‘Duchess, there is a letter for you.’ The maid entered the room and delivered it on a silver plate.

‘Thanks; you have done a wonderful job.’ Ariadne smiled at the maid.

The duchess noticed the emblem on the wax; she knew it really well because it was the royal family emblem. Her hands were quick to open as she expected the response to the case of the spy they got. At first, her heart was happy with the words of her father, as he said arrangements were made to meet Velvent and ask questions about the spies with the help of the nobles, but as soon as her eyes read the other lines, her heart was struck by anxiety.

‘He is going to marry again at the end of next year… ’ Her eyes, going left and right, were fixated on the letter.

It was like she forgot how to breathe. After finishing reading the letter, her lungs called for air, and she opened her mount to pull in what her body desperately needed. Ariadne stooped there, sitting on her chair, looking at the door, just lost for words. The last part is what made her stop breathing.

‘So they think I only have until the end of next year to live, damn nobles, trying to take what I built!!!’ Ariadne punched her desk, making everything on top of it move.

A maid opened the door with a concerned look on her face. After seeing the duchess expression, she came closer to the desk, and with a shy voice, she asked.

‘How may I serve, your highness?’ The maid bowed.

‘Can you call the peasant here?’ She sigh.

‘As your wish.’ The maid turned around and walked out.

Edmund was outside, looking at the soldiers building some walls. It looked like a house, but it didn’t have a roof; instead, the catwalls were over the head, which was already completed.

‘Look, inside the dungeon there is a city. We need to be able to clear houses and it will be useful if fights break inside a village as well. This town soon will be a city; this is good training.’ Edmund crossed his arms.

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‘What training? I don’t really get what you are trying to do with this; what is the point?’ Alon stroked his chin.

‘To be honest, I have just a simple idea, but for an example, better formation, how to cut corners, breach the building, you need to remember that in the dungeon, the enemies all use magic, they are ranged units, and they can also use melee as well.’ Edmund gets a rifle that was leaning on a barrel.

‘I understand; the duchess didn’t really say that it was forbidden to do this, so I think it's fine; we need to be prepared. Your notes that you gave me months ago were useful and I added a lot with the help of my subordinates.’ Alon pulls a tablet from a purse he has by his side.

Edmund comes closer to the door, holding his rifle in a position he remembers from the person before the hero; he didn’t think it was perfect, as the person itself was not doing it; he was just seeing through some kind of window on a wall.

‘Entering the front door right here, we need to stick close to the wall, check if the door is open, if not, shoot the hinges, and if the enemy was confirmed to be here, throw one of those devices I was working on, the ones that go boom.’ Edmund positioned himself as he explained to Alon.

From his pocket, he pulled a rock, threw it inside, and after three seconds, he entered using his rifle to sweep from left to right and take position to the side of another door. The captain followed him and found it interesting how he moved; he understood now what the young man was saying before.

‘Now I understand, Edmund, Now we need to know if this is the best way or if it is different with more people. Trying to defend against a breach like this one too can be part of the training. Good idea.’

‘Yeah, I don’t really know what I’m doing; you guys need to figure it out and in my opinion, in half a year, you guys did just fine.’ He pats Alons shoulder.

A maid entered the room from the front door, surprising Edmund, as it was the maid who had been avoiding him since the incident in the kitchen, but he welcomed her with a smile. Alon turned around to face the maid.

‘Your highness wants your presence in her office right now, Edmund.’ The maid avoided Edmund’s eyes.

‘I’m sorry if I make you uncomfortable; lead the way.’ He opens a warm smile at her.

She looked at him right on time to receive his smile; it made her blush a little, but her mind was dragged back to reality, and she turned around and started to walk toward the mansion, looking back to see if he was following her.

‘Is the white hair? I don’t get it.’ The capitain nodded his head in a negative way while writing on his tablet.

Edmund increased the pace and walked to the maid side. She was again surprised by his action, so she distanced herself from him a little. He noticed this and scratched the back of his head.

‘Again, I’m sorry; that will never happen again. You and the kitchen staff were scared; I’m sorry.’ Edmund spoke with a sad tone in his voice.

‘It’s n-nothing; I need to t-thank you; now I’m the duchess personal m-maid.’ She stutters.

‘I’m happy for you; at least something good came out of it.’ He laugh.

As they walked through the mansion, the maid came closer and closer to his side. She felt like he was a close friend; she didn’t talk for long, but his tone was getting more and more sideways with each sentence, which troubled her. Edmund noticed her expression and smirked.

‘Don’t worry, I’m like this; it is not your fault; it is complicated... By the way, what is your name?’ He laughs.

‘My name is Alya Malkah; my father said it means sky queen, a completely different name. He said I just liked to be in high places so he changed my name after my mother died.’ She chuckles as her hands open the door of the duchess's office.