"Follow me into my... [Memory Mansion]!"

Reiss repeated his motions and called out to the silent throne room for a second time. The gentle welcoming bell jingled again as an ornately decorated stonework door swung open to the right of Reiss.

He fidgeted as the stares continued. It got too much.

"Well? Anyone? I prepared refreshments inside, and you can clean all off all that gore."

Clutching a hand to his face, he waved the other in the general direction of the close combatants. Marcine's face scrunched up as she looked down at herself. Lionel tried to wiggle a glob of puss off his boot. Reiss wouldn't be cleaning up anything left behind in the throne room again, so they better not start dripping.

Seeing everyone waiting for the others to volunteer first, William gave an order.

"Quinnerva, will you enter first and ensure it is safe inside? The rest of us will follow afterward."

"Sir!"

Quinnerva saluted with a reverberation of metal on stone. Reiss saw a small, bloody slime fly off her tower shield. Charles grimaced as it flew in his direction.

Yeah, Reiss would not be cleaning that.

Quinnerva pivoted and walking confidently towards the door. Of all the combatants and those present in the room, "Quinnie" was the strongest. Cray was the first to strike, yes, but Quinnie was the only one to use a Skill in the fight. The rest only used magical items, brute strength, or passive skills at best. Even if [Shield Bash] is a low-level skill, it is better to use it than not. The others were either too cautious about using one or too flustered.

A single "Active Skill" can change the fate of a fight. These usually had short cooldowns, anywhere between 10 seconds and 30 minutes. A high-level skill that can change the outcome of a large skirmish will have anywhere from a day-long to a week-long cooldown. A top-tier skill, which everyone in this room would not have more than one of, if that, would be capable of turning the tide of war. They often took a month or more to recharge. Some had limited uses like Reiss' [Origin Point] while others only had a single-use.

Quinnie judged a weak skill to be a valuable asset in a battle with an unknown enemy. The fact that she also prevented harm from the others was a clear sign of her superiority. Even if Reiss hadn't intervened, Lionel wasn't in any danger since Quinnerva would have used another skill. Reiss just wanted to show off.

After Quinne gave the all-clear from inside, the rest followed.

=

"Is that a horseshoe?"

The crowd stood in a massive entrance hall as large as the throne room. Doors lined the right and left sides, separated by alcoves with marble busts and statues of different races. Near the end of the room was a grand staircase. Two sets of stairs on either side of the hall rose to a banister that overlooked the foyer.

On the left and right sides before the staircase were gargantuan alcoves with massive sculptures. The left one held a simple statue of a horseshoe. The others craned their necks up... and up.

"Why is it so large?"

Reiss smiled widely.

"That? That is Krom's."

Eyes turned to the large form of Krom whose eyebrows had escaped his forehead. His jaw retired from its position while his eyes started leaking. Krom walked over to the giant statue in a trance, ignoring the stares.

"We'll let Krom have a moment. Everyone else, the first door on the left is for ladies. It leads to the shower room where you can wash up. There are armor stands off to the side for your gear and safe storage for other belongings. If you would like to change into something more comfortable, there are outfits in the attached room. The clothes and accessories you have worn in the past are stored there and may be worn if you so choose. Nothing can be stolen without my permission. No entry can be gained without my permission. If you would like to leave this place with something you gained while inside, you must ask first. It disappears when exiting. For example... clothes."

Reiss laughed at the looks.

"Ladies, I will leave you to it. Men, follow me to the right side; I will show you how everything works."

=

Reiss had the pleasure of showing everyone how to use the showers. Again.

Right for cold, left for hot. We just stand here? Yes, remove your armor first. Clothes too, have you never bathed before? Yes, just put it over there. No, the mannequin won't walk away with your gear. No, I won't steal it.

Reiss could copy nearly everything they had if he wanted to. He tried copying William's crown once. It didn't fit his head...

"Left, Giddeon, to the left."

"Like this?"

"Stars, Gideon. I said left. Not right."

"Oh. Like this?"

"How did you even manage- No! Just turn the knob left, Gideon!"

Shampoo? How could something that sounded so offensive clean hair? Now I have to use a conditioner? Oh, woe is me.

It was a shame Lizzy never set up an instruction program in the Men's section. She insisted on adding a complex illusion spell that could answer all questions pertaining to operating foreign equipment and amenities in the Ladies section. Reiss never bothered with the Men's section since they could usually just figure it out themselves.

There was less complaining at the magic dryers that sucked the excess moisture away using incredibly complex math that made even Reiss' brain throb. All of it was Elden magic, more flexible than engineering from Earth. He had half the mind just to say that water magically came out the shower heads if you turned the magic nob.

Reiss took a deep breath as he lead everyone to the side room. There was a fuss as the mannequins actually did walk away with their stuff... to the walk-in wardrobe next door.

There was a mix of awe and incredulity as the men looked over the various outfits—all of which they have worn in the past. Charles scoffed at a pair of skinny jeans and a bikini top.

Reiss may have added those two for shits and giggles. It made Gideon roll over laughing, at least. Even William was chuckling. Cray was still taciturn, but Reiss saw his eyebrows weren't crinkled in his usual scowl.

As everyone changed, Reiss noted the differences.

William opted for a business casual earth outfit than the tux he'd previously been wearing. Lionel copied his majesty. Nelson sported a graphic-tee with a steaming coffee cup. Charles wore magical robes that floated around him pretentiously. Cray decided to take a practical approach, wearing tight-fitting hunting clothes. Cray's old leather vest was worn over it all until Reiss presented bullet-proof kevlar. He'd rarely seen Cray's resting bitch face fluctuate more than in that moment.

"Deodorant? It prevents sweating and smells nice too."

Reiss put on his own before changing. Charles opined.

"That would have been helpful five minutes ago."

"Oops."

Reiss shrugged as he threw on a blank white crew-neck shirt and comfortable pants. Bending down to tie his hiking shoes, he remembered he had long hair now. It had been dragging behind him like a wedding dress. He spared a moment to use [Ornamentation]. In less than ten seconds, his hair was tied in a needlessly complex half updo.

With a final motion, he replaced the kerchief around his neck and motioned for the door.

"Shall we greet the ladies?"

=

An hour later, Krom remained comatose in front of the horseshoe statue, gazing up in wonder. Nelson scuffed a shoe against the tile floor, bored.

If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Iluzy is probably holding them up. They usually don't take this long, but the first time makes it special."

"Who is Iluzy?"

Reiss tilted his head back and forth, wondering how to explain. Lizzy wouldn't like being described in a few words. So he decided just to show them.

"Oi! Krom! Wake up!"

Krom blinked and fell backward. Jerking up, he looked around and started staring back up at the statue. Reiss gave an exasperated sigh.

"The Emperor wishes to discuss a job offer, Krom!"

"I do?"

"He does?

William watched in horror and fascination as Krom's head slowly swiveled on his neck to stare at the [Emperor].

=

"You're a [Farrier]?"

"Yes, your grace. I can personally supply the royal stables myself."

Krom was speaking in full sentences, showing his respect for the [Emperor].

"You must be quite high-level then."

"Specialized. Not high-level."

"He will be. Soon there will be no one in any world that competes with Krom as a [Farrier]. His products will increase the speed of each horse by 20% and increase their stamina by half. That will just be his common work. It can rise higher, or Krom can create other bonuses such as increasing carrying capacity or pull strength."

William was impressed. Those bonuses alone could change the entire scope of transportation and warfare.

"I can't do that. Not yet."

"Of course, of course. Krom isn't able to go that high yet. As of right now, what is your best horseshoe capable of, Krom?"

"5% speed and 10% pull. Lasts up to a year."

"A year!"

That was Nelson. He hurried over, hiking up a pair of khakis that were a size too large. Reiss told him to take a belt, but nooo~

"Most of our horseshoes need to be replaced every 8 weeks. Your Eminence, if we didn't need to replace all the horseshoes in the kingdom, we could save thousands of gold. Longevity alone is a blessing. Think about it. Having horseshoes that will last more than 6 times longer while providing bonuses... Sir, if we could hire Krom and nurture him to a higher level, the possibilities are mind-boggling."

Nelson was breathy. Crunching the numbers made him want to drool.

"I agree with Nelson, your majesty."

Lima walked over and joined the conversation. It appears the ladies finished.

Lima wore a white blouse and dress pants that executives normally wear in multi-million dollar corporations on Earth. She wore studded earrings and combed her short hair to the side.

Marcine wore a military garb complete with a beret that held the Emperor's insignia, a fluffy white and purple cloud. The outfit was slightly at odds with the greatsword attached to her back.

More at odds in appearance was Quinnie. She wore a lavender-colored dress shirt underneath a beige jacket that came down to her hips. Oddly, she chose leggings. Probably for comfort and maneuverability. The enormous and familiar tower shield strapped around her midsection was another oddity. Reiss summed it all up as cultures clashing. Thankfully, none of them chose outfits from races other than Earth. Charles was still peacocking in his magical flowing robes. They were demon craft, actually.

"You agree that hiring [Farrier] Krom is a good idea?"

Lima held a clipboard in one arm. Reiss wondered why that was in the outfit section.

"Yes. I overheard the latter half of the conversation. If Krom is indeed able to provide the majority of the Kingdom's cavalry and transportation with his products, it would considerably lighten the treasury load. Giving him the resources to grow would be heavily in our favor."

"I agree. Charles, what do you think?"

Charlemont sniffed at being addressed casually, even by Nelson.

"I see no faults in the proposed numbers."

All looked to William. Krom was full of hope. William approved.

"Then it is an easy decision. Nelson, you can work with Mister Krom in setting up a workspace once we get back."

"Yes, sir. Of course."

Krom beamed, looking happier than a kid at a bake sale.

Reiss remembered himself and addressed the ladies.

"Were there any problems on your end? I hope Iluzy didn't talk your ears off."

Quinnerva shook her head while Marcine clarified.

"If you are talking about the loquacious woman who over-explained everything, then yes. She was helpful. Mostly."

"Until she started mentioning undergarments and lingerie. We had to cut her off."

Reiss winced. That was her, alright. Why was her illusion so life-like? Reiss knew Iluzy was based on Lizzy's actual appearance but hasn't seen it since he never entered the lady's section, but any illusions should have a set program with limited functions. Did that chatty Kathy spend her entire mana pool casting that thing? She would have been mana fatigued for days.

"I was just about to show the men who created Iluzy. If you'll follow me."

Reiss turned on a foot and walked across the hall to where another grand artwork was displayed. It was no less monumental than Krom's section. While Krom's work was a single object scaled up, Lizzy's section was made up of interlocking parts and motion.

"Lizzy created this herself. It combines several kinds of magic, magic engineering, and Earth engineering."

The entire section was a moving wave of miscellaneous shapes and prisms. When they slowed down, they created an image. A child's bedroom inside of a treehouse. The grainy and rough texture of wood could be seen on the walls, along with specks of sap from the tree that housed this room. A little girl jumping on the bed was frozen in motion, striking a heroic pose.

"Lizzy created a three-dimensional storybook of her life, memorializing the largest moments. This is from her childhood. She always dreamed of being the strongest magic caster."

The scene quickly changed to a lecture hall where Lizzy could be seen amongst blank figures sitting at desks. She was the only one with detail. The reason being, the others never mattered to her.

"She studied a long time to become a hero of epic proportions. Eventually, she became the best at the academy. Then the best in the nation. Now, she stands at near the pinnacle of her world."

"She isn't human."

Lima pointed out. Her observation was right. Lizzy was an Elden. Her features and limbs were significantly more narrow and elongated than humans. Magical leylines ran down her features in glowing blue patterns.

The scene changed, depicting Lizzy standing in a throne room made of wood. She knelt before a ruler, more beautifully depicted than anything else. Lizzy held immense respect for the Queen, the only magic caster still more proficient than her. Lizzy never bested her. In any iteration.

William spoke solemnly.

"Is that one of the Enemy?"

Reiss answered delicately.

"Yes. And no..."

Charles waved an arm.

"What do you mean? Those aren't human, and they aren't a race of Aurelia."

Reiss turned away from the next scene that played. It was a scene of a tragedy. Of loss and suffering. It hurt him that she added it, but it was part of her life, and Lizzy wasn't bothered by sharing such things.

The others continued to watch as Reiss remembered his companion. He spoke to the air as he couldn't bring himself to watch.

"Lizzy is one of the three people I trust the most. She is the Enemy, yes. But can you tell me that an enemy is incapable of becoming an ally? Are a single people all condemned to death for the betrayal of one?"

"Of course not."

"But this..."

"Have you seen this? This is..."

"I can't watch anymore."

Reiss just nodded at the many voices.

"Of all the lives I have lived, I only have three people I trust. I have traveled with other comrades. However, sooner or later, I see everyone's bad side. I have seen people betray their own, sell out their mothers, sacrifice their children to flee... I have been left stranded. Crippled. Tortured for information."

Reiss whirled on Charles.

"You. You, Charles. You have tortured me. Kept me alive by the skin of my teeth. You flayed me. Plucked out my eyes. Castrated me. Then pulled out my tongue when you were done."

Charles took a step back. Had he done all that? The others stopped watching the story and turned to regard Charles with scrutiny.

"I-I wouldn't... I mean, surely there was a reason? I don't do such things for pleasure."

"Oh, there was a reason. The reason was I had a brand new class that no one knew existed. You tried to pry away all of my secrets. I told them all, yet you didn't believe me. You kept thinking there was more. More you could pry from me if only you dug your knives deeper. Maybe the lava worms burrowing their eggs in my intestines would get me to cough up more secrets? Maybe drinking acid would loosen my throat? You watched my flesh burn and dissolve only to regrow and regenerate. Leisurely, over the course of years."

Reiss took momentary pleasure at seeing Charles shiver. The feeling of rage became hollow all too quickly. That iteration had been hundreds ago. He locked away the pain in a special vault and never, ever, touched it. The memory remained, however. Carved in his soul. Should Reiss show him the room? The door leading to such memory?

Reiss took a single shuddering breath.

"You all have killed me. William executed me personally. Twice."

William didn't seem shaken by this news. Why should he?

"Marcine gutted me. Lionel cut me to pieces. Cray skewered me. Gideon fried my nerves. Quinnie ground me to paste. Nelson had me hung. Lia poisoned my tea. All of you killed me. None of you are innocent. Even in my last iteration, you pleaded for me to fight alone."

His words were soft but stung viciously.

"You all wished to avoid any damage to your precious empire. You believed anyone as high-level as I could defeat the invasions single-handedly. And I did. I committed mass genocide against the Gnolls. I made the Ice Giants extinct. I convinced Lizzy to destroy her people to the last. I persuaded Krom to bathe in the blood of demons and become the new Demon King."

They drank in his words. Some unbelieving. Others taking mental notes.

"I still failed."

Reiss continued.

"I couldn't hunt all Shifters. The Orlisi assassinated our allies. Then the Earthbound sent their weapons of mass destruction. Lizzy died from mana backlash as she shielded the capital. As Krom headed his army of demons in a rout, William ordered Cray to shoot him with a ballista bolt."

Everyone was silent as the tirade of emotion came flowing out.

"You think I care that Lizzy slaughtered a Queendom? Committed regicide? No! I don't. She stood next to me in countless battles. Never tortured me. Never killed me. Died by my side, fighting. Every. Time. Simply because we were friends."

Hyperventilating, Reiss took a moment to breathe. The air seemed to vibrate with his emotions as the Mansion rearranged itself haphazardly. Scenes of carnage and destruction flickered by faster than they could be recognized. At the speed of thought, his memories whirled as Reiss collected himself. When the air became slightly less charged, he spoke again.

"That is why she and Krom are honored here... in this Hall of Memory, even if she is of an enemy race. She stood by me at every turn."

"You may be wondering why I have even asked you here despite our... history? The reason isn't simple. I've defected to Elden before. Earth too. A few others as well. To live in solace. I let this Empire and Aurelia burn. But there are still people here that don't deserve to die. There are people elsewhere that have that right as well."

"Despite what you have done to me. There are worse enemies who would see all life dead or enslaved. I am working with you to stop that from happening. For that, you all need to live and keep this kingdom, excuse me... empire, running."

"You are here because I have deemed you usable. Remember that."

Speechless.

No one could say a word.

William looked at Reiss with something else in his eyes. Something other than suspicion.

After Reiss took another moment to collect himself, he gestured to the nearest staircase with an exhalation.

"You've all chosen to come because of William, though. Since he has his dreams, he has seen the shadows of the enemy. I will show you who they really are. Follow me."

The guests followed in uncomfortable silence. They were all lost in thought. Krom took a glance back at Lizzy's display. Ascending the staircase, he could see how massive his own display was. Still, what was on his mind was why no one mentioned the third display. The enormous area in-between the symmetrical staircases was occupied by a statue that reached up to the ceiling.

Krom glanced back at the others, all of whom seemed to forget that Reiss mentioned a third person he trusted. None of them so much as glanced at the mesmerizing sculpture. It trumped the sheer size of Krom's and the complexity of Lizzy's. Was he the only one that could see it?

Krom took a final glance up and committed himself not to shedding any tears at how utterly heartbreaking the statue was.