating, she’s practicing. She steals Bell for a few moments and then she practices what she’s learned until her core is empty. Then she circulates her mana. The perfect example of a dedicated caster working to improve herself.

Alana and Kierra are much the same, though their work is focused on more physical pursuits. They work together as often as they work alone, Kierra strengthening the future knight with her magic in the morning after an intense workout and sparring in the evenings. At night, Kierra disappears into the city to do saints know what, though she calls it surveying, surveying for what I have no idea, but she’s always back for dinner and if she goes out again, she never stays out all night, waking me up when she climbs into bed.

No matter how often I lose track of the family throughout the day, there’s three times I’m guaranteed to see most if not all of them. Mealtimes. Whatever they’re doing, they pause to indulge in a succubus’ cooking. Lunch is always simple and light, taking into account that people still have a lot of moving to do that wouldn’t appreciate a heavy stomach. Today, it’s a savory smelling soup, a large bowl of salad, and a basket full of soft rolls.

I’m not the first to the table. Alana is already seated and spooning soup, features slack with enjoyment. Her eyes slowly open as she hears me and Anna enter, the little beastie making a ruckus as she runs to pull out a chair. I never tire of the way my future saint reflexively smiles when she looks at me, though she usually tamps down on it, smoothing the curve to a stern line.

“You’re here early,” I say, taking the seat beside her. One of my hands idly plays with the hair that’s just short of touching her shoulders now as Anna makes me a plate, short arms straining to reach everything on the table. The longer it grows, the more pronounced the curl in the blonde locks becomes.

“Heading out soon to the camp. Check on Yulia,” she says between bites. Her eyes flick to the pile of letters I dropped on the table before sitting down. “Trouble?”

“Trouble. Maybe opportunity too but definitely trouble.”

“Any word from my father?”

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“Actually, there is.” I pass along the letter. She’s similarly amused by his offer, letting out a huff of amusement. “Unnecessary, but heartwarming, don’t you think?”

“He means it. Send word and the north will wipe out what’s left of the city.”

“A bit unnecessary.”

“Very. He’s just looking for a reason. I imagine he’s heard about what happened to Yulia and Allen. If you hadn’t already leveled Quest, there would already be knights on the way.” She puts the letter back on the pile. “The rest?”

“The esteemed leaders of humanity, including several I’ve never heard of.” I push the pile closer and she idly pokes through it while I take the first bites of my lunch.

“They’re paying attention.”

“It’d be strange if they weren’t.”

“So? Figured out what you want to do with the city yet?”

“Have you figured out what you want to do with it yet?” I reflect. “Like I said, I’m open to ideas.”

“You promised me a castle, not a city.”

“I’m pretty sure you can build a castle out of all the rubble.”

Alana chuckles. Then her expression turns pensive. “…no. I don’t hate the idea of us ruling a city, but this city isn’t ours. Not in any way that matters.” She raises her finger. “The land is firstly owned by the crown and secondly by the people who have paid to use it. Most of the original owners might be dead but ownership would be passed on to their relatives. Relatives that aren’t going to be happy that the woman that killed their fathers and mothers is now stripping them of their legacies.”

She puts up a second finger. “Which leads into the bigger problem, the people. Unless you plan on evicting every resident of the city and starting a fight with the Halll, you need the people. Maybe you can scare them into line for a while but it’d only be a matter of time until they rebelled and destroyed whatever you built. And that’s just the common people. The guilds no doubt have a grudge that’s going to persist through generations. They’ll make sure the people stay angry at you.”

A third finger goes up. “And the biggest reason I don’t want anything to do with this broken city is the politics. Quest was an important city. Anyone that takes over can make it an important city again and that comes with attention. These little notices would only be the tip of the mountain. Not unless you spill a whole lot more blood. Finally—"

She drops her hand and scowls. “No offense, Lou but you’re a beacon for trouble. I just can’t imagine things going well if we stay. You’re going to get into it with someone and the only two available opponents are the king and the Harvest Hero.”

I wince. “Good points. So, your vote is running. To the north?”

She makes a face like a kid tasting a hated food. Cute. “I’d rather not.”

“Don’t worry, you don’t need to convince me. But if we’re not taking over then we can’t stay.” That’s asking for the trouble she says I’m so fond of. “I’m thinking south.”

“Why not west?”

Only thing west is the coast. “Saints’ blessed asses. Graywatch? Really?”

She shrugs. “King won’t try to come for you there. And I don’t think it’s illegal to kill people in the streets if the guilds try to assassinate you.”

“I’m not sure anything is illegal in that cesspool. You’d lose your mind.”

She rolls her eyes. “I do have self-control.”

“I will bet you everything I own that you try to cut someone down or punch them out in a day. A single day.”

“You’d give me everything you own anyway.”

“Cheh. Getting a little full of yourself.”

She raises a brow. “Problem?”

Please. “You know I love it. Why the Gray? Why not a little village before reaching there or the empty south?”

“You enjoy it too much. The chaos.”

I gape at her. Try to respond but come up short. Try again and manage to speak. “I didn’t enjoy any of this.”

“Not while you were in it. But tell me, honestly.” Those sharp eyes dig into me. “Now that’s it over and you’ve won and the whole kingdom is kissing your feet…are you not enjoying it?”

“I’m not…not a lot…barely at all.” I sigh under her unwavering and unconvinced gaze. “Alright. Being on top feels good but it’s too much of a hassle to get here.”

“At least in Graywatch, they have a culture that respects strength. I doubt it’ll take a full-fledged massacre for us to be left alone and we don’t have to hide out in the middle of nowhere.”

“It’s an idea.”

She hums in agreement as she stands. When did she finish scarfing down her food? “I don’t much care as long as it’s not somewhere freezing cold. We’ll have plenty of that to deal with in winter.” A thrill of delight makes me shiver as she grabs my chin and steals my lips. “Got to go. Don’t start a war without me.”

“Have fun.”

“I won’t.”