Viscount Jehaness Terion gazed down at the nobles gathered in the courtyard of his castle, wondering how so many of the most incompetent among them had survived thus far. He couldn't decide whether it was coincidence or some twisted destiny, but the men and handful of women before him were the very people he had hoped never to be affiliated with. Yet, the random hand of fate and his own cruel destiny had brought them together here. After the commotion some of them caused yesterday, Terion began to wonder if simply opening the gates and letting the forces of Arcadia take care of this scum wouldn't be actually profitable for mankind in general. Unfortunately, that move wouldn't guarantee his own survival, and that was the sole reason why he suffered from their idiocy. They also brought with them sizable armies that were, unfortunately, unquestionably loyal to their lords.

Putting aside the slightly better chances of surviving, he wasn't even sure why he agreed to let them in. Count Nova, known for owning most of the overall number of slaves in Berna, was supposedly pardoned by Princess Elisabeth and kept his lands and title. If he could have avoided being executed by the Arcadians, Johaness Terion should have even bigger chances for that. Despite his young age, he was considered a brilliant strategist, and if not for his habit of always speaking his mind, he would be one of the most important generals of Berna. Jehaness was a capable and loyal man, so that might be why the Patriarch kept him alive, but it seemed that he was never going to call him again. Terion was grateful for that generous smile of luck. He never liked the capital; the staggering amount of poor, enslaved people who were kept for all purposes imaginable was something he couldn't stand.

His house never owned a single slave, which was pretty controversial in a country where slavery was basically promoted by the state. For generations, his family found their occupation in shipbuilding. The shipyards and docks of the Terion Family were famous across Berna for their quality work and fast deliveries. Long before the rise of Berna, Terion's family served the Kings and Queens of Tuvarin, making themselves known as unrivalled craftsmen. Unfortunately, the Patriarch banned building airships for anyone except the Holy Navy, which not only killed any progress but also made it highly difficult to obtain the resources needed to build just one ship each year. The profits he earned were questionable at best; however, the tax exemption was supposed to compensate for the losses. Objectively speaking, there was not much that kept his loyalty to Berna and even less that could explain his eagerness to help those people.

Terion sat on his castle's balcony, separated from his fellow noblesse's petty problems by the thick walls of his main castle. With a satisfied grin, he watched as Baron Jergnass was denied access to the slaves he brought with him. That was one of the rules he set within the walls of his castle. The slaves were taken from their masters and put to work in the kitchen under the watchful gaze of his head maid. If those useless buffoons were entitled enough to bring their slaves here, he was going to take them away. Even if it were petty of him, he would have as much satisfaction as possible before their final defeat. He wasn't sure what fate awaited him, but he wouldn't drag his people with him to his doom. He couldn't care less about the noblesse who found their final refuge within his castle, but those people who had served him and his family for generations deserved better.

"You are an intriguing person, Viscount Terion," a melodic, womanly voice interrupted his thoughts.

Brief panic twisted his face, but he took a deep breath and accepted his fate, whatever it was. He swallowed the bitter ball that had formed in his throat and slowly turned around. On the far side of the balcony, on the wide rampart, sat a beautiful Bunny woman. She wore a long, shimmering red dress that accentuated her womanly body. Her long, black hair was a strange contrast to the snow-white fur covering her long ears. She looked at him with a soft gaze of her big, blue eyes that somehow sent shivers down his spine.

"Welcome to my humble abode...?" He smiled as well and slowly lowered his head, acknowledging her.

"Like I said... An intriguing person, indeed." She giggled, covering her unnaturally crimson lips with her slender hand. "I'm Countess Pyonta Veronica Del'mira of Arcadia."

"Ahhh..." He gave her a proper bow and straightened himself to look more presentable. "Welcome to Ravensbruck Castle, an heirloom of my family. My name is Jehaness Terion, once a Viscount of the fallen Kingdom of Berna. May I invite you to a drink?"

He pointed towards the table near the part of the balcony where he liked to admire the views. She gracefully jumped from the ramparts and landed softly on the hard stones. He held his breath as she came closer, unable to take his gaze from her. He felt a strange sadness as he realised that if not for the cruel laws of Berna, he might befriend or even fall in love with a woman like her. She sat near the table, and he went towards the doors, where he found his butler.

"Marcell, can you bring drinks for me and my guest?"

"At once, my Lord!" The butler was a bit shocked. However, he would not ask his young master any unnecessary questions.

He returned to the table where Lady Del'mira watched the people below. He sat awkwardly in the chair, uncertain about how he could even initiate a dialogue between them. She let him smoulder in that uncomfortable silence a little longer, but ultimately, she shifted her big, blue eyes at him, locking him in place.

"Are you afraid?" She slowly tilted her head as if she was surprised.

"I thought that I have made amends with the fate that awaits me..." He smiled faintly, but behind his smile was only sadness. "However... Yes. I'm afraid, Lady Del'mira. But I think that everyone is afraid of death."

She nodded briefly, but he instantly knew that she had only acknowledged his point of view without necessarily agreeing with him. "Some people lived without hope or even a sliver of dignity."

"I know..." He lowered his head. "And I won't excuse myself with pointless assurance that I never kept slaves."

"Yet, once the last Bernan noblesse flocked to your castle and they brought their slaves with them, you took them away." She was clearly intrigued. "As far as I can say, they were treated the same as your other servants, which is commendable."

"But what did that change? I was afraid, and there was nothing I could do to change that earlier." He shrugged. At the same time, his butler arrived with a large tray of various beverages. "What may I offer you?"

"A cup of tea," she said with a mysterious smile.

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

Marcell poured the amber, steaming liquid into a porcelain cup. He opened an intricately decorated wooden box and offered a few white bricks, slightly confusing her.

"It's sugar in cubes. A little bit fancier but as good as normal sugar," Terion explained after dropping three of them into his cup. "One cube is approximately the same amount as one teaspoon of sugar."

"In that case, I would like one; thank you." She smiled at the butler, who quickly dropped a single cube into her tea and left them alone.

She gently mixed her drink, again pinning his attention. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

"May I beg you to spare the people who served me?"

"You don't ask for your life?" she asked in reply, lifting the cup to her lips.

"That would be a bit shameless, don't you think?" Terion shrugged and put on a brave smile. "At least I want to die with dignity. So, if I may, I will only ask for a quick death."

She hummed a bit; however, before she could speak, the doors to the Viscount's private chambers burst open.

"Viscount Terion!" a furious voice called him, and furious Baron Jergnass walked to the balcony, followed by two of Terion's guards who had tried to stop him. He stopped in half-step and looked at Lady Pyonta, who sipped her tea. The Baron's face turned into deeper shades of red as he grabbed the handle of his sword. "What's the meaning of this?! What is this dirty animal doing here?"

"Watch your stupid mouth, Baron," Terion's voice was close to the coldness of the harshest winter. "She is my guest, and if you offend her once more, you can get the hell out of my home. Understood?!"

"No! Not at all, you heretic! Because of people like you, we have lost!" Baron Jergnass drew his sword and started yelling. "Everyone! I found a traitor!"

Terion gasped as the small mob of Bernan noblesse broke onto the balcony. Five of his loyal guards managed to get there in time, but the other noblesse had a few guards with them as well. It wasn't looking good. However, Lady Del'mira was calm; she sipped her tea without a single care in the world, which was somehow even more frightening than the outraged crowd. All the noblesse were steaming with anger, calling for Terion's blood. Seeing that nothing else could be done, he put his hand on the hilt of his sword and stood between the Bunny Woman and the Humans. Seeing his stance, his guards drew their weapons, ready to fight.

"That's everything you have to say?" Terion crossed his arms in front of him and asked the crowd coldly, "Who do you think you are?!"

The only response to his question was a stunned but hostile silence. The Viscount slowly looked at each face before him and continued with a lowered voice. "You come to my home and have the audacity to dictate who I can and can not speak with?!"

"In accordance with the Holy Scriptures of Jukk'nala and Hur'zhun..." another noble started from behind, but his voice froze as he heard the laughter of pure amusement.

Terion froze as well, feeling a gentle hand on his shoulder and seeing Lady Del'mira's facial expression. She was no longer gentle and distinguished. She gazed towards the Bernan noblesse with the predatory gaze of someone consumed by vengeance. Her maniacal laughter was unnerving and gave the gathered Humans great pause.

"Repent, you sinners..." Baron Jergnass said with a weak voice full of uncertainty.

"Hahahahaha!" Pyonta laughed even harder, and she started humming. "I seek no salvation..."

Her red dress started shining with a brilliant, bright crimson light. After a few heartbeats, it looked more like an armoured robe than a dress. Everyone except Viscount Terion and his guards took a step back. Lady Pyonta loudly snapped her fingers and took a large broadsword out of nowhere. Terion gasped, seeing the impossibly huge sword wielded by the frail-looking woman.

"... Only retaliation." She bared her even and snow-white teeth in a very hostile smile. "I bid my greetings to the apostles of fallen gods. My name is Countess Pyonta Veronica Del'mira of Arcadia, you impostors, foul whores, and putrid posers." Her voice was full of dignity and might, making all the previously outraged noblesse flinch in unexplainable fear. Lady Pyonta effortlessly lifted her sword and pointed its ominously motionless tip toward Baron Jergnass. "It's time you greet Dragonslayer."

The red runes glowed brightly across the broad sword's entire length, which finally snapped the noblesse from the paralysed trance they were in. Some drew their swords while others started calling their guards, which provoked even more laughter from the Arcadian Noblewoman. Four noblesse leapt towards her, and while she managed to parry three of them, the fourth slashed at her head from above. Viscount Terion managed to take out his own sword and barely blocked the slash. However, the sloppy movement of his hand earned him a long and ugly gush in his arm. Terion hissed painfully but delivered a solid kick to his opponent's chest, which staggered him, almost pushing him off the balcony. The Viscount's guards were bravely stopping the other noblesse, but to Terion's shock, a few of the noblesse's guards switched sides.

Or so he thought. Seeing how they quickly but reluctantly placed themselves in Lady Del'mira Terion's blind spot, he deduced that they had served her all along. Their skill was also on another level; they effortlessly fended off any attackers without hurting them. Lady Pyonta looked at him and smiled mysteriously.

"Why did you put yourself in harm's way?"

"I can't allow those honorless bastards to hurt you in my presence. You are my guest, after all," he explained, bandaging his arm with a stripe of tablecloth.

"Hmmm... I'm reluctant to offer it, however..." Lady Pyonta sighed heavily as if she really didn't want to say anything more. She pierced him with her blue eyes and straightened majestically. "Do you pledge yourself to my King, Theon Avalon? Do you promise to serve him faithfully and with all your diligence and commitment?"

He stared at her blankly, but before he could sternly refuse, a realisation hit him. Why had he tried so hard to stay loyal to a country that had done everything to make his family miserable? Why should he support the rotten values and spoiled debauchery of those who were now trying to kill him? There was nothing holding him back anymore.

"Yes..." He lowered his head, feeling a pang of guilt over what he saw as a betrayal.

"Wise decision," Lady Del'mira replied with a sweet voice. "Greater Heal."

His wounds closed instantly, and he looked at the Bunny woman with a long, shocked gaze.

"You are a healer?!"

"I'm the High Priestess of Verka, Goddess of Vengeance." She effortlessly swung her sword and almost split Baron Jergnass in half, who foolishly assumed at the last moment that he could kill her while she was distracted. Pyonta laughed again as the warhorns boomed outside the castle and opened her hands invitingly. "Come to me, you fools, and taste the wrath of the Red Cardinal! Hahahahaha!"

Terion sighed and turned towards the ramparts. After taking a deep breath, he yelled as loudly as possible. "Open the gates! The Bernan Noblesse has betrayed us all!"

The more he looked around, the more he realised that the Arcadians had already infiltrated his castle. He couldn't even pinpoint when they had gotten inside. He hacked and slashed at those he still thought were his allies. Terion's vision was clouded and blurred; however, he felt some peace inside his soul that he hadn't felt before. The strange battle of emotions inside him could have been distracting and dangerous if not for the steady presence of Lady Pyonta and the Arcadian soldiers. Below, the courtyard was slowly filling up with Legionnaires...