Only when the kitchen door was open did the melodious strains of the gamelan music seep through. A line of pasindhan singers vibrated in their throats to satisfy the hearings with the festive hymns of thanksgiving. Alicia carefully navigated the throng while balancing a tray of small cakes. The dancers burst into the guests and danced in the hall's centre without warning. Their movements and attires depicted various animals and mystical creatures. Some even coated their bodies with gilded body paint, swaying like stalks of ripe barley awaiting the harvest. In Alicia's mind, they were narrating the epic of the harvest season.

One by one, the small cakes called klepon were snatched by eager hands. Most tycoons were only interested in the brown sugar-coated green cakes and the exchange of gossip within their social circles. They had little time to turn their attention to the waitstaff who distributed the treats. After all, almost every time Alicia deliberately averted her gaze or simply offered brief nods whenever a pair of eyes happened to alight on her. Not to mention the butler cramming in more snack delivery duties and reprimanding to elicit more smiles. Alicia had to shuttle between the party room and the kitchen, depositing empty glasses and returning with fresh treats. It was clear the wealthy had purposely abstained from eating the day before in order to indulge more of the royal banquet in their bellies. Wisesa knew all this from his marrad. Alicia's interactions were barely audible, apart from the constant chatter and the sound of the bourgeois feasting as they talked about the conspiracy to exterminate the poor they deemed a plague on Earth for almost half an hour.

"You're slower than a turtle, apparently. The magic vault is only one floor below you, Alicia!" Wisesa chided.

"Can’t be a wee bit patient, can you?" Alicia hissed. This time, her tray held cubed cakes wrapped in banana leaves. "The butler's pure acting like a surveillance automaton, ken!" She turned around, her eyes looking into the butler’s eyes near the kitchen door as if among the dozens of other maids, his gaze was fixed on Alicia alone. It was obvious that Alicia was the worst waitress of all—she could not even lift a tray with one hand. "Give me more time. I can't walk freely for less than five seconds with an empty tray!"

"Alicia, the tour of the magic vault only lasts one hour. If you’re content being a waitress, then stay a waitress and forget about Pulomas and your favorite ball!"

Alicia offered snacks to the members of the trade association group sporting songket-clad hats—the merchants from the state of Bhumidemang, as they called it—as well as the gourmets passing by. Her aim was to finish her ration swiftly so she could try her luck at sneaking into the party. "At least a word of encouragement would be nice—"

Her words caught in her throat.

"Alicia? Oi, Alicia! What's the matter with you?” Wisesa called out.

Alicia was petrified when her eyes caught the figure of a man garbed in a fanciful ensemble of black and gold, bedecked with a green cloak fastened to the right side of his shirt. He had been caught gaping with cake chews still bulging on both cheeks. A pallid shade of countenance, his jawline an amalgamation of square and heart, and his thick curls dishevelled but glimmering with oil. Just a moment ago, he had lifted his hand to signal the scarlet-clad waitress for another piece of cake. Now, his green eyes were squinting into her ruby eyes. Somehow, among the guests, it was the small man who stood out most conspicuously to Alicia; even though his attire was comparatively sensible!

Dead! I’m pure dead! What’s yon incubus doing at this party? Alicia's heart was racing, about to burst.

The man's feet initiated a step. Dead indeed, she was. Alicia immediately turned around and marched to the kitchen!

"Wisesa, W-Wisesa!" Alicia whimpered in panic. Wisesa heard a series of gasps after that. "Code red, Wisesa! SOS! Khaos Alert! Valfrost! 'Giants Are Coming!' Whatever! C-cancel the mission now!"

"What do you mean?" Wisesa jumped up from his seat after hearing her message. "I didn't hear any weird disturbance at your position." His tongue switched languages. "Badra, have you seen Alicia?"

After a brief observation, Badra reported back to Wisesa.

"Badra saw you walking in a hurry. A dwarf seemed to be cutting through the crowd towards you. Do you recognize him?"

"A-aye, I ken him—he’s nae dwarf, how dare you—bloody clipe, nevermind! No more questions, I'm out of here!"

"No way! Go to Badra by the stairs, or hide. The mission cannot be cancelled!"

"Excuse me!" the short man called out from a distance. "I recognise you! Aren’t you her—"

"No, sorry. Aethelburg, my name is. You've got the wrong person!"

"I haven't mentioned any names, and I'm sure I've never mistaken anyone."

The Crimsonmane girl shook her head. "Well, there's always a first time for everyone—"

Alicia's voice choked again. This time it was because she was interrupted by the glamorous butler. His disdainful face was annoying.

"You! What did you come into the room for?" He pointed at the four pieces of cake on the tray. "No empty tray, no come in!"

Alicia's mouth was twitching. "C-c’mon...! I just need to take s-some of these b-banana leaf-wrapped cakes! There are e-eight people who want them!"

"Tell your friend to come deliver their portions. Turn around!"

Alicia was forced to comply. Her initial intent was to pivot on her heel and scan the staircase for Badra, but she was taken aback when the pallid-skinned lad materialised directly in front of her! The girl let out a yelp and stumbled, causing the other attendees to gasp in unison. The musicians kept playing with their instruments, while the costumed dancers twirled about nonchalantly albeit all eyes wandered elsewhere. The four cakes swathed in banana that Alicia had brought with her went to waste, one of which stained the lad's robe.

"Clipe!" Alicia panicked. She collapsed onto her knees and used her apron to scrub away the stain. "I-I'm sorry—"

The butler's hand instantly grabbed Alicia's red blouse. "What have you done? You’ve spilt the royal nagasari! You know it's a capital offence to throw away your host's food here, you unscrupulous servant—"

Another hand responded to the butler's rough grip. He glanced up to discover a pair of wide eyes on a pale, tired mien. "Please," his voice was faintly flat. His frigid breath chilled the guts of the Walking Gold Shop. "It was my fault for taking her by surprise."

The butler’s grip on Alicia’s blouse loosened. His feet retreated. "Sorry, my lord. But regardless, she dropped the host's food."

"Don't worry. I’ll go to the Fines Board and pay for all the losses."

Having said that, the dandy butler could do nothing but nod. No further words were spoken by him, and the party went back to its gossiping routine. The lad's cold hand was outstretched towards Alicia, which she timidly accepted and stood up.

"But if you don't mind, I'd like to borrow this lady as my personal maid for a while."

"Wh-what? " Alicia and Wisesa behind the marrad exclaimed simultaneously.

"No, Lord! No objection at all!" The butler's eyes glared at Alicia. "She can at least make up for her mistake by providing more service!"

"Excellent! I thank you!" His hand still clasped hers, dragging her to the outer room, to a garden beautified by a fountain.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The terrace space was less crowded, with only a handful of men lounging on the marble columns smoking tobacco cigarettes. Alicia and the lad found a sweet spot of privacy all to themselves—a small pavilion in the centre of a kilau bathik fish pond. Alicia backed away to the far end of the pond. She was trapped. Her eyes caught a glimpse of Badra's form pretending to smoke with the other guests, having received instructions from Wisesa to follow the two of them.

Without touching the chairs, each of them paused to see who would start the conversation. In contrast to the bespectacled lass' crab-steamed face, the short man let out a subtle grin. His face is too close! Alicia's myopic eyes could not possibly have deserved to behold such an otherworldly tundra visage and the piercing mint-green eyes that elicited chills and wonder at the same time. Alicia's courage waned even more at the sight of those perfect rows of teeth. Her heartbeat had probably reached his ears.

"I want to make sure again, in case I was mistaken," The little man opened his voice. "Aethelburg? Really?"

Alicia's eyes only dared to fixate on the lustrous blue and gold-coloured bathik fish. "W-what are you doing here, Mars?"

"Mars?" Wisesa muttered inside the marrad. "Oh, your boyfriend? I knew it!"

Alicia flinched, her hands clenched into fists. A strange gesture, to Mars' notion.

"Do you need a drink?" offered Mars, thinking the lass had some kind of strange hiccup.

"N-no...! I'm alright." Alicia shook her head. "So... what brings you here?"

Stifling his laughter was a task impossible for Mars as he witnessed Alicia's bemused behaviour. Her mind was getting more and more muddled. Just for once, no laughter, please!

"Business matters, Alicia. I'm not just a sorcerer, you know. I'm a board member of a trade association as well, more precisely one that deals with wild oil export issues," Mars explained, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I happened to be invited to Bhumidemang State to sign a trade deal, and this party is an opportunity to network with the Alas Purwo Trade Committee. But let's not bore ourselves with talk of trade, shall we?"

"No, let’s not," Wisesa chipped in, his words tumbling out in a jumbled stream. "Let’s just talk about romantic date spots in Alas Purwo, or ask if he still has room for one more person—I know you don’t want to sleep on the floor, and I'm not willing to share my bed either! Oh, oh! Ask about when and how you can taste each other’s sweet lips! Now that's an interesting conversation!”

Marrad’s communication network could not even resist broadcasting a rhyming quip by Wisesa, ever the jester. "Alicia and Mars, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, Then comes babies in prams!"

Alicia gasped. Her head was reaching beyond the boiling point. In her mind, smoke might have been rising from the top of her head, soaring through Lojitengara's afternoon sky. However, Mars' words shattered that thought. His gaze fixed on her reddening mien (thankfully not as red as her own hair). "You know, sometimes I wish I could learn mind-reading spells, then I wouldn’t have to wonder what's making you so flustered.”

"M-Mars...! No, no, no! I'm fine! Pure belter! Really!" Alicia pushed her palms forward. Still timid she was, to look up at Mar’s countenance. Wisesa's hymn of innuendo was still ringing in her ears, and her spirit wanted to escape her body rather than endure the shame. Why was it that only this man had such a voluptuous, pale face? Soon, Alicia would be floundering like the fish in the pavilion pond behind her! She could not help to think of a nickname for him: "Peely-Wally."

It was official, Peely-Wally was her favourite expression for anyone with a handsome pale face!

But Alicia did not just admire Mars' charming looks. She still possessed a keen ear for conversation. When Mars spoke about his side occupation, a question formed in her mind. "S-sorry if I have to ask... Isn't Lojitengara in opposition to the Eternal Empire?"

"Uh, yes, but I fail to see your point."

"I mean, why would ye make a trade deal with them?"

"Why do you assume that I'm from the Eternal Empire?"

"Eh...? S-so yer n-not? You see... that... the fabric of yer robe... the meander pattern on the hem of yer cloth... that's from the E-Eretopeion, isn't it? That, and other things...."

Mars' flirtatious grin was revealed again. "Are my features among the 'other things'?"

The laughter of the Barong-possessed behind the marrad intensified. The girl's hands froze, unable to lift to cover her reddened face. Alicia wanted to punch Wisesa twice in the face—the first time was actually for Mars, the principal cause of her mortification, but she was not willing to mar that sweet, tired, cold face. The world of thaumaturgy would be doomed to global warming if she did.

"I'll take that as a yes," Mars said again.

"M-Mars. Enough..." Alicia said resignedly while closing her eyes tightly.

As much fun as it was to tease the bookish Alicia, Mars knew his limits. If he carried on, he would push her to tears. Or faint. He patted Alicia's shoulder gently to inspire a small measure of courage. "I may have been from Eretopeion if that was two decades ago. But now, I'm a citizen of Asphodel."

"Asphodel..." Alicia pondered for a moment. "The one that recently gained independence from the Eternal Empire, huh?"

Mars nodded. "Well, if that's all answered, it's time for me to find out your intentions for working as a royal servant, and using the name Aethelburg instead of Alicia, which has already suited you well!"

Wisesa swore behind his marrad, "Oh, shit! Alicia, don’t tell him anything. Get out of there, immediately!"

But Alicia could not leave. Behind her was the fish pond. And she did not want to leave. She might never see his face again. The conflicting emotions were overwhelming her.

"Sorry, Mars. It’s complicated. I cannae tell you," Alicia replied.

"Complicated? Let's see how complicated it is." Mars began to move back and forth and deduce. "You are a child of Crimsonmane nobility, but choose to work as a temporary foreign maid at the end-of-harvest feast instead. You're using a false name, which means you're most likely undercover—being a spy is a possibility. But which side are you spying for? Based on Alas Purwo's current track record, you're most likely aiding the Duchy of Pulomas, which is engaged in a direct civil war with Alas Purwo. And, as luck would have it, the Uryanwarsa festival is coming to a close, just as Alas Purwo's ultimatum deadline approaches. Yep, outsiders are aware of the upcoming event. My conclusion is that you’re either planning to stop Alas Purwo's ultimatum yourself with your Arcane abilities, or you're letting Pulomas' troops do the hard work with the intel you've provided. By the way, where's your Arcane orb? Honestly, ever since we met in prison, I’ve been so... so curious to see it!"

Words were lost from Alicia's tongue. Excuses crumbled in her mind. Their plan was easily uncovered by a man who happened to know her, and coincidentally, stirred up turmoil in her heart. Wisesa, too, was at a loss; all he could think of now was sacrificing Badra to come out of hiding and fight with Mars, while Alicia fled the palace. However, he reconsidered that thought again, due to Alicia being a Westerner, and his sentiments towards her people questioned that thought.

"It's true again! But hey, it's okay, Alicia. Don't be so uptight!" Mars laughed again, trying to unfreeze her stiff nerves. "My business is with Bhumidemang, not with your orb, nor with Alas Purwo. I'd like to help you, but unfortunately tonight I have to fly back to Bhumidemang."

"Y-you... won't divulge this secret?" asked Alicia.

"For you? I am as silent as the Divine. That's the least I can do. Besides, it's nice to know you're helping those little people with Arcane might."

"But... they’re rebels... Some consider them terrorists, separatists."

"Oh, you are the only one with Arcane source, surely you know better." With a genuine smile, Mars patted the girl's head gently. And she did not resist. "I guess I don't have to worry that you'll deviate from your dream of making the world happy with magic, at least for a while."

Mars still remembered their little talk in the prison at that time, apparently. All the prophecies and complicated problems that had befallen Alicia lately made her mind blur about the conviction, even. No matter how many times the little lad teased her, it still eased her anxiety. Although the hue had not faded completely, a small smile appeared, sincerely for Mars alone.

"If there's no one to stand up for what's right like them, then the earth is nothing different than the ever-gloomy realm of Hades, isn't it?" said Alicia.

They both laughed—Alicia just giggled. Over time, the atmosphere quietened down again. They were finally comfortable staring at each other.

"How are you, Alicia?"

A question that bloomed a sheepish smile on her face. "How am I?" Alicia then pretended to think. "It's harder than arranging trade deals, that’s for sure. Saving the world, making new enemies, and near gettin' yerself killed. They’ve become routine, I guess. Och, on the bright side, I met new pals as well."

"I heard about your disappearance in Vanaheim—probably kidnapped by a mysterious magical terrorist network. That has the whole of Camelot worried. I'm worried too. You know I can offer you a way back to Camelot."

"Your offer is very kind, thanks a lot. But you can tell them I'm fine, because I still have duties here..., and I’m not likely to be back soon either. I already ken my mandate fae the Tree of Knowledge, and it requires me to attend several stoppages!"

"That's my girl!" Mars slipped up.

Alicia was momentarily stunned with widened eyes before giving another smile. "Mars, it's good we're not starting that now."

A chuckle from the boy. "You're right, I'm sorry. Hey, you like magic, don't you? Want to look around the magic vault for a while?"

The conversation, once an awkward one, had bore a sweet fruit! Wisesa became excited again in an instant. "This is your chance, Alicia. Go with him to the magic vault. Grab his hand, smooch his cheek if you have to—"

"Aye, I’d love to." Alicia assented. Wisesa's instructions had become radio static in her ears. "But..., is it okay to walk with you dressed like this?"

"What's wrong with your clothes? Alicia Crimsonmane in maid dress is something I want to see forever—"

"That's not what I meant!"

"I know. I'm just very happy to see a sweet maid—"

"Awright, we have to hurry, the magic vault tour is nearly over!" Alicia turned Mars around and pushed him back onto the garden path. Without holding hands, they walked through the palace's terrace rooms until they found the nearest staircase to the entrance of the Alas Purwo shamanic heirloom tour. []