Location: Her Highness, Princess Elodie’s Office

Time: 11:02 AM, February 15th 2108

Olivia and I were once again called to Her Highness’s temporary office. She probably wanted to discuss the previous day's activities.

[You just put me through all that annoying stuff, and now you want something else? You know you’re supposed to book an idol in advance! I don’t do guerilla concerts.]

Olivia wasted no time complaining.

[I wouldn’t be so quick to judge, I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear about what I called you here for.]

Her Highness addressed Olivia. It was a little annoying that I didn’t have any good way to make my presence more noticeable, but I decided to let them carry on with their conversation.

[But before that, I’d like to talk about your performance yesterday.]

Olivia’s expression instantly darkened.

What did she do?

Based on the way she was looking around the room, refusing to focus on either Her Highness or me, she was definitely hiding something.

[I don’t know what you’re talking about! I definitely didn’t do it!]

Olivia decided to deny the accusation before Her Highness even made it.

[I’d rather not waste more time on this than necessary. I’m already aware that you fought off the younger Kaldsen in order to protect Evans.]

She did what? If it wasn’t coming from Her Highness there’s no way I would have believed that. Olivia fought off Kathrin? She would never try something like that. And for what? To protect a girl we already knew was working with a terrorist organization?

I mean, Emily did come home with us, so I assumed their paths had crossed at some point, but I would have never guessed that Olivia purposefully saved her.

[Ah, that. Well, yeah, I did that.]

For some reason Olivia looked relieved while making her confession.

[I won't go as far as to say I want her dead, but her presence itself is annoying. Why did she have to end up here of all places? And because of Henry I can't even take any direct action against her. Next time, just let her fate play out as it should. No need to do anything unnecessary for her. That girl has already been given enough.]

[Got it.]

Olivia stayed silent while Her Highness took a sip of tea.

[Although I was looking forward to seeing what those twins are capable of. I’m not overly familiar with the Numbers of the Free Cities after all. But you and the other students were more capable than I thought. Kathrin, Grant, and Devesh were all taken care of without them having to do much at all.]

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[Ah, well, sorry about that.]

Olivia didn’t look particularly apologetic.

[No matter. I’m sure there will be future opportunities. Moving on to my main reason for calling you here, tomorrow there will be a debut concert downtown.]

[Obviously. I won’t miss it.]

[I would hope not. You’ll be the one to debut.]

[Excuse me? Are you trying to make me an opening act for some bigger Idol?]

[No. You’re the only one. The concert is for you.]

Olivia’s face went blank as she tried to process the information being told to her.

[Me?]

[Yes.]

[It’s my concert?]

[Yes.]

[Huh?]

[You’re an idol aren’t you?]

[Obviously.]

[Then I don’t see the problem.]

[But, I mean, what about the routine? Or rehearsals?]

For once, Olivia seemed like the reasonable one. You couldn’t just let a performer know the day before a concert.

[Haven’t you been saying you were an idol for a while now? Don’t you have anything prepared? I thought you were more professional than that.]

Her Highness was trying to bait Olivia.

[Of course I do! I haven’t been just saying that!]

[Then you’ll have no problem performing tomorrow?]

[Of course not! A true idol is always ready!]

[Then head to the venue and prepare whatever you need. The staff is already waiting for you there.]

[They better be! I’m a professional after all.]

Olivia left with an air of confidence that was entirely unfounded. Her Highness managed to play her perfectly.

But why?

What did Her Highness have to gain by having Olivia perform a debut show on such short notice?

While I mentioned before that I think Olivia’s true purpose was to become a performer, something like this was way too sudden. Despite how the two of them were acting, there was no way Olivia could put on a successful show after one day of practice. It just didn’t make any sense that Her Highness would even suggest it.

Olivia is probably the only person in the world who would believe something like that is possible.

I had no way to voice my concerns, but Her Highness could clearly understand my doubts.

[Oakley.]

Her Highness wasted no time in addressing me. She clearly had something more to say, and due to my disability she didn’t need to slowly reveal her thoughts through conversation. She could simply give me orders.

[Olivia’s unpreparedness won’t be a problem. As her first song starts there will be a massacre in the crowd caused by two Velstand citizens. They will then rush the stage in an attempt to kill Olivia in front of everyone. I need you to make sure your Number doesn’t interfere.]

[Come on now, don’t make that face, I’m not actually going to let anything happen to her. Olivia will continue to be a useful tool. Her brother will be backstage. If either of them get too close for comfort he will eliminate them, but I doubt it will come to that. My Henry will disable them both before they cause too much damage.]

Henry? Would he really help? Despite the way Her Highness talks about him, I’ve never actually seen Henry respond positively to anything about her.

[He’ll help.]

She replied as if she could read my mind.

[He’s already accepted a temp job as on-site security. His sense of responsibility would never let him ignore something like this happening while on the job.]

That. . . was probably true. But why?

[Because I need a citizen of the Empire to play their part in defending Velstand, but that doesn’t involve you. At least not yet. What I need is for you to use Hana to lure Vier far away from the venue, preferably outside of the city. I’ll have someone from the Empire accompany you. If possible, use him and Hana to eliminate Vier. If that doesn’t seem likely, don’t force it. Your primary objective is making sure none of those unpredictable thorns in my side interrupt Olivia’s show.]

I nodded my head before leaving her office. Her Highness had nothing more to say to me, and I wouldn't overstay my welcome.

Obviously, there was a lot I wanted to ask, and a lot that I wanted to know, but there was no reason for me to go down that route. If I was persistent, Her Highness might have decided to fill me in on what she was planning, but I wouldn’t do that. I didn’t need to do that. I’m not a person that needs to ask questions. I just needed to know what Her Highness needed from me. That shouldn’t come as a surprise. From the beginning, this was nothing more than an answer on purpose.